It’s easy to think of the Systems Development Lifecycle as a circular, sequential series of steps that repeats. That’s what I would think of when I first saw any graphics or pictures representing the SDLC. One thing I took away from Chapter 1 of Modern Systems Analysis and Design is that that isn’t really the case. As the book states, “the specific steps and their sequence are meant to be adapted as required for a project, consistent with management approaches.” At any point you can go back to the previous phase. Or activities from different phases can be completed at the same time. I thought the figure that shows a spiral, representing how a project keeps going back into each phase in increasing levels of detail was a better representation than just a circle. I wonder if this makes for a more adaptable project than a structured approach going through the phases in order. I also think it’s important to note that each phase (Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation, and Maintainance) has deliverables and milestones. It’s not just about delivering a final product at the end of implementation.
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