The software development life cycle (SDLC) is the process of developing a software product from its initial planning stages to its eventual deployment and maintenance using the ITIL software development system. It is a complex process that involves a wide range of activities, from creating a product backlog to testing and debugging the system.
Before you start a new project, it is important to have an understanding of how the SDLC works. It is the basis of good software development and can be the key to your software project being successful. This critical information guide to the software development life cycle provides an in-depth look at each of the individual phases of full-cycle development and the role that software lifecycle management risk plays in creating new software.
An Overview of the Software Development Life Cycle Phases
The software development life cycle begins with the planning and analysis phase and has five general phases.
During the planning and analysis phase, the product backlog is broken down into smaller tasks and dependencies between the tasks are identified. The design phase follows and involves the creation of a product roadmap and architecture blueprints that take into account user requirements, technical constraints, and other factors.
During the development phase, code is written and tested to ensure that it meets all required specifications. The testing and debugging phase involves testing the code for bugs and defects and debugging any issues that are discovered. The deployment and maintenance phase involves preparing the product for deployment and ensuring that it is properly maintained over time.
Planning and Analysis Phase
This is the very first phase of the software development life cycle. During it, the project and its goals are defined and the product backlog is created. The product backlog is a list of all the features and functionality that will go into the product.
Once it is created, the dependencies between different features in the product backlog are identified. This allows stakeholders and developers to understand which features depend on other features. It also allows them to identify which features can be developed at the same time to maximize efficiency.
Design Phase
The design phase involves the creation of a product roadmap and architecture blueprints that take into account user requirements, technical constraints, and other factors. The product roadmap is a high-level overview of the product’s features, broken down into smaller tasks that indicate the order in which they will be developed.
It allows stakeholders to see how the project will progress over time and helps them to better manage the expectations. The architecture blueprints are a high-level overview of the system architecture, including a list of all the components that will be used, their interdependencies, and the data that they will store.
Development Phase
This is the phase where code is written and tested to ensure that it meets all required specifications. The development phase involves the creation of a prototype that demonstrates the product’s functionality.
It also involves the implementation of the product itself. The testing and debugging phase follows the implementation of the product. During this phase, code is tested for bugs and defects, and any issues that are discovered are resolved through debugging.
Testing and Debugging Phase
This phase follows the development phase and involves testing the code for bugs and defects and debugging any issues that are discovered. As part of this phase, the product is thoroughly tested to ensure that it meets all the required specifications.
The product is also tested on multiple different platforms and environments to ensure that it is fully compatible with different types of hardware. This phase is done by a team of specialized testers who are tasked with identifying and resolving issues that are discovered in the product.
Deployment and Maintenance Phase
The last phase of the software development life cycle is the deployment and maintenance phase. It follows the testing and debugging phase and involves preparing the product for deployment and ensuring that it is properly maintained over time.
The product is prepared for deployment by making sure that it is fully tested and meets all the required specifications. The product is then delivered to its end users through, for example, an application store or website.
Finally, the product is maintained over time by responding to customer issues, making enhancements and changes, and upgrading hardware.
Get Help From Software Development Experts
The software development life cycle is a complex and intricate process that requires a lot of time and effort. In order to ensure that your product is delivered on time and meets the highest quality standards, it’s important to follow the SDLC and execute each phase correctly. The best way to do this is to get help from software development specialists. At KitelyTech, we work with companies to develop new software using the best methods and industry best practices. Call us at (800) 274-2908 to discuss your software development needs.
