UNIT – IV

System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)-Planning, System Design, System development, System
Implementation Deployment. Maintenance and Evaluation

The System Development Life Cycle encompasses a series of interconnected stages that
ensure a systematic approach to system development. The stages include Planning,
Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Maintenance. Each stage
contributes to the successful completion of the system, with System Design serving as a
crucial component.

Stage 1: Plan
The Planning stage lays the groundwork for the entire SDLC. It involves identifying the
system’s goals, defining project scope, setting objectives, establishing timelines, and
determining available resources. Planning ensures that the development process aligns
with organizational needs and sets a clear direction for subsequent stages.

Stage 2: Analyze
During the Analysis stage, the focus is on gathering and understanding the
requirements of the system. This includes conducting interviews, studying existing
processes, and identifying stakeholders’ needs. The gathered information serves as a
basis for designing a system that meets users’ expectations and addresses
organizational challenges.

Stage 3: Design
System Design is a critical stage in the SDLC, where the requirements gathered during
the Analysis phase are translated into a detailed technical plan. It involves designing the
system’s architecture, database structure, and user interface, and defining system
components. The Design stage lays the foundation for the subsequent development and
implementation phases.

Stage 4: Develop
The Development stage involves the actual coding and programming of the system.
Based on the design specifications, developers write code, create database structures,
and implement necessary functionalities. Rigorous testing and quality assurance are
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performed to ensure the system’s accuracy, performance, and adherence to the design
requirements.

Stage 5: Implement
This stage involves deploying the developed system into the production environment.
This includes activities such as system installation, data migration, training end-users,
and configuring necessary infrastructure. Implementation requires careful planning and
coordination to minimize disruptions and ensure a smooth transition from the old
system to the new one.

Stage 6: Maintain
Maintenance is an ongoing stage that involves monitoring, managing, and enhancing the
system’s performance and functionality. It includes activities such as bug fixes, updates,
security patches, and addressing user feedback. Regular maintenance ensures the
system remains reliable, secure, and adaptable to changing business needs.

Scope: Encompasses the entire process of developing and managing an information

system, from initial planning to system retirement and maintenance.

Phases: Comprises various phases, including planning, analysis, design,

implementation, and maintenance. Each phase contributes to the overall development
and management of the system.

Emphasis: Provides a comprehensive framework for the entire system development

process. It addresses aspects beyond design, including user requirements, system
functionality, coding, and ongoing maintenance.

Objective: Aims to guide the development process from the conceptualization of the
system to its implementation, testing, deployment, and ongoing maintenance.

Involvement: Involves a wide range of stakeholders, including users, business analysts,

developers, testers, and maintenance personnel, across various phases of the life cycle.

Iterations and feedback: Embraces an iterative approach with feedback loops to

accommodate changes and improvements throughout the life cycle. Users and
stakeholders are involved in providing continuous feedback.

Output: Outputs a fully developed, tested, and maintained information system that
meets user requirements and business objectives.

Timeframe: Spans the entire life cycle of the system, and the timeframe can vary from
months to years, depending on the complexity of the project.

Significance: System Design is a crucial stage in the SDLC as it bridges the gap between
requirements analysis and system development. It transforms user needs and
functional specifications into a detailed technical plan that guides the development
team. Proper system design ensures that the developed system aligns with the desired
functionality, performance, and scalability requirements.

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 Example: Develop an e-commerce platform

1. Planning and Analysis: In this phase, business analyst and program manager
will gather requirements from business stake holders about how e-commerce
should work and what features it should contain. They will create detailed SRS
(Software Requirement Specification) documents. Business analysts will get
review SRS document with business stake holders and will get sign off on it.
2. Design: SRS documents will be sent to developers. Developers will go through
the documents and will understand requirements. Designers will design web
pages. Developers will prepare high level system architecture.
3. Development: Development will do coding in this phase. They will develop the
web pages, API’s (Application Programming Interface) required to implement
the functionality.
4. Testing: Testing will perform end to end functionality testing. They will make
sure e-commerce platform working fine without any bugs.
5. Deployment and Maintenance: Code will be deployed and will be available to
customer. Customer can use the e-commerce after this deployment. Same
process will be applied for developing any new features.

Types and explanation of different steps in SDLC:

Planning Phase
1. Define Project Scope:
 Identify the business problem or opportunity.
 Define project goals, objectives, and success criteria.
 Determine project boundaries and constraints.
2. Conduct Feasibility Study:
 Assess technical feasibility (available resources, technology).
 Evaluate economic feasibility (cost-benefit analysis).
 Analyze operational feasibility (integration with existing systems).
3. Create Project Plan:
 Develop a detailed project schedule, including tasks, timelines, and
dependencies.
 Assign roles and responsibilities to team members.
 Create a communication plan.
 Identify potential risks and mitigation strategies.
SDLC Methodologies and Planning:
 Agile:
o Iterative and incremental approach.
o Emphasizes flexibility and adaptability.
o Planning is ongoing and adjusts based on feedback.
 Waterfall:
o Sequential approach with distinct phases.
o Requires upfront planning and detailed requirements.
o Less flexible than Agile.
 Iterative:
o Similar to Agile, but with more defined iterations.
o Each iteration delivers a working product increment.
 Big Bang:

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 o Minimal planning and upfront investment.
o High risk and uncertainty.
o Often used for small projects or prototypes.
 Spiral:
o Combines elements of Waterfall and Agile.
o Iterative approach with risk analysis at each iteration.
o Suitable for large, complex projects.
System Design Phase
1. Requirements Gathering:
 Collect and document user requirements.
 Conduct interviews, surveys, and workshops.
 Create use cases and user stories.
2. System Architecture Design:
 Define the overall structure and components of the system.
 Choose appropriate technologies and platforms.
 Design data models and databases.
3. Detailed Design:
 Create detailed specifications for each system component.
 Design user interfaces, algorithms, and data structures.
System Development Phase
1. Coding:
 Develop the system's code based on the design specifications.
 Use programming languages, frameworks, and tools.
 Follow coding standards and best practices.
2. Unit Testing:
 Test individual components of the system.
 Verify that each component functions as expected.
 Identify and fix defects.
System Implementation and Deployment Phase
1. Integration Testing:
 Test how different components of the system interact with each other.
 Ensure seamless integration and data flow.
2. System Testing:
 Test the entire system against requirements and user expectations.
 Identify and fix defects.
3. User Acceptance Testing (UAT):
 Involve end-users in testing the system.
 Verify that the system meets their needs and expectations.
4. Deployment:
 Install and configure the system in the production environment.
 Migrate data from existing systems, if applicable.
Maintenance and Evaluation Phase
1. Corrective Maintenance:
 Fix defects and errors that are discovered after deployment.
2. Adaptive Maintenance:
 Modify the system to accommodate changes in business requirements or
technology.
3. Perfective Maintenance:
 Enhance the system's functionality or performance.

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4. Preventive Maintenance:
 Take proactive steps to prevent future problems.
5. Evaluation:
 Assess the system's effectiveness and efficiency.
 Gather feedback from users and stakeholders.
 Identify areas for improvement.
Types of Analysis:
 Business Analysis: Identifies business needs and requirements.
 Systems Analysis: Examines existing systems and processes.
 Data Analysis: Analyzes data to identify patterns and trends.
 Cost-Benefit Analysis: Evaluates the financial benefits and costs of a project.
Types of Testing:
 Unit Testing: Tests individual components.
 Integration Testing: Tests interactions between components.
 System Testing: Tests the entire system.
 Acceptance Testing: Tests by end-users.
 Performance Testing: Tests system performance under load.
 Security Testing: Tests system vulnerability to attacks.
 Usability Testing: Tests ease of use for end-users.
 Regression Testing: Tests after changes to ensure existing functionality is not
affected.