A cataloging framework for software development methods

A framework providing a basis for comparing and evaluating software development methods (SDMs), which are systems of technical procedures and notational conventions for the organized construction of software-based systems, is presented. Using the framework, practitioners and methodologists can describe and rate an SDM´s support for 21 properties. The application of the framework to two examples, OMT and R.J.A. Buhr´s (1990) architectural design, is discussed. Several suggested uses of the framework include: comparing a group of SDMs with one another; defining a standard in terms of the framework and then using this as a basis for discussion; examining an SDM to discover its coverage and capabilities; and combining the properties of different SDMs to create a new SDM.<>