Tips on introducing MDSD into projects and adapting the development process, the return on investment for MDSD, the relationship between MDSD and Agile software development, and offshoring in the context of MDSD.
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Quick takeaways
MDSD projects require a small group skilled in formalization, allowing majority of developers to focus on applying the methodology.
Introducing MDSD in a familiar environment with existing technology platforms and frameworks can lead to significant advantages and improved software quality.
Deep dives
Role differentiation in MDSD projects
In MDSD (Model Driven Software Development) projects, there are two distinct roles. The first role involves formalizing the architecture, building the generator, and defining the meta models. This is known as the domain architecture development track. The second group of people uses the generator to build applications without needing to understand the intricate details of MDSD. They simply work with models, generate code, and work with the resulting output. While some individuals may have a natural inclination for formalizing into meta models, it is not a skill that everyone possesses. Therefore, it is crucial to have a small group of individuals who are skilled in the formalization aspect while keeping the majority of developers focused on applying the MDSD methodology.
Benefits and considerations for introducing MDSD
Introducing MDSD into projects requires careful consideration. It is advisable to start using MDSD in a familiar environment, leveraging existing technology platforms and frameworks. By doing so, developers can focus on learning the necessary tools and concepts without overwhelming themselves with new domains and technologies. While MDSD requires some initial investment in automation, the advantages are significant. The economies of scale come into play when MDSD is used across software system families or product lines, allowing for reuse of infrastructure, metamodels, and generators. If MDSD is implemented correctly, the payoff should be evident in the first project itself, leading to reduced effort, improved software quality, maintainability, and the ability to respond to changes more easily. Additionally, MDSD aligns well with agile methodologies, enabling agility in technical infrastructure changes and facilitating collaborations with domain experts.
MDSD as an alternative to offshoring
In the context of offshoring, MDSD can present an alternative solution. Automation through MDSD minimizes the need for offshoring brain-dead repetitive work, as the generator takes care of such tasks. Additionally, MDSD can ensure that core knowledge about the architecture and business remains in-house while offshoring the implementation work. By defining the architecture and generators locally, organizations can ship specifications to offshore teams, allowing them to focus on business logic implementation while preserving the core know-how. However, it is worth noting that when MDSD is implemented effectively, there may be less motivation to offshore work, as the benefits of automation and architectural-centric development outweigh the lower labor costs associated with offshoring.
After discussing some of the more technical aspects of MDSD in the last episode, we take a look at other important topics in this one. This includes some tips on how to introduce MDSD into projects and how the development process has to be adapted for this to work, as well as a look at the return on investment for MDSD. The relationship of MDSD and Agile software development is also discussed. Finally, we take a look at offshoring in the context of MDSD.
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