IT delivery models within TMap

What is an IT delivery model?

An IT delivery model is a conceptual framework that provides support for a software development process. This framework describes all assets and competencies. There are different types of these models and the description varies from model to model. There can be the following differences for each model:

• required (IT) skills,
• resources,
• procedures,
• methodologies,
• infrastructure,
• management,
• personnel functions,
• delivery processes,
• and so on.

Three groups of IT delivery models

The book "Quality for DevOps Teams" distinguishes three types of IT delivery models. They are the sequential IT delivery model, the Waterfall model and the V model.

Sequential IT delivery

When you sequentially test software, you literally do it sequentially. You then run the tests one by one in a particular order. The following models belong to this group:

The Waterfall Model

This model contains phases that are performed sequentially. Where the progress of the project flows down like a waterfall through the various phases from idea to design to testing and implementation. Software testing usually takes place only in a phase at the end of the project. Features of this model are:

• Each phase must be completed within a certain amount of time;
• Products must be clear per phase before moving to the next phase;
• Products for each phase are fixed before the next phase begins;
• You start testing after the coding phase is completed, however, as a software tester you are involved in several phases. Such as in designing, determining the test environment or choosing the test design techniques.

You can also read more about CI/CD pipelines and tooling or Test Data Management.

The V-model or the V-shaped Validation & Verification model

This is a modified version of the waterfall model. In this model, relationships between the development phases and test phases are shown. This is because the test phases are related to corresponding development phases. So for each development phase, you also have a test phase. So during the project you are testing more often than in the waterfall model. Characteristics of this model are:

• In each phase, you as a software tester are actively testing;
• You have to check the final product of each phase and approve it based on products from previous phases before moving on to the next phase;
• You use cross functional teams or DevOps teams or tasks are performed by specialized team. Each task is then performed by a separate specialist. For example, there is then often a separate developer and a separate software tester;
• The developer and the tester work in parallel;
• The relationships between development phases and test phases are indicated.

High-performance IT delivery models

High-performance IT delivery is an approach that enables cross-functional teams to continuously improve the products, process and people needed to deliver value to end users. Continuous feedback on quality and risks is very important here. Because only then can quality be continuously guaranteed.

In high-performance IT delivery, activities are performed iteratively or in parallel. Working methods that fit this are:

The Scrum framework

Scrum helps you within software development and testing by delivering value incrementally with collaboration. This working method has an Agile character and is therefore of great value if you want to work Agile. In fact, you will work in a team with which you will do small pieces of work at a time, constantly performing tests, experiments and feedback loops in between. Just like Agile!

DevOps

DevOps is a way of working in which two departments, namely development (Dev) and operations (Ops), are merged. The main goal of such a team is to improve productivity in order to create, test and deploy software faster. The DevOps culture also has an Agile nature that can be supported or implemented by the Scrum framework, for example.

What is the difference between Scrum and DevOps? In Scrum, deployment takes place at the end of each sprint, in DevOps there is continuous deployment.

Hybrid IT delivery

A hybrid approach is the combination of two separate but related models. For example, you can combine the waterfall model with a method like Scrum. The model is then focused on predicting the development of the product and the method is then actually open to new and innovative ideas. That is also the essence of a hybrid approach. The combinations are not fixed and you can combine any model or working method.

IT delivery models and "agile working"

A mindset belongs to a person and is therefore model-independent. So it is possible to work with an Agile mindset in all IT delivery models. However, an Agile mindset is a prerequisite for working in a high-performance IT delivery model. The difference between Scrum and DevOps, both high-performance IT delivery models, is that in Scrum, deployment occurs at the end of each sprint. In contrast, DevOps involves continuous deployment.

Other high-performance IT delivery "models"

In addition to the above models, there are other high-performance IT delivery models, such as Lean, Agile, Kanban and Spotify. By the way, these are not always seen as models but rather as frameworks or mindsets. In a nutshell, the description of Lean, Agile, Kanban and Spotify is as follows:

• Lean is an organization-wide management philosophy that includes continuous process improvement, where you want to eliminate as much waste as possible to increase improvements;
• Agile is a "mindset" for software development, based on the Agile Manifesto. Here the main focus is on generating value for the business;
• Kanban is a planning system for lean manufacturing and just-in-time production. In IT delivery, it is an agile framework that allows the team to focus on the team's throughput by making sure nothing gets stuck. It also ensures that the team works together to solve activities that do get stuck;
• Spotify engineering culture is the implementation and interpretation of the Scrum framework by media (music) service provider Spotify. They have expanded it to include Squads, Tribes, Chapters and Guilds, among others.

TMap® Quality for cross-functional teams: learn all about IT delivery models

So with an IT delivery model, you make sure you can perform structured testing on software. You make sure that you go through the right steps and perform the tests in the right phases, depending on the IT delivery model. Do you find this interesting and want to know more about it? In the e-learning TMap® Quality for cross-functional teams you will learn all about this topic and be prepared for the official exam!

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