ABSTRACT
Executive summary: The Rational Unified Process (RUP) method was developed about 1996 by well-known software engineering experts Grady Booch, Ivar Jacobsen, Jim Rumbaugh, and others. It was based on a combination of ideas and sub-methods assembled by colleagues at Rational Software. In 2003, IBM acquired Rational and it became an IBM division. RUP is supported by powerful tool suites, among the best for any method. In 2016, RUP is integrating Agile concepts, which it has already been doing for years. Due to IBM’s backing, RUP has been one of the most widespread and successful methods for information technology (IT) projects and especially so for large applications in the 10,000 function point size range. But RUP is a heavy methodology that is not as effective for small projects below 500 function points. At the low end, Agile, DevOp, mashups, and other methodologies have taken over from the heavy methodologies such as RUP, whose usage is declining in 2016.
