Research about SDLC, Discussing it's methodology, benefits and key stages. Comment on activities you have conducted during your website development that correlates with the stages

Dmitrynew83 (2021) 

What is SDLC?

Software development is an iterative process that is followed for a software project that consists of several phases for building and running software applications. SDLC helps with the measurement and improvement of a process, which allows an analysis of software development each step of the way.

Planning: Leaders of the project evaluate the terms of the project, including the calculation of labour and material costs, to create a timetable with goals. Planning must also include areas of feedback from stakeholders or anybody who is going to benefit from the applications.

Define Requirements: The next step is to define and document requirements and seek stakeholder approval. Define what the application is meant to do, any features that would be included and roadblocks along the way. Resources would also need to be identified and built into the project in order to define requirements.

Design: design has been defined, a prototype of an early version of the software can be created to demonstrate a basic idea of how an application will look, how it will respond and what it is capable of doing. This is the phase where programmers receive feedback from stakeholders in order to approve the application—prototyping is much less expensive than making changes in the development phase.

Software Development: This is the phase of SDLC where the program itself is written out, either using a single developer or a large team each working on different parts of the development. SDLC can anticipate issues in the software development process that can hold up production, like waiting for test results or compiling code.

Testing: Applications must be tested continuously to ensure that they are going to run well together, as software development is often broken down into smaller projects completed by separate individuals and teams. Ensure that each function runs as it should and that each part of the application is interacting well with other parts. This reduces the number of bugs that users can encounter when using the application, and it leads to a higher usage rate and better user satisfaction.

Deployment: An application is deployed once testing is completed, which makes it available to users. This step of the process can be manual or automated, depending on the complexity and needs of the application.

 Methodology Of SDLC:

The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is the software development world’s spell check — it can flag errors in software creation before they’re discovered (at a much higher cost) in successive stages. But it’s much more than that, of course: SDLC can also lay out a plan for getting everything right the first time.

The SDLC process involves several distinct stages, including planning, analysis, design, building, testing, deployment and maintenance. Here are six SDLC methodologies, or models, that development teams use in this effort.

1. Agile

The Agile model has been around for about a decade. But lately, it has become a major driving force behind software development in many organisations. Some businesses value the Agile methodology so much that they are now applying it to other types of projects, including non-tech initiatives.

 

2. Lean

The Lean model for software development is inspired by lean manufacturing practices and principles. The seven Lean principles (in this order) are: eliminate waste, amplify learning, decide as late possible, deliver as fast as possible, empower the team, build integrity in, and see the whole.

 

3. Waterfall

Some experts argue that the Waterfall model was never meant to be a process model for real projects (check out the discussion on this topic on StackExchange). Regardless, the Waterfall model is widely considered the oldest of the structured SDLC methodologies. It’s also a very straightforward approach: finish one phase, then move on to the next. No going back. Each stage relies on information from the previous stage and has its own project plan.

 

4. Iterative

The Iterative model is repetition incarnate. Instead of starting with fully known requirements, project teams implement a set of software requirements, then test, evaluate and pinpoint further requirements. A new version of the software is produced with each phase, or iteration. Rinse and repeat until the complete system is ready.

 

5. Spiral

One of the most flexible SDLC methodologies, the Spiral model takes a cue from the Iterative model and its repetition; the project passes through four phases (planning, risk analysis, engineering and evaluation) over and over in a “spiral” until completed, allowing for multiple rounds of refinement.

 

The Spiral model is typically used for large projects. It enables development teams to build a highly customised product, and incorporate user feedback early on in the project. Another benefit of this SDLC model is risk management. Each iteration starts by looking ahead to potential risks, and figuring out how best to avoid or mitigate them.

6. DevOps

The DevOps methodology is the newcomer to the SDLC scene. As this article explains, it emerged from two trends: the application of Agile and Lean practices to operations work, and the general shift in business toward seeing the value of collaboration between development and operations staff at all stages of the SDLC process.

References:

Links, R. (no date) What is the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?, ServiceNow. Available at: https://www.servicenow.com/uk/products/devops/what-is-sdlc.html (Accessed: March 7, 2023).

Robert Half (2022) 6 basic SDLC methodologies: Which One is best?, 6 basic SDLC methodologies | Robert Half UK. Robert Half. Available at: https://www.roberthalf.co.uk/advice/industry-insights/6-basic-sdlc-methodologies-which-one-best (Accessed: March 7, 2023).

Dmitrynew83 (2021) 7 phases of software development life cycle stock vector - illustration of capacity, professional: 234700966, Dreamstime. Available at: https://www.dreamstime.com/phases-software-development-life-cycle-seven-sdlc-vector-infographics-image234700966 (Accessed: March 7, 2023).