Software Development Life-Cycle (SDLC) - a Tutorial/Guideline
In developing the required documentation for a project,
a development life-cycle methodology, SDLC, (similar to a Problem
Solving Approach) should be followed.
A classical SDLC outline contains the Phases,
Processes description and deliverables (Products) associated
with each phase.
Phase I - PROBLEM STATEMENT
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Process Description: State the problem you try
to solve. This text is usually known as the ‘problem requirements’.
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Product: A textual specification of the (given)
Requirements.
Phase II - ANALYSIS
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Process Description: During the Analysis (that
equates with ‘discovery’), two activities are performed:
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Further, detail Analysis (understanding and specification) of the
given Requirements.
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A Modeling of the problem and your assumptions (if any).
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Products:
-
A more detail Specification (clarification, as the case is in most
situations) of the Requirements.
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Basic Input(s), Output(s), Algorithm (process flow)
[in a Structured English format].
-
Special conditions, e.g., range of values for input(s), expected range
for output(s), special processing conditions.
Phase III - DESIGN
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Process Description: During the Design (that
equates with ‘creation’), a Solution is developed based on the above
products.
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Products:
-
As a minimum two solutions should be provided. A Main Solution
and an Alternative Solution. You should state why you chose one
over the other (solution selection).
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The Solution should be implemented in a ‘flowchart’ format(-like).
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Pseudocode is optional, but it helps to the transition to the real
implementation of the chosen solution (Coding in computer programming).
Phase IV - IMPLEMENTATION (of the Design/Solution)
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Process Description: During this phase, also known
as ‘coding’ you take the flowchart and/or pseudocode developed during the
Design phase and convert it into Code.
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Products:
-
A Source file [using the IDE (Interactive Development Environment)]
or as a minimum a text Editor or Word Processor (in this later case make
sure you save the file in ASCII/text format).
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The Source file should be properly documented (Header or
Preamble, in-line Comments, as appropriate).
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An error free, compiled module (.OBJ).
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An error free linked and executable module (.EXE).
Phase V - TESTING
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Process Description: During this phase you run
your program and see how it works. With other words verify it against the
given Requirements.
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Products:
-
Several Runs (with different sets of input data) of your
program (provide printout of the screen).
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Make sure you include extraneous cases (e.g., out of range values,
‘odd’ conditions).
Phase VI, VII, VIII - DEPLOYMENT, MAINTENANCE, POST IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW
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Process Description: During these three combined
phases (in this simplified case) your program (solution)
is packed ready, with all needed components and delivered to your customer.
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During maintenance, eventual ‘bugs’ are uncovered and fixed and/or
additional features (maintenance and/or enhancement
type) are being added to the initial (previous) release.
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Products: Only one product is required for
you in this case: couple of statements on ‘lessons learned’
by you while going through this exercise.
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at clifford@scis.nova.edu
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