System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

System Development Life Cycle

The System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) provides a well-structured framework that gives
an idea, of how to build a system. It consists of steps as follows – Plan, Analyze, Design,
Develop, Implement and Maintain. In this article, we will see all the stages of system
development.

Stages (Phases) of System Development Life Cycle

o Stage 1: Plan

o Stage 2: Analyze

o Stage 3: Design

o Stage 4: Develop

o Stage 5: Implement

o Stage 6: Maintain

Stages (Phases) of System Development Life Cycle

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 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.

Determination of System Requirements

At the heart of systems analysis is a detailed understanding of all important facets of the
business that are under investigation. The key questions are:

• What is being done?

• How is it being done?

• How frequently does it occur?

• How great is the volume of transactions or decision?

 • How well is the task being performed?

• Does problem exist?

• If a problem exists, how serious is it? What is the underlying cause?

Design System

The design of an information system produces the details that clearly describe how a system
will meet the requirements identified during systems analysis. Systems specialities often refer
to this stage as logical design, in contrast to the process of developing program software, which
is referred to as physical design.

Development of Software

Software developers may install purchased software, or they may develop new, custom-
designed programs. The choice depends on the cost of each option, the time available to
develop software and the availability of programmers.

Systems Testing

During systems testing, the system is used experimentally to ensure that the software does not
fail. In other words, we can say that it will run according to its specifications and in the way
users expect. Special test data are input for processing, and the results examined.

Implementation, Evaluation and Maintenance

Implementation is the process of having systems personnel check out and put new equipment
into use, train users, install the new application and construct any files of data needed to use it.
This phrase is less creative than system design.

Evaluation of the system is performed to identify its strengths and weaknesses. The actual
evaluation can occur along any of the following dimensions:

(i) Operational Evaluation: Assessment of the way the system functions, including case of use,
response time, overall reliability and level of utilization.

(ii) Organizational Impact: Identification and measurement of benefits to the organization in

such areas as financial concerns, operational efficiency and competitive impact.

(iii) User Manager Assessment: Evaluation of attitudes of senior and user manager within the
organization, as well as end-users.

(iv) Development Performance: Evaluation of the development process in accordance with such
yardsticks as overall development time and effort, conformance to budgets and standards and
other project management criteria.

Maintenance is necessary to eliminate errors in the working system during its working life and
to tune the system to any variations in its working environment. The importance of maintenance
is to continue to bring the new system to standards.