Feature-driven development (
FDD ) is an
iterative and incremental
Iterative and Incremental development is at the liver of a cyclic software development process developed in response to the weaknesses of the waterfall model...
software development process
A software development process, also known as a software development life cycle , is a structure imposed on the development of a software product. Similar terms include software life cycle and software process. It is often considered a subset of systems development life cycle...
. It is one of a number of
Agile methods Agile software development is a group of software development methodologies based on iterative and incremental development, where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional teams...
for developing software and forms part of the Agile Alliance. FDD blends a number of industry-recognized best practices into a cohesive whole. These practices are all driven from a client-valued functionality (
feature The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers defines the term feature in IEEE 829 as "A distinguishing characteristic of a software item ." - Feature-rich :...
) perspective. Its main purpose is to deliver tangible, working software repeatedly in a timely manner.
History
FDD was initially devised by
Jeff De Luca Jeff De Luca is a global information technology strategist and an author in the field of software development methodology. He is considered the primary architect of Feature Driven Development circa 1999 [^JDLBIO], a lightweight methodology for developing computer software with reduced management...
to meet the specific needs of a 15 month, 50 person software development project at a large
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
bank in 1997. Jeff De Luca delivered a set of five processes that covered the development of an overall model and the listing, planning, design and building of features. The first process is heavily influenced by
Peter Coad Peter Coad is a software entrepreneur and author of books on programming. He is notable for his role in defining what have come to be known as the UML colors, a color-coded notation chiefly useful for simplifying one's understanding of a design or model.-Education:Coad received a Bachelor of...
´s approach to object modeling. The second process incorporates Peter Coad's ideas of using a feature list to manage functional requirements and development tasks. The other processes and the blending of the processes into a cohesive whole is a result of Jeff De Luca's experience. Since its successful use on the Singapore project there have been several implementations of FDD.
The description of FDD was first introduced to the world in Chapter 6 of the book
Java Modeling in Color with UML by Peter Coad, Eric Lefebvre and Jeff De Luca in 1999. In
Stephen Palmer Stephen Palmer or Steve Palmer may refer to:* Stephen Palmer * Stephen Palmer of The High Strung* Steve Palmer, footballer...
and Mac Felsing´s book
A Practical Guide to Feature-Driven Development (published in 2002) a more general description of FDD, decoupled from java modeling in color, is given.
The original and latest FDD processes can be found on
Jeff De Luca´s website under the ´Article´ area. There is also a
Community website available at which people can learn more about FDD, questions can be asked, and experiences and the processes themselves are discussed.
Overview
FDD is a model-driven short-iteration process that consists of five basic activities. For accurate state reporting and keeping track of the software development project, milestones that mark the progress made on each feature are defined. This section gives a high level overview of the activities.
Activities
FDD describes five basic activities that are within the software development process. In the figure on the right the
meta-process model Meta-process modeling is a type of metamodeling used in software engineering and systems engineering for the analysis and construction of models applicable and useful to some predefined problems....
for these activities is displayed. During the first three sequential activities an overall model shape is established. The final two activities are
iterated
Iteration means the act of repeating a process usually with the aim of approaching a desired goal or target or result. Each repetition of the process is also called an "iteration," and the results of one iteration are used as the starting point for the next iteration.-Mathematics:Iteration in...
for each feature. For more detailed information about the individual sub-activities have a look at Table 2 (derived from the process description in the ´Article´ section of
Jeff De Luca´s website ). The
concept The word concept is used in ordinary language as well as in almost all academic disciplines. Particularly in philosophy, psychology and cognitive sciences the term is much used and much discussed. WordNet defines concept: "conception, construct ". However, the meaning of the term concept is much...
s involved in these activities are explained in Table 3.
Develop Overall Model
The project starts with a high-level
walkthrough A walkthrough may refer to one of the following topics:* Strategy guide* Software walkthrough* Tutoring* Rehearsal* Audit* Virtual tour-See also:* Classroom walkthrough* Cognitive walkthrough* List of gaming topics...
of the scope of the system and its context. Next, detailed domain walkthroughs are held for each modeling area. In support of each domain, walkthrough models are then composed by small groups which are presented for
peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
and discussion. One of the proposed models or a merge of them is selected which becomes the model for that particular domain area. Domain area models are merged into an overall model, the overall model shape being adjusted along the way.
Build Feature List
The knowledge that is gathered during the initial modeling is used to identify a list of features. This is done by functionally decomposing the domain into subject areas. Subject areas each contain business activities, the steps within each business activity form the categorized feature list. Features in this respect are small pieces of client-valued functions expressed in the form
, for example: ´Calculate the total of a sale´ or ´Validate the password of a user´. Features should not take more than two weeks to complete, else they should be broken down into smaller pieces. Plan By Feature
Now that the feature list is complete, the next step is to produce the development plan. Class ownership is done by ordering and assigning features (or feature sets) as classes
In object-oriented programming, a class is a construct that is used as a blueprint to create instances of itself – referred to as class instances, class objects, instance objects or simply objects. A class defines constituent members which enable these class instances to have state and behavior...
programmer A programmer, computer programmer or coder is someone who writes computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software. One who practices or professes a formal approach to...
Design By Feature
A design package is produced for each feature. A chief programmer selects a small group of features that are to be developed within two weeks. Together with the corresponding class owners, the chief programmer works out detailed sequence diagrams for each feature and refines the overall model. Next, the class and method prologues are written and finally a design inspection Inspection in software engineering, refers to peer review of any work product by trained individuals who look for defects using a well defined process...
Build By Feature
After a successful design inspection a per feature activity to produce a completed client-valued function (feature) is being produced. The class owners develop the actual code for their classes. After a unit test In computer programming, unit testing is a method by which individual units of source code are tested to determine if they are fit for use.A unit is the smallest testable part of an application. In procedural programming a unit could be an entire module but is more commonly an individual function...
code inspection Code review is systematic examination of computer source code. It is intended to find and fix mistakes overlooked in the initial development phase, improving both the overall quality of software and the developers' skills...
Milestones
Since features are small, completing a feature is a relatively small task. For accurate state reporting and keeping track of the software development project it is however important to mark the progress made on each feature. FDD therefore defines six milestones per feature that are to be completed sequentially. The first three milestones are completed during the Design By Feature activity, the last three are completed during the Build By Feature activity. To help with tracking progress, a percentage complete is assigned to each milestone. In the table below the milestones (and their completion percentage) are shown. A feature that is still being coded is 44% complete (Domain Walkthrough 1%, Design 40% and Design Inspection 3% = 44%). Best practices
Feature-Driven Development is built around a core set of industry-recognized best practices, derived from software engineering Software Engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software...
Domain Object Modeling . Domain Object Modeling consists of exploring and explaining the domain of the problem to be solved. The resulting domain object model provides an overall framework in which to add features.
Developing by Feature . Any function that is too complex to be implemented within two weeks is further decomposed into smaller functions until each sub-problem is small enough to be called a feature. This makes it easier to deliver correct functions and to extend or modify the system.
Individual Class (Code) Ownership . Individual class ownership means that distinct pieces or grouping of code are assigned to a single owner. The owner is responsible for the consistency, performance, and conceptual integrity of the class.
Feature Teams . A feature team is a small, dynamically formed team that develops a small activity. By doing so, multiple minds are always applied to each design decision and also multiple design options are always evaluated before one is chosen.
Inspections . Inspections Inspection in software engineering, refers to peer review of any work product by trained individuals who look for defects using a well defined process...
Configuration Management . Configuration management helps with identifying the source code for all features that have been completed to date and to maintain a history of changes to classes as feature teams enhance them.
Regular Builds . Regular builds ensure there is always an up to date system that can be demonstrated to the client and helps highlighting integration errors of source code for the features early.
Visibility of progress and results . By frequent, appropriate, and accurate progress reporting at all levels inside and outside the project, based on completed work, managers are helped at steering a project correctly.
Metamodel (MetaModeling)
Metamodeling
Metamodeling, or meta-modeling in software engineering and systems engineering among other disciplines, is the analysis, construction and development of the frames, rules, constraints, models and theories applicable and useful for modeling a predefined class of problems...
UML Unified Modeling Language is a standardized general-purpose modeling language in the field of object-oriented software engineering. The standard is managed, and was created, by the Object Management Group...
Jeff De Luca´s website . The right side of the model shows the concepts involved. These concepts originate from the activities depicted in the left side of the diagram. A definition of the concepts is given in Table 3. Tools used for Feature Driven Development
CASE Spec . CASE Spec is a commercial enterprise tool for Feature-Driven development.
TechExcel DevSuite . TechExcel DevSuite is a commercial suite of applications to enable Feature-Driven development.
FDD Project Manager Application . FDDPMA is a web-based effort that aims to facilitate iterative development by reducing FDD management overhead, producing graphical progress reports, and providing a workplace where all the FDD related documentation is collected.
FDD Tools . The FDD Tools project aims to produce an open source, cross-platform toolkit supporting the Feature Driven Development methodology.
FDD Viewer . FDD Viewer is a utility to display and print parking lots.
See also
Agile Software Development Agile software development is a group of software development methodologies based on iterative and incremental development, where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional teams...
Project lifecycle
Software architecture The software architecture of a system is the set of structures needed to reason about the system, which comprise software elements, relations among them, and properties of both...
Software development process
A software development process, also known as a software development life cycle , is a structure imposed on the development of a software product. Similar terms include software life cycle and software process. It is often considered a subset of systems development life cycle...
Software engineering Software Engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software...
External links
Develop Overall Model strawman A "straw-man proposal", also known as an Aunt Sally, is a brainstormed simple proposal intended to generate discussion of its disadvantages and to provoke the generation of new and better proposals. Often, a straw man document will be prepared by one or two people prior to kicking off a larger...
Build Feature List Plan By Feature
Dependencies between FEATURES in terms of CLASSES involved;
Balancing load across CLASS OWNERS;
The complexity of the FEATURES to be implemented;
Bringing forward high-risk or complex BUSINESS ACTIVITIES;
Consideration of any external (visible) milestones such as betas, previews, feedback checkpoints and the "whole products" that satisfy such milestones.>
The DEVELOPMENT SEQUENCE;
Dependencies between FEATURES in terms of CLASSES involved;
Balancing load across CLASS OWNERS (remember that chief programmers are also CLASS OWNERS);
The complexity of the FEATURES to be implemented.>
Balancing load across developers;
The complexity of the CLASSES;
The usage (e.g. high-use) of the CLASSES;
The DEVELOPMENT SEQUENCE.>
Design By Feature PC
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
attribute In computing, an attribute is a specification that defines a property of an object, element, or file. It may also refer to or set the specific value for a given instance of such....
intranet An intranet is a computer network that uses Internet Protocol technology to securely share any part of an organization's information or network operating system within that organization. The term is used in contrast to internet, a network between organizations, and instead refers to a network...
parameter
Parameter from Ancient Greek παρά also “para” meaning “beside, subsidiary” and μέτρον also “metron” meaning “measure”, can be interpreted in mathematics, logic, linguistics, environmental science and other disciplines....
return type In computer programming, the return type defines and constrains the data type of value returned from a method or function...
and submits it for publication on the project intranet.>
Build By Feature
BUILD PROMOTION Software build In the field of computer software, the term software build refers either to the process of converting source code files into standalone software artifact that can be run on a computer, or the result of doing so...
BUSINESS ACTIVITY CLASS Class
In object-oriented programming, a class is a construct that is used as a blueprint to create instances of itself – referred to as class instances, class objects, instance objects or simply objects. A class defines constituent members which enable these class instances to have state and behavior...
CLASS AND METHOD PROLOGUE CLASS DIAGRAM Class diagram
In software engineering, a class diagram in the Unified Modeling Language is a type of static structure diagram that describes the structure of a system by showing the system's classes, their attributes, operations , and the relationships among the classes.- Overview :The class diagram is the main...
CLASS OWNER CLASS OWNER LIST CODE INSPECTION Code review Code review is systematic examination of computer source code. It is intended to find and fix mistakes overlooked in the initial development phase, improving both the overall quality of software and the developers' skills...
COVERING MEMO DATE Calendar date
A date in a calendar is a reference to a particular day represented within a calendar system. The calendar date allows the specific day to be identified. The number of days between two dates may be calculated. For example, "24 " is ten days after "14 " in the Gregorian calendar. The date of a...
DESIGN ALTERNATIVE DESIGN PACKAGE
A covering memo, or paper, that integrates and describes the design package such that it stands on its own for reviewers.
The referenced requirements (if any) in the form of documents and all related confirmation memos and supporting documentation.
The Sequence diagram(s).
Design alternatives (if any)
The object model with new/updated classes, methods and attributes.
The generated output for the class and method prologues created or modified by this design.
Calendar/To-Do task-list entries for action items on affected classes for each team member.
DEVELOPMENT SEQUENCE DOMAIN OVERVIEW EXPLANATORY NOTE FEATURE . For example, calculate the total of a sale, calculate the total quantity sold by a retail outlet for an item description. Features are granular in accordance with the rule that a feature will take no more than two weeks to complete, but not so granular as to be at the level of getters and setters. Two weeks is an upper limit; most features take less than this time. When a business activity step looks larger than two weeks, the step is broken into smaller steps that then become features. (http://www.featuredrivendevelopment.com/files/fddprocessesA4.pdf)FEATURE DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT FEATURE LIST FEATURE LIST TEAM FEATURE TEAM IMPLEMENTATION Implementation Implementation is the realization of an application, or execution of a plan, idea, model, design, specification, standard, algorithm, or policy.-Computer Science:...
MODELING TEAM OVERALL MODEL PLANNING Planning Planning in organizations and public policy is both the organizational process of creating and maintaining a plan; and the psychological process of thinking about the activities required to create a desired goal on some scale. As such, it is a fundamental property of intelligent behavior...
PLANNING TEAM REFERENCE REFERENCED REQUIREMENT REFINEMENT Refinement In formal methods, program refinement is the verifiable transformation of an abstract formal specification into a concrete executable program. Stepwise refinement allows this process to be done in stages...
SEQUENCE DIAGRAM Sequence diagram A sequence diagram in Unified Modeling Language is a kind of interaction diagram that shows how processes operate with one another and in what order. It is a construct of a Message Sequence Chart....
SMALL GROUP SMALL GROUP MODEL SUBJECT AREA TEAM MODEL TODO TASK LIST The source of this article is
wikipedia , the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the
GFDL .
