Process Models in Design and Development

Contribution of this article

As noted above, DDP models fulfil a number of purposes for practitioners, researchers, and educators. However, the design and development process involves many interrelated issues, and each model of the DDP embodies a selective viewpoint on those issues. We therefore contend that state-of-the-art understanding of the DDP and of best practice is not embodied in any one model - but in the set of models and the relationships between them.

This article reviews the models and clarifies their relationships. First, we contribute an organising framework which shows how models of design and development processes can be positioned in relation to one another. Second, we contribute a review and integrating summary of key DDP models. We will show that although a number of researchers have previously surveyed such models, the earlier literature reviews each focus on only a subset of the categories that we identify here. By describing key models, integrating the coverage of earlier reviews, and providing pointers for further reading, it is anticipated that this article will be useful to researchers seeking to position their work as well as to practitioners and educators seeking an overview of the approaches that have been developed. Insights regarding the advantages, limitations, and applications of the individual models are also provided along with suggested areas for further research.