1. Prescriptive process model can be found by observing, interviews and discussing with the team. This can be confirmed by the successful flow of models such as the Waterfall Model, Incremental Process model, RAD model.

2. Descriptive process model can be found by the documents, charts and surveys done inside the organization. The findings can be confirmed by customer segmentations, value based segmentations and behavior based segmentations.

• Perspective models provide the guidance to achieve a target while a descriptive model elaborates the way the prescribed model should be done in reality.
• For finding the prescriptive and descriptive models of an organization we can use methods such as interviews, inspections, observations, reviewing documents, etc.
• We can identify lifecycle process models to understand the prescriptive models that the organization is employing since Lifecycle Process Models provide an abstract definition of the projects that are implemented.
• Engineering process models can be used for identifying the descriptive process models since these provide a detailed description of the software systems developed by the organizations.

As Per the posted questions, we can identify if an Organisation is using either of the models by:

• If the stated/used process model elaborates on the methodology or the deduction calculations of speculated system, it is classified as a Prescriptive Process Model.

Instances of Prescriptive:

Can be recognised mainly via communication for example, meetings, interviews etc.

• If the whole software system’s detailed description is based on the latter execution information or “post mortem” after execution of the project system, then it is classified as a Descriptive Process Model.

Instances of Prescriptive:

Can be recognised subjected to documentation in the sense of reports, statements etc.

Prescriptive process models are found within the guidelines or frameworks which are used by the organization such as, waterfall model, the RAD model and etc.

Descriptive process models are found after a particular analysis or observation such as, responses to error situation.

A descriptive model describes a system or other entity and its relationship to its environment.

Prescriptive design is where span tables, specific detailing requirements, and similar pre-defined design options and rules are used to create a code-compliant design.

For finding these prescriptive and descriptive models, methods such as interviews, observations, reviewing of documents, team discussions can be used.

1. The prescriptive process model of an organization can be found out by communication. Through interviewing the development team, analysing the documents of their previous projects.

2. The descriptive process model of an organization can be found out through observation and data collection throughout the SDLC.

A prescriptive model prescribes how a new software system should be developed. Prescriptive models are used as guidelines to organize and structure how software development activities should be performed, and in what sequence. It is easier and more common to build a prescriptive lifecycle model for how system should be developed. Most commonly waterfall model is used as a prescriptive model.

However, organizations do not follow the prescribed model exactly. They will go ahead with their own descriptive model with slight changes.

In order to find these techniques, questionnaires, interviews, peer reviews can be used.

• A descriptive process model outlines what occurred during the software development process. It is frequently created as a result of a postmortem examination. A system model is an example for descriptive model .
• A prescriptive model specifies what should be done throughout software development, including error handling. It prescribes the components that make up a software model, such as the activities, inputs and outputs of the activities waterfall and incremental development some examples for prescriptive model.

1.Observing, interviewing, and talking with the team might help you find a prescriptive process model. This is supported by the effective implementation of models such as the Waterfall Model, Incremental Process Model, and Rapid Application Development model.

2.Documents, charts, and polls conducted within the business can help to identify a descriptive process model. Customer segmentations, value-based segmentations, and behavior-based segmentations can all validate the findings.

1. The prescriptive prepare show of an organization can be found out by communication. Through meeting the improvement group, dissecting the records of their past ventures.

2. he graphic prepare demonstrate of an organization can be found out through perception and information collection all through the SDLC.

Prescriptive model prescribe the components which make up a software model.

Simply we can say the guidelines for developing a software model. This will include all the steps of development.

Descriptive model provides the details that how the system was developed.

For finding these prescriptive and descriptive models, methods such as interviews, observations, reviewing of documents, team discussions can be used.

An elucidating model portrays a framework or other element and its relationship to its current circumstance.

Prescriptive plan is the place where length tables, explicit specifying necessities, and comparable pre-characterized plan alternatives and rules are utilized to make a code-consistent plan

A descriptive process model represents current practices since it describes what people do on a daily basis. People are told to do (some) things differently in a prescriptive model, which means they must adjust their behavior.

1) Describe how do you find those

Collecting Information for a descriptive model can be accomplished through collaborating with actual process agents witnessing their work, or studying the consequences of their work, such as documentation created during previous development initiatives. Process engineers get a deep understanding of the process through interviews, direct observation of people's work, and examination of documentation and end products, among other ways.

In a Prescriptive model, the impact of changes to the process or context can then be determined by (combinations of) different types of empirical studies (e.g., qualitative or quantitative studies, controlled experiments or case studies, real studies or simulations). The findings of such studies can be utilized to develop prescriptive process models that have been shown to be useful in specific situations and so guarantee specific product attributes.

2) Describe how do you confirm those findings

Descriptive Processes can be confirmed through Process measurement, Process understanding, and Process Administration.

For Prescriptive models there must be sufficient knowledge about the effects of the process changes in order to retain the validity of the process model for the changed context.

1.Prescriptive process model descrivbe how a new software system should be developed. This can be achive by observing, interviews and talking about with the team.

2.Descriptive process model specifies what should be done throughout software development, including error handling. It can be found out through observation and data collection throughout the SDLC.

• The prescriptive process model of an organization can be discovered by correspondence. Through talking to the group, examining the reports of their past projects.

• Descriptive process model can be found by the archives, outlines and studies done inside the organization.

Mainly, there are 3 types of prescriptive process models are used in Organizations. The waterfall model, Incremental Process model, RAD model are the common models.

So the methods used to identify such prescriptive models are as follows:

In waterfall methods, feedback is taken after each phase to ensure that the project is already is on the right path.

In the incremental model, each increment builds the product and submits it later to the customer to do any suggested modifications and all.

Usually, information can be collected in the descriptive model can be done using collaborating with real process agents observing their work. or studying in consequences of their work, such as documentation created previous development initiatives. Usually, interviews, direct observation of the people’s works help to get a clear idea by the Process engineers. So there must be sufficient knowledge about the effects of the process changes to retain the validity of the process model.

The Descriptive model describes the history of the development of a particular software system. These descriptive models are used as a basis for understanding and improvement process as well as creating grounded prescriptive models.

Different types of empirical studies including qualitative or quantitative studies, real studies, or simulations can be used to determine the impact of changes to the process or context.

Descriptive Processes can be confirmed through Process measurement, Process understanding, and Process Administration.

So these Descriptive models can be confirmed using Process measurement, Process understanding, as well as Process Administration.

The two-process models prescriptive and descriptive both exist in parallel in software organizations. They do not differ in content but rather in their intended purpose. Prescriptive process models tell us how something should be done, whereas descriptive process models describe how something is done in reality.

The context of prescriptive process models can be determined through different studies like qualitative or quantitative studies, controlled experiments or case studies, real studies, or simulations.

Its validity can be confirmed by considering domain characteristics, organizational characteristics, project characteristics, and others.

The context for descriptive process models is collected using interviews, observation. Its validity is confirmed by having a general discussion with the organization and thereby confirming the process.

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a general-purpose, developmental, modeling language in the field of software engineering that is intended to provide a standard way to visualize the design of a system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Modeling_Language

The approach has the advantage of giving high level understanding of the system and the 'actors' who have investment in the system before writing a line of code. It slows development down! This can save development money and result in better end user satisfaction and less maintenance.

Robert Schaefer

John Wasson Thank you very much for the descriptive comment. I agree with you. Could you please more elaborate on what systems development methodology you/your organization use? and how do you change it to match with your organization? and if somebody is new to the organization how does he find the existing development methodology (how can he collect data) ?

"elaborate on what systems development methodology you/your organization use"

At one point the development group began to use "six sigma"

Oliver Staley "Whatever Happened to Six Sigma?" Quartz, September 2, 2019

because there was a possibility of take over by GE. When that did not happen it began to use UML to engage customers in developing Requirements documents before beginning coding. Actual implementation, coding, followed the "waterfall" process mentioned above by Hansika Piumali.

Development was done by teams in North America, Shanghai and Bangalore so software configuration management tools were essential; each line of code could be traced back to each developer with a time stamp. Cybersecurity has become important. A developer has access only to one major Class of the product; other Classes are in protected dlls.

Code changes are reviewed at several levels: by another team member; by a software manager before being put into the main product configuration; tested by an independent team from the point of view of end users before being put into a commercial release.

"somebody is new to the organization ..."

An experienced developer is a mentor.

"existing development methodology"

The existing methodology must adapt to changes.

Because the classical Tur‌ing-von Neumann computer architecture has been superseded by multi-core and cloud processing as well as use of inductive neural networks, development is multi-disciplinary. Neural networks evolve and 'learn' automatically using alternative data (alt-data). For example, look at the ages and backgrounds of the Blue Dot team (https://bluedot.global/team/).

Global applications for the Internet of Things (IoT) have an extended architecture.

https://www.foet.org/about/tir-consulting-group/

https://www.mcloudcorp.com/

A software product may use or link to an 'open source' platform, like Python. Note that GitHub was purchased by Microsoft in 2018 (https://youtu.be/UEb1cvZG3GU) so it is not clear how 'open' it will remain.

Hardware limits have been reached for computationally intensive applications such as terrestrial climate models. Quantum computers presently do not have the bandwidth for general applications because of hardware stability issues.

John Wasson Thank you very much for adding comprehensive and eye-opening views. The original query was to have different perspectives on practical approaches on how to find the practising development methodology. However, it is interesting the factors and situations you have presented which are influcing/modifying the original methodologies (waterfall etc). Again thank you very much for adding the valuable points.

Prescriptive process models are usually laid out before the process implementation is worked out, in effect becoming a blueprint for how the process should take place. This is sometimes known as design-oriented models, as a significant percentage of the effort is done in the creation of specifications prior to any work being accomplished.

Descriptive process models, on the other hand, are often simplify codification of established practices so that they can be emulated by other teams, and frequently view design as an ongoing process of discovery that can take place over the course of development, with regular course corrections as tangible products become available.

In practice, few organizations are exclusively prescriptive or descriptive but employ a mixture of strategies. For instance, and organization may end up creating multiple business or technical design documents before other work begins, but will over time also evaluate the degree to which the documents reflect the reality on the shop floor and amend them in accordance with the design. This design approach establishes a baseline of expectations for the final product, but also recognizes that as a product becomes more fully implemented and tested, exceptions to that original document should be integrated back into the design specifications.

Kurt Cagle thank you very much for your valuable contribution. I also agree with your idea. With your brief I felt that prescriptive process models are really "models - an abstract of real process steps" but the descriptive processes are modelling the steps of really practising in the field.

I experienced practically modified processes implementation when product development while the organization provides rules and guidelines which are developed in line with the prescriptive process model.

So in such kind of situation, you suggested calling it "mixed"?

Could you please elaborate on that with your expariance ?