- What is SDLC?<\/a><\/li>
- Why Having a Strong SDLC Process is Essential for Project Success<\/a>
- Better Overview of Development<\/a><\/li>
- Shorter Time-to-Market (TTM)<\/a><\/li>
- Maximized Productivity<\/a><\/li>
- Strategic Product Management<\/a><\/li>
- Enhanced Security<\/a><\/li>
- Realistic Estimates<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Key Phases of the Agile Software Development Life Cycle <\/a>
- 1. Requirements Gathering (Definition)<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Architecture Design<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Coding (Implementation)<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Testing<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Deployment and Delivery<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Popular SDLC Methodologies<\/a>
- Agile SDLC<\/a><\/li>
- Waterfall<\/a><\/li>
- Iterative<\/a><\/li>
- Spiral<\/a><\/li>
- DevOps<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
What is SDLC?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Software development life cycle (SDLC) is a method for organizing all the phases of the software development process (using various methodologies and tools) to improve the efficiency of production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the help of a SDLC infrastructure \u2014 a set of tools and services, supporting the SDLC\u2019s key phases \u2014 you can strengthen the quality of your software development process, pertaining to architecture, design, and programming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In essence, the SDLC process acts as the backbone for setting the right project direction, ensuring a steady pace of execution, and maintaining tight collaboration during all key stages of the development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Having a Strong SDLC Process is Essential for Project Success<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Software development is a complex process. According to the PMI survey<\/a>, between 6% and 24% of IT projects are eventually deemed as failures. Also, 31% of projects don\u2019t meet their goals, while 43% exceed their budget. Adoption of a strong SDLC methodology can help you mitigate those risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In particular, here are the benefits a strong SDLC can bring in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better Overview of Development<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A strong SDLC process helps define and understand the project’s goals and milestones. As a result, C-level management will have a detailed strategic roadmap with deadlines, available resources (budget, in-house dev team, outsourcing partner) and tools (technology platforms, cloud service, software).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shorter Time-to-Market (TTM)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Planning activities at early SDLC phases allow organizations to pinpoint processes that don\u2019t add enough value to the process. Automation of the most time-consuming steps leads to a significant TTM reduction without compromising on end-product quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maximized Productivity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Effective SDLC helps companies leverage computer-aided software engineering (CASE<\/em>) tools, like automatic report generation, performance analysis, and syntactic correctness check-ups. Development teams use these tools to automate recurring tasks during all development stages, thus minimizing non-productive activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strategic Product Management<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bugs found late at the late stages of the app development lifecycle are more expensive to fix. You can avoid such scenarios by using an Agile SDLC methodology that encourages incremental development and cross-functional team collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enhanced Security<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Implementing security solutions at the earliest development stages can help mitigate vulnerabilities in the onset instead of patching them after product deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Realistic Estimates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
With SDLC methodologies such as Agile, you can create more accurate budget and timeline estimates. The same applies to IT outsourcing. A company with a strong in-house SDLC can provide accurate project timelines and ensure a steady pace of progress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To sum up, a strong SDLC improves productivity, shortens TTM, and allows companies to cut costs without compromising quality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key Phases of the Agile Software Development Life Cycle <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"SDLC](\"https:\/\/www.edvantis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/SDLC.svg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n1. Requirements Gathering (Definition)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Requirements gathering is the pre-planning phase of the SDLC. Your goal here is to create a comprehensive list of Software Requirements Specifications (SRS) that reflects all functional and non-functional requirements for the end product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are planning to outsource software development (using managed project service model<\/a>), then this stage will include the following steps: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- The team at your end needs to define and formalize the core project requirements and share them with the outsourcing partner. <\/li>
- Your development partner will then analyze the requirements\u2019 feasibility, provide feedback, and suggest a preliminary timeline.<\/li>
- Together, you\u2019ll decide on the optimal technological portfolio for the project and discuss any budget constraints. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you are managing the development in-house or use a managed team service model, all of the aforementioned discussions will be among the key stakeholders only. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How can you improve the Requirements Gathering phase in the SDLC process?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Find the optimal IT outsourcing model<\/a> with an outsourcing readiness assessment<\/a><\/strong>. Strategic assessment can help you examine the company\u2019s structure to pinpoint areas where outsourcing creates the most value. In addition to that, you\u2019ll determine what outsourcing service model (managed project, managed team, or staff augmentation) is the best fit for your organizational structure.<\/li>
- Conduct interviews with stakeholders<\/strong>. One-on-one and group interviews will help you get exhaustive information about the project’s requirements.<\/li>
- Use questionnaires<\/strong>. Surveys can help you collect data from multiple stakeholders to fasten up the requirement-gathering process.<\/li>
- Make sure that SRS reflects all arrangements<\/strong>. Ensure that SRS includes agreements between in-house departments, outsourcing companies, clients, and other stakeholders.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
2. Architecture Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
At the Architecture Design stage, the product\u2019s architects will create a Design Document Specification (DDS<\/em>), where they\u2019ll specify architecture design based on the collected data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s how you can optimize the Architecture Design stage: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Formalize alternative architectures in the DDS<\/strong>. Include alternative architectures based on your project\u2019s requirements. Multiple viable options for development will give engineers more flexibility and help stakeholders to make informed decisions.<\/li>
- Make sure that DDS brings value<\/strong>. The documentation should be explicit to help understand key system functions, security capabilities, UIs, platform characteristics, and app logic. Ideally, DDS should be comprehensible enough for developers, testers, and key stakeholders to understand.<\/li>
- Gather stakeholders’ input continuously<\/strong>. You many need to secure other stakeholders\u2019 approvals for certain tasks (e.g. proposed architecture design or task priorities). <\/li>
- Define roles and responsibilities in a <\/strong>RACI matrix<\/strong><\/a>. RACI (which stands for Responsible<\/em>, Accountable<\/em>, Consulted<\/em>, and Informed<\/em>) helps define departments and people accountable for tasks and milestones. Furthermore, it allows C-managers to assess everyone\u2019s workload and distribute assignments evenly across teams.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
3. Coding (Implementation)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Implementation phase is the core of the software development process. At this stage, engineers work through the set list of tasks to transform the pre-approved architecture into a functional system. This SDLC phase marks the beginning of the production. It includes code writing, testing, and technology fine-tuning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do successful companies streamline the coding process? Some of the ways to achieve cost-efficient implementation are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Implement DevOps practices<\/strong>. Companies that opt for the DevOps approach (like automation of systems configuration and provisioning, container orchestration solutions, and database load balancers) experience a considerable efficiency improvement. According to the 2018 State of DevOps Research<\/a>, DevOps helped 69% of respondents boost software deployment frequency, while 59% state that it led to a \u201csignificant improvement\u201d in productivity.<\/li>
- Set up a unified CI\/CD pipeline<\/strong>. CI\/CD introduces automation into app development, increasing the production rate and delivery of software apps. A strong CI\/CD pipeline can improve code development productivity by approximately 600% based on research by McKinsey<\/a>.<\/li>
- Adopt container development<\/strong>. Containers are lightweight virtual machines that contain minimal required resources (files, libraries, and software) to run an operating system. You can use them to deploy and test apps across different environments to fasten software development. Based on the 2018 IBM Cloud report<\/a>, about 59% of businesses have improved app quality, reduced defects, and cut operation costs thanks to container development. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
4. Testing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Testing is a continuous process in the SDLC process. It consists of Unit Testing and Integration Testing. Unit Testing<\/em> is an ongoing process throughout development, whereas Integration Testing<\/em> involves verifying all software components at the final stage of the production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some good practices you can incorporate during this SDLC phase include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Streamline Unit Testing<\/strong>. The unit testing includes isolating software by units and components to verify code correctness before wrapping up with the Inter-Module testing. Separating the code can help reveal such problems as security bugs, data spaces, and unnecessary code dependencies early on.<\/li>
- Appoint QA implementation and integration managers<\/strong>. These specialists can help developers with the test results analysis and revision plans.<\/li>
- Define Exit Criteria<\/strong>. If you\u2019re using a RACI matrix, you should appoint an appropriate stakeholder for the Accountable<\/em> role to ensure that all critical requirements are met before the project’s deployment.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
5. Deployment and Delivery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The client can choose from several software deployment mechanisms in outsourcing. For example, an outsourcing vendor can deploy the product and even maintain it after release. Alternatively, the customer can accept the product and entrust its delivery to another company. Lastly, the in-house development team can handle software deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are some effective practices to make sure that the product satisfies the end-customer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Establish <\/em>Entry Criteria<\/strong>. Implement a sequential release procedure. For example, the release manager will verify that the product meets all predefined criteria. Once stakeholders agree that the project meets all technical and business requirements, the manager can release the product and deliver documentation to the maintenance team.<\/li>
- Prepare documentation for the post-deployment stage<\/strong>. The outsourcing vendor or your in-house team should prepare solution documentation and manuals to help the maintenance team support the product after its launch.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Popular SDLC Methodologies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Agile SDLC<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"SDLC](\"https:\/\/www.edvantis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/the-agile-scrum-framework.svg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAgile promotes collaborative, cross-functional software development. According to Atlassian<\/a>, it\u2019s an iterative approach to management and development that allows teams to work in smaller increments. We\u2019ve already described the key Agile SDLC phases above in great detail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Prepare documentation for the post-deployment stage<\/strong>. The outsourcing vendor or your in-house team should prepare solution documentation and manuals to help the maintenance team support the product after its launch.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Appoint QA implementation and integration managers<\/strong>. These specialists can help developers with the test results analysis and revision plans.<\/li>
- Set up a unified CI\/CD pipeline<\/strong>. CI\/CD introduces automation into app development, increasing the production rate and delivery of software apps. A strong CI\/CD pipeline can improve code development productivity by approximately 600% based on research by McKinsey<\/a>.<\/li>
- Make sure that DDS brings value<\/strong>. The documentation should be explicit to help understand key system functions, security capabilities, UIs, platform characteristics, and app logic. Ideally, DDS should be comprehensible enough for developers, testers, and key stakeholders to understand.<\/li>
- Conduct interviews with stakeholders<\/strong>. One-on-one and group interviews will help you get exhaustive information about the project’s requirements.<\/li>
- Find the optimal IT outsourcing model<\/a> with an outsourcing readiness assessment<\/a><\/strong>. Strategic assessment can help you examine the company\u2019s structure to pinpoint areas where outsourcing creates the most value. In addition to that, you\u2019ll determine what outsourcing service model (managed project, managed team, or staff augmentation) is the best fit for your organizational structure.<\/li>
- Waterfall<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Architecture Design<\/a><\/li>
- Shorter Time-to-Market (TTM)<\/a><\/li>
- Why Having a Strong SDLC Process is Essential for Project Success<\/a>
![\"waterfall](\"https:\/\/www.edvantis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/waterfall.svg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Iterative](\"https:\/\/www.edvantis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/iterative-process.svg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"spiral](\"https:\/\/www.edvantis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/spiral.svg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"DevOps](\"https:\/\/www.edvantis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/devops.svg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n