What is the incremental process of designing an application or procedure which starts by looking at the overall picture of the requirements, devising an initial solution/architecture, inspecting the solution or patterns, and iterating until the solution meets the objects or performance, clarity and quality?

• A. Waterfall Model
• B. Agile Development
• C. Stepwise Refinement
• D. Prototyping

Answer: (C)

Stepwise refinement focuses on evolving a design in small, verifiable steps. It starts with a broad view of the requirements and an initial solution or architecture, then you examine that proposal, consider patterns or alternatives, and iterate—adding detail and making improvements—until the design meets the goals for performance, clarity, and quality. This approach emphasizes gradual, validated progress rather than rushing to a final solution in one pass, which is why it fits the description best. Waterfall is too linear and single-pass, Agile emphasizes frequent increments and responsiveness, and prototyping centers on building quick models to learn requirements rather than refining a chosen design to meet specified objectives.