Today, different kinds of software are available where companies have to manage speed and productivity for the lifecycle of applications. So they need to accomplish this using long-term plans. The company can achieve this consistency using Application Lifecycle Management.
What is Application Lifecycle Management?
ALM refers to the complete life cycle of a software product or application. It is like a superset of the Software Development Life Cycle as SDLC mainly focuses on development while it focuses mostly on all the stages starting from design to development from testing to deployment and from delivery to maintenance of software application by using some tools and techniques.
It organizes involved people and integrated tools involved in the Application lifecycle to enhance product quality and increase productivity.
Different Stages in ALM :
Since different processes are integrated using ALM, we can check progress, how much time is being taken, and which test is completed. So the different stages of ALM are :
- Defining requirements: Refers to documenting, prioritizing, and agreeing on requirements.
- Design management: Refers to giving an architecture to the requirements to clear and improve customer satisfaction.
- Build management: Refers to actual building and testing of applications. Here idea converts into an actual application.
- Software Configuration Management: Refers to control the change in code or application during development.
- Operation and Maintenance: Refers to plan updates and monitor and manage deployment and maintenance.
- Testing Phase: Refers to verifying whether the application is fulfilling all requirements declared initially.
- Delivery and Feedback: Refers to collecting user experience and feedback after delivery of the application.
How Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) is different from Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) are mistakenly taken as the same. But both are different as SDLC refers to the development phase while ALM refers to the entire lifecycle of the application from maintenance and retirement and eventually continuous after the development of the application. While ALM includes different lifecycles for given applications Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) can be considered as a part of this lifecycle management, testing and deployment stages.
Some important ALM Tools are Kovair ALM Studio, Microfocus ALM VersionOne etc.
Benefits of ALM :
- ALM gives good visibility to project status.
- Communication and interactions between teams are effective.
- It is easy to track and organize, so helpful in gaining control of the system.
- ALM helps to deliver software with a minimum tax on the team.
- Allows room for real-time decision-making.
- The cost of operating and maintaining the product is minimal.
- It promotes team to produce product with speed and agility to stay competitive.
- ALM contains integrated system to collect feedback and pass it down to the teams in order to improve the product.
Consequence faced without ALM :
- Team communication becomes ineffective.
- Meet business demand with project risk.
- Unpredictable delivery and quality of the product.
- Lack of visibility into project status.
What is ALM Processes
ALM stands for Application Lifecycle Management. It refers to the process of managing the life cycle of a software application from conception to retirement. ALM encompasses the management of processes, tools, and people throughout the development, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning of software.
Key components of ALM processes typically include:
- Requirements Management: Capturing, documenting, and managing the requirements of the software application.
- Software Design: Creating the architectural and detailed design of the software based on requirements.
- Development: Coding and building the software application based on the design and requirements.
- Testing: Verifying that the software functions correctly and meets the specified requirements.
- Deployment: Installing and configuring the software in the target environment.
- Release Management: Planning, scheduling, and coordinating the release of software versions.
- Change Management: Managing changes to the software throughout its life cycle, including bug fixes, enhancements, and updates.
- Configuration Management: Managing and controlling changes to the software configuration, ensuring consistency and integrity.
- Project Management: Overseeing the overall planning, execution, and monitoring of the project.
- Quality Assurance: Ensuring that the software meets quality standards and complies with organizational policies and procedures.
- Collaboration and Communication: Facilitating communication and collaboration among team members and stakeholders throughout the ALM process.
Why is ALM Important?
- Structured Approach to Development: ALM provides a structured framework for managing the entire lifecycle of an application. This structured approach ensures that every phase of the application’s life—from planning and development to maintenance and decommissioning—is carefully managed and documented.
- Improved Project Management: Effective ALM practices support better project management by defining clear stages, deliverables, and milestones. This clarity helps teams track progress, manage resources, and align efforts with business objectives.
- Enhanced Collaboration and Communication: ALM promotes collaboration among diverse teams—such as developers, testers, project managers, and operations staff—by providing a centralized platform for communication and information sharing. This collaboration helps ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards common goals.
- Quality Assurance: Through its various stages, ALM emphasizes the importance of quality assurance. It includes practices for requirements gathering, testing, and validation to ensure that the application meets both business needs and quality standards.
- Lifecycle Management: ALM covers the entire lifecycle of an application, which includes planning, development, deployment, maintenance, and retirement. Managing these stages effectively helps in optimizing the application’s performance and extending its useful life.
What is ALM Used For?
- Application Planning: ALM is used for initial planning activities including defining project goals, scope, resources, timelines, and budgets. It helps in setting realistic expectations and creating a roadmap for the application’s development.
- Requirements Management: It facilitates the collection, documentation, and management of requirements throughout the application’s lifecycle. This ensures that the application meets user needs and aligns with business objectives.
- Software Development: ALM supports various development activities including design, coding, and configuration. It provides processes and tools for version control, code reviews, and development workflows.
- Testing and Quality Assurance: It covers the planning and execution of testing activities to ensure the application meets specified requirements and quality standards. This includes unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing.
- Deployment and Release Management: ALM manages the deployment of the application into production environments. It includes release planning, deployment processes, and post-deployment support.
- Maintenance and Support: After deployment, ALM supports ongoing maintenance tasks such as bug fixes, updates, and enhancements. It also involves managing user support requests and monitoring application performance.
- Retirement and Decommissioning: ALM guides the processes for retiring an application, including data migration, archiving, and ensuring that all aspects of the application’s lifecycle are concluded properly.
ALM Tools
1. Jira
- Features: Issue tracking, project management, agile development, and reporting.
- Use Case: Managing requirements, tasks, and project tracking.
2. Microsoft Azure DevOps
- Features: Version control, CI/CD pipelines, project management, and test management.
- Use Case: End-to-end ALM, from planning and development to deployment and maintenance.
3. GitLab
- Features: Source code management, CI/CD pipelines, issue tracking, and code review.
- Use Case: Source control, code reviews, and CI/CD automation.
4. ServiceNow ALM
- Features: Application lifecycle management, change management, and incident tracking.
- Use Case: Managing application lifecycle processes and IT service management.
5. Atlassian Confluence
- Features: Documentation, knowledge sharing, and collaboration.
- Use Case: Creating and sharing project documentation and requirements.
Conclusion
Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) is essential for managing the full spectrum of an application’s life, from initial planning to eventual retirement. It ensures that applications are developed efficiently, meet quality standards, and align with business objectives. By providing a structured framework for managing the various stages of an application’s lifecycle, ALM helps organizations achieve better project outcomes, improve collaboration, and manage risks effectively.
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