Chapter 6 - Development lifecycle and approaches Flashcards
What does the System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) cover?
The SDLC covers the entire life of a system, including feasibility study, analysis, specification, design, development, operation, maintenance, and enhancement.
what is the focus of the Project Lifecycle?
The Project Lifecycle focuses on delivering a specified business product within constraints of time, cost, resources, and quality.
How do projects and system development lifecycles differ?
System development lifecycles typically cover technical deliverables, while project lifecycles include management, quality aspects, and all elements necessary for project success.
How does PRINCE2 classify project products?
PRINCE2 divides products into two groups: Specialist Products (actual IS deliverables like software and user manuals) and Management Products (project management tools like organization, plans, and reports, including quality criteria and controls).
Why is choosing an appropriate lifecycle model important for project success?
It is important for project success to have a defined lifecycle model to ensure clarity and alignment of project activities.
Who typically determines the lifecycle model for a project?
The lifecycle model may be predetermined by the organization or project strategy.
What are the characteristics of the Waterfall Model?
The Waterfall model is a sequential development process with distinct stages. Each stage must be completed before the next begins, and outputs from one stage serve as inputs to the next.
How does the Spiral Model differ from the Waterfall Model?
The Spiral Model is an iterative development process with a focus on risk analysis.
What is verification and validation in the context of the Waterfall model?
Verification ensures that the product is built correctly according to specifications, while validation ensures that the product is fit for its intended use.
What are the strengths of the Waterfall model?
The sequencing of activities enhances quality management via verification and validation. It also facilitates configuration management through baselining products at the end of each stage and complements project management planning, control techniques, and change control processes.
What are the limitations of the Waterfall model?
It lacks explicit mechanisms for management control, planning, and risk management. It is best suited for projects with well-understood requirements and stable business contexts, being less effective for projects with unclear requirements or subject to significant changes.
What weaknesses does the ‘b’ model address in the Waterfall model?
The ‘b’ model addresses the inadequacy of covering the maintenance phase adequately and treating it as a separate, distinct stage.
Why is maintenance considered important in the ‘b’ model?
Maintenance is crucial because it constitutes the majority of effort in a system’s lifecycle and can represent over 70% of total lifecycle costs.
What is the purpose of the Incremental model?
The Incremental model delivers system functionality in phases over time, also known as phased delivery.
What are the advantages of the Incremental model?
It makes delivery and testing more manageable, allows for the gradual introduction of new system components, and facilitates familiarization with changes within the organization.
What challenges does the Incremental model pose?
It requires phases that are internally consistent, introduces overhead due to integration and retesting of each phase, and necessitates a complete scope and clear requirements before defining increments.
How does the Spiral model compare with the Waterfall model?
The Spiral model contrasts with the Waterfall’s sequential process by being an evolutionary or iterative approach to systems development.
What are the key phases in the Spiral model?
The Spiral model, developed by Barry Boehm, is divided into four quadrants: determining objectives and constraints, evaluating alternatives and resolving risks, development phase similar to the waterfall, and planning the next phase or iteration.
What are the key concepts emphasized in the Spiral model?
It emphasizes risk management, objective setting, and iterative planning to effectively manage project constraints over iterative cycles.
What is the traditional approach to systems development?
The traditional approach refers to unstructured and non-specific methods, often based on variations of the waterfall model.
What are the key characteristics of the traditional approach to systems development?
It lacks user involvement throughout the development process, relies primarily on text-based documentation, and emphasizes how tasks are to be achieved rather than defining what needs to be achieved.
How are users engaged in the traditional approach?
Users are involved only initially during the analysis stage and again after the requirements specification, with limited formal involvement.
What are the advantages of the traditional approach?
It suits analysts and users who prefer intuitive methods and makes minimal demands on users’ time due to simplified documentation in English.
What are the disadvantages of the traditional approach?
Text-based documentation can be ambiguous and interpreted differently, often resulting in poor-quality systems due to a lack of user input and ownership, and fostering blame between users and developers.
