DSDM basically provides a framework for building and maintaining systems

which meet tight time constraints through the use of incremental prototyping in a
controlled project environment.
DSDM is an iterative software process in which each iteration follows the 80
percent rule. That is, only enough work is required for each increment to
facilitate movement to the next increment.
Feasibility study establishes the basic business requirements and constraints
associated with the application to be built and then assesses whether the applica-
tion is a viable candidate for the DSDM process.

Business study establishes the functional and information requirements that

will allow the application to provide business value; also, defines the basic
application architecture and identifies the maintainability requirements for the
application.
 All DSDM prototypes are intended to evolve into the deliverable application.

The intent during this iterative cycle is to gather additional requirements by

eliciting feedback from users as they exercise the prototype.
Design and build iteration revisits prototypes built during functional
model iteration to ensure that each has been engineered in a
manner that will enable it to provide operational business value for
end users.
 Implementation places the latest software increment (an “operationalized” prototype)
into the operational environment.

It should be noted that

(1) the increment may not be 100 percent complete
(2) changes may be requested as the increment is put into place.
The DSDM philosophy is like a modified version of the Pareto principle -
80 percent of an application can be delivered in 20 percent of the time
This approach helps in building the product as per the end user’s real business
requirements, getting quick updates, reduce errors and reduce time wasted in
unwanted functionalities.
 Empowering people to take quick decisions that they feel would benefit the product, team and
the business most is what is desired.It not only entails a feeling of responsibility within every
team member but also helps in loss of time in communications.
It also helps the technical folks understand the requirements much clearer since
frequent releases make them smaller and thus increases on the core functionalities
that the teams would be developing in those releases.
Any add on to be developed for the product is developed after the core
functionalities are developed.
 It helps in keeping the complex task easy (by breaking a bigger task into smaller
tasks).

features and functionalities that are identified as the most important ones are
developed first.
Technology being a rapidly evolving domain, there should be a mechanism to
incorporate changes. Even while developing the product, sometimes the requirements
identified in the beginning may not remain the same as the product evolves.
 Getting deep into the requirements right in the initial discussions doesn’t really
help since the solution (and thus the requirements) evolve as the product takes
its shape.
The testing is integrated usually in such a fashion that when the developers are
working on second release the testing of first release is in progress. Thus both
the teams work in tandem while building the solution.
Collaboration and team cooperation are main pillars of DSDM and Agile. An
atmosphere of trust and honesty is observed within the team. Daily calls and
discussions on issues that team mates are facing are helping in quick issue
resolution and thus development of the product more efficiently.
People working together effectively are the foundation of any successful project. DSDM
recognises this and assigns clear roles and responsibilities to each person in a project,
representing the business interests, the solution/technical interests, the management
interests and the process interests.
The best solutions emerge from self-organising, empowered teams.
Below are the 7 phases of DSDM

1. Pre-project. The pre-project phase ensures that only right projects are started and that they are set up correctly.
2. Feasibility study.
3. Business study.
4. Functional Model Iteration.
5. Design and Build Iteration.
6. Implementation.
7. Post-Project – Maintenance.