Featuredriven

Feature-driven development (FDD) is a software development methodology that emphasizes delivering client-valued functionality through a structured, iterative process. It combines modeling with regular, feature-centered builds and uses short iterations to provide tangible progress.

Origin and core concepts: FDD was developed in the late 1990s by Jeff De Luca and Peter Coad as an approach within the Agile landscape. The method organizes work around five process steps: Develop an overall model, Build a features list, Plan by feature, Design by feature, and Build by feature. A primary technique is domain object modeling followed by designing and building by individual features that are small enough to complete in a short timeframe, often around two weeks.

Roles and practice: FDD defines specialized roles such as Chief Architect, Chief Programmer, and Class Owners, with cross-functional feature teams responsible for the design and implementation of a feature. Work is tracked via a features list and a design for each feature, emphasizing clear ownership and frequent integration.

Adoption and characteristics: FDD is designed to scale to larger teams and projects, offering measurable progress through feature completion and regular milestones. It emphasizes upfront modeling to support consistent design, but may introduce more governance and ceremony than some lighter-weight agile methods.

See also: Agile software development; software design; domain modeling.