When approaching a product lifecycle, you need a strong foundation and governance to enable continuous release and feedback implementation. The good news is that agile provides different frameworks for managing such project lifecycle processes. A key agile methodology is the dynamic systems development method (DSDM), which provides an iterative and incremental approach to project development.
In this article, you’ll learn more about DSDM, its core principle, its comparison with other agile frameworks, and its roles and practices.
What is DSDM?
The dynamic system development method (DSDM) was first released in 1994 as a software development method to provide some discipline to the rapid application development (RAD) method. Over the years, DSDM has evolved from a software development method to a general project management and solution delivery method and can be used for non-technical projects.
DSDM is a recognized agile framework for project management and efficient delivery solutions. It can be used in a wide variety of applications, from small software developments to large-scale commercial processes. DSDM provides the structure, foundation, and guidance required to bring project/business needs to life by implementing its solutions for operational use. DSDM further encourages productive collaboration among all parties involved in project development, including stakeholders.
DSDM vs. other agile methodologies
To give you a better understanding of DSDM, let’s take a look at how it compares to other popular agile methodologies.
DSDM vs. scrum
DSDM and Scrum share numerous similarities as both employ iterative and incremental approaches for product development. Scrum is an agile framework for self-managing and self-organizing teams that solve problems, manage projects, and deliver customer value during a time-limited period known as a sprint. It’s simple to learn, but tough to master. DSDM is an agile framework that focuses on enabling project stakeholders to collaborate successfully in order to achieve business objectives.
DSDM vs. RAD
RAD (rapid application development), like DSDM, uses an iterative and incremental approach. However, these agile techniques differ. Rapid application development (RAD) is an agile methodology for software development. It’s ideal for working in a fast-paced setting.
Companies benefit from DSDM more than RAD since it provides defined, orderly stages for each part of a project. On the other hand, RAD values independence and innovative thinking. A well-structured DSDM can assist firms in reducing costs and increasing productivity.
DSDM vs. waterfall
Both DSDM and Waterfall enable organizations to plan and design initiatives before starting them. However, Waterfall allows companies to develop considerably more extensive project plans. While in DSDM, companies can modify the project’s goals while it is still in progress and also generate well-detailed designs at the early stage of the project.
Principles of the dynamic systems development method
Like any method, DSM leverages a group of core principles to help ensure its relevance and reliability throughout the product lifecycle.
Focus on the business need
In DSDM, delivering features and functionalities that align with the business needs and opportunities is of utmost priority. It involves collaborating with stakeholders to understand their requirements and ensure the project delivers value to the business.
Deliver on time
DSDM employs timeboxing techniques to allocate a specific time duration during the project development. This ensures the team delivers the most essential features within the specified time frame. There’s also a need for effective planning and monitoring to ensure that milestones are met as scheduled.
Collaborate
Stakeholders must be continually involved throughout the development process. This enables open communication and shared knowledge across teams, as well as effective decision-making.
Never compromise quality
In DSDM, rigorous testing and continuous validation of products must be carried out throughout the development process. This ensures that the product meets a high standard of excellence and reliability when delivered. Not prioritizing product quality can cause technical debt, increased maintenance costs, and stakeholder dissatisfaction.
Build incrementally from firm foundations
When building a product, it’s important to start with the key elements to create a firm foundation and technical base upon which other functionalities can be added gradually in successive iterations. Prioritizing this principle enables teams to manage complexity and maintain a solid foundation for future development.
Iterative development
This involves cycling through the stages of development repeatedly, testing and refining the product gradually. This allows teams to gather feedback early and often for continuous improvement of the project.
Continuous communication
In a working environment where information flows freely and transparently, everyone has access to important updates and decisions. By doing so, you encourage active engagement between teams and stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle where feedback is provided and issues can be addressed.
Demonstrate control
Mechanisms should be set for tracking and monitoring the progress of the project throughout the development lifecycle. This allows you to manage risks and establish clear objectives that align with business goals.
3 phases of DSDM
The phases of DSDM can be categorized into three phases:
1. The pre-project phase
The pre-project phase sets the groundwork for the project. It involves carrying out a feasibility study to evaluate the business viability, identifying stakeholders, and defining the project vision and success criteria.
2. The project lifecycle
This phase covers the main stages of the project execution which include feasibility study, business study, functional model iteration, design, build iteration, and implementation. Here, the project is developed iteratively and incrementally with collaboration and continuous feedback from stakeholders.
3. The post-project phase
In the final phase, a post-implementation review is carried out to evaluate the performance of the project and identify any areas for improvement. It ensures that the system operates efficiently and effectively. Documentation and knowledge sharing are done to gain insights from the project for future initiatives.
Roles in the dynamic systems development method
In DSDM, different roles are assigned to the project members before the project is commenced. Each role has its own unique responsibilities. These roles include:
- Project sponsor — The project sponsor is also known as the project champion. They are responsible for the business issues and financial decisions. The project sponsor is a crucial responsibility since they must be supportive, dedicated, and available throughout the project development to ensure the project’s long-term success and settle any conflicts that arise
- Project visionary — The project visionary is in charge of defining the project’s vision and communicating the business sponsor’s needs to the project team. They begin the project by ensuring that essential resources are available early on. Then, they ensure that the project’s progress is consistent with company objectives
- Project ambassador — The project ambassador is responsible for engaging with other users and involving them when needed. They bring the user community’s knowledge to the project and make sure the developers receive adequate user feedback during development
- Project manager — As the project progresses, it’s necessary to control the work environment. This is when the project manager steps in. This could be anyone on the business or IT team who manages the project and tracks its progress against the defined delivery plan
- Technical coordinator — The technical coordinator is responsible for ensuring that the project satisfies technical standards and that the technical roles are consistent. They create the system architecture and monitor the project’s technical performance
- Team leader — The team leader collaborates with the team to plan and coordinate all areas of product delivery on a comprehensive basis. They lead their team and ensure that they work well together
- Solution developer — The technical coordinator must give the solution developer authority to make daily decisions in their area of expertise. They also interpret the system requirements and models needed to design the project solution and prototypes
- Project advisor — The project advisor gives professional advice on the project’s day-to-day decisions. They could be anyone who represents an important position and contributes everyday knowledge to the project
- Solution tester — The solution tester develops the test scenarios and cases. They document the test results and provide them to the team leader and technical coordinator for quality assurance
- Facilitator — The facilitator oversees the workshop’s progress and serves as a guide for preparation and communication. Alongside this, they organize and moderates a session that enables participants to meet the workshop’s objectives
Real-world projects that use DSDM
Now that you have a sense of what DSDM is, let’s take a look at some successful examples of its implementation:
University of Saint Andrew
The University of Saint Andrews in Scotland, launched DSDM in 2014. It implemented DSDM to meet the changing needs of students, teachers, and staff while also providing high-quality software solutions to increase access, visibility, and administration of students’ curriculum data and time at the university.
LShift
LShift is a software development company that provides information technology consulting services. It conducted a case study on incorporating UX design into a DSDM project. LShift demonstrated the value of integrating UX design with agile development such as DSDM in delivering effective projects.
UK Government’s Highways Agency
The UK government integrated PRINCE2 (PRojects In Controlled Environments), a project management methodology, with DSDM to respond fast to any project changes. This approach resulted in the project being completed on schedule and on budget, while also managing risks, involving stakeholders and customers on a regular basis, and ensuring that the result fulfilled business requirements.
Final thoughts
DSDM offers a well-structured and solid framework for organizations to properly manage projects. It can be used for general project management (technical and non-technical projects) and in an iterative approach to deliver solutions fast and on budget, as well as to receive feedback. Throughout the method, DSDM enables you to focus on business goals and collaboration among all project stakeholders.
The dynamic systems development method works best when stakeholders need to work together effectively, iteratively, and with flexibility. Good luck trying DSDM with your next product!
Featured image source: IconScout
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