Development Methodology

As a baseline methodology for offshore development services use the Rational Unified Process (RUP) as the preferred approach. RUP is an iterative software development process framework created by the Rational Software Corporation, since 2002 a division of IBM.

RUP is not a single concrete prescriptive process, but an adaptable process framework, intended to be tailored by development organisations and software project teams who will select the elements of the process appropriate for their needs. This enables Harvey Nash to adjust its approach to meet a client’s specifications and needs.

RUP is based on a set of software development principles and best practices, specifically:

• Develop software iteratively
• Manage requirements
• Use component-based architecture
• Visually model software
• Verify software quality
• Control changes to software

Given the time it takes to develop large sophisticated software systems it is not possible to define the problem and build the solution in a single step. Requirements will often change throughout a project's development, due to architectural constraints, customer's needs or a greater understanding of the original problem. Iteration allows the project to be successively refined and addresses a project's highest risk items as the highest priority task.