software development life cycle methodology

SDLM

flexible software development framework that aims to produce high quality, low cost, and thoroughly tested software. this structure improves the software development process through continual improvement. SDLC users incorporate best practices and lessons learned into the framework to be more efficient every subsequent cycle. as a result, the tasks and phases will vary slightly from organization to organization because each company will tailor the framework to remove local inefficiencies

common SDLC phases

1. planning: outline the project and define the software’s scope and purpose

2. requirements: define the resources needed for the project. determine what the software needs to do

3. design and prototyping: define how the sofftware needs to work, such as which programming language to use, which security protocols to use, and how the user interface behaves. creates a low function prototype to elaborate on the design. ititiate a risk management plan

4. development: create the software

5. testing

6. analyze: assess risks, issues, and changes of the software development lifecycle

7. operations and maintenance: support the software as long as it is in production. launch new development cycles to fix bugs and create new enhancements for the product

strengths

comprehensive framework and strives to include every necessary task, as well as the required documentation. this highly detailed methodology reduces risk, cost, and time

weaknesses

framework depends on time spent on thorough advance planning, which might not be possible for some teams. Agile focused team members may find the highly structured process overly constraining

waterfall SDLC model

the OG, it replicates waterfall methodologies. it’s easy to udnerstand, measure progress, and track deadlines. it’s rigid and not responsive to change. suitable for predetermined technology stacks and short projects. does not work well for long term, complex projects

iterative SDLC model

iterative and sequential hybrid model. the beginning and ending phases occur once, like a waterfall project, but the middle stages (Requriements through testing) iterate as often as needed. great for large projects with emerging details, and it isn’t necessary for short projects

spiral SDLC model

risk centric iterative model. the project cycles through all SDLC phases, and each cycle assesses risk. spiral is the most complex and resource-intensive model, and projects using this model need to manage cost and scope aggressively. this model works well for large projects with urgent, unknown risks. it does not work well for small projects with limited resources

agile SDLC model

iterative, customer centric model. repeats all phases through every iteration like spiral SDLC, but the customer views the results after every iteration. includes more customer feedback than other models and requires frwquent increments. works well for long term projects where customer feedback is needed. companies seeking a fast time to market also use this model. does not work well for projects with critical budget, time, or scope limitations