An Incremental Functionality-Oriented Free Software Development Methodology

Abstract

This chapter presents a methodology used as reference model for a free software factory that is part of the National Centre for Free Technologies in Venezuela. This centre is oriented at promoting free software development for serving mostly the public sector in order to promote endogenous development and technologic autonomy. Under this strategy, strengthening the software small and medium size enterprises and cooperatives, by allowing them to participate in different projects (improving their know-how) and providing them with a methodology for increasing their capabilities and software quality, is necessary and urgent. This methodology plans the development process incrementally, based on a prioritisation of the software functionalities development in accordance to the functionalities risks, development urgency, and dependencies. It combines aspects of the two styles of free software development, namely cathedral and bazaar. The development process is centralised, in essence collaborative, and continuously allows source code release.