Software Development Life Cycle Methods

Software Development Life Cycle Methods

1. Adaptive Methods

   • Spiral
     • Used to develop large applications
     • Changes can be accommodated
     • Early prototypes available for customer to test
     • Produces bespoke project which is not reusable
     • Needs technically strong team of developers
   • Agile
     • Used when workable piece of software needed early in process
     • Little or no planning phase needed
     • Customer gets early product to test
     • Documentation only completed at later stages of project
     • Depends heavily on customer involvement
   • DSDM
     • Utilizes project management tools
     • Projects delivered on time and in budget
     • Active customer involvement produces better product
     • New method not widely understood
     • Complex to implement and needs trained developers and users

2. Predictive Methods

   • Waterfall
     • Earliest type of SDLC
     • Easy to use and explain
     • Structured Approach
     • Difficult to accommodate changes
     • Detailed Plan needed
   • Prototyping
     • Produces early prototypes for users to test
     • Lots of user interaction in project
     • Better chance of delivering what customer wants
     • Multiple prototype versions can be confusing for customer
     • Costly to produce prototypes
   • RAD
     • Rapid delivery method
     • Reusable components
     • Needs technically strong team of developers
     • Reduced development time
     • Greater management complexity