Iterative and incremental developments. a brief history

2003/06/01 by Craig Larman, Victor R. Basili · 2 citations
Computer Science · #Advanced Software Engineering Methodologies #Computer science #Data science #Iterative and incremental development #Programming language #Software #Software Engineering Research #Software Engineering Techniques and Practices #Software development #Software engineering #Theme (computing) #World Wide Web

paper · doi:10.1109/mc.2003.1204375

openalex publication_date 2003/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Although many view iterative and incremental development as a modern practice, its application dates as far back as the mid-1950s. Prominent software-engineering thought leaders from each succeeding decade supported IID practices, and many large projects used them successfully. These practices may have differed in their details, but all had a common theme-to avoid a single-pass sequential, document-driven, gated-step approach.

Citations

• Letters to the editor: go to statement considered harmful
• Managing the Development of Large Software Systems (1970)
• Life cycle concept considered harmful
• No Silver Bullet Essence and Accidents of Software Engineering
• Evolutionary development

Cited by

• Factors that affect software systems development project outcomes
• Agile software development [wikipedia]