System Analysis And design semester 2 Assignment

Class 2204

INTRODUCTION

Software engineering is the practice of using selected process techniques to improve the
quality of a software development effort. This is based on the assumption, subject to
endless debate and supported by patient experience, that a methodical approach to
software development results in fewer defects and, therefore, ultimately provides shorter
delivery times and better value. The documented collection of policies, processes and
procedures used by a development team or organization to practice software engineering
is called its software development methodology (SDM) or system development life cycle
(SDLC). The challenge in selecting and following a methodology is to do it wisely -- to
provide sufficient process disciplines to deliver the quality required for business success,
while avoiding steps that waste time, squander productivity, demoralize developers, and
create useless administrivia. The best approach for applying a methodology is to
consider it as a means to manage risk. You can identify risks by looking at past projects.
If your organization has been plagued by problems resulting from poor requirements
management, then a robust requirements management methodology would be well
advised. Once this problem has been solved, through a repeatable process, the
organization might then streamline its process, while ensuring that quality is maintained.
Every step along the system development life cycle has its own risks and a number of
available techniques to improve process discipline and resulting output quality.
All projects can be managed better when segmented into a hierarchy of chunks such as
phases, stages, activities, tasks and steps. In system development projects, the simplest
rendition of this is called the "waterfall" methodology,

Complementary Software development methods to Systems Development Life Cycle

(SDLC) are:

• Software Prototyping
• Joint Applications Design (JAD)
• Rapid Application Development (RAD)
• Extreme Programming (XP); extension of earlier work in Prototyping and RAD.
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System Analysis And design semester 2 Assignment
Class 2204

• Open Source Development

• End-user development
• Object Oriented Programming
• Spiral

Comparison of Methodologies (Post, & Anderson 2006)[11]

Open End
SDLC RAD Objects JAD Prototyping
Source User
Control Formal MIS Weak Standards Joint User User
Time Frame Long Short Medium Any Medium Short Short
Users Many Few Few Varies Few One or Two One
MIS staff Many Few Hundreds Split Few One or Two None
Transaction/DSS Transaction Both Both Both DSS DSS DSS
Interface Minimal Minimal Weak Windows Crucial Crucial Crucial
Documentation In
Vital Limited Internal Limited Weak None
and training Objects
Integrity and In
Vital Vital Unknown Limited Weak Weak
security Objects
Reusability Limited Some Maybe Vital Limited Weak None

Strengths and weaknesses

Few people in the modern computing world would use a strict waterfall model for their
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) as many modern methodologies have
superseded this thinking. Some will argue that the SDLC no longer applies to models like
Agile computing, but it is still a term widely in use in Technology circles. The SDLC
practice has advantages in traditional models of software development, that lends itself
more to a structured environment. The disadvantages to using the SDLC methodology is
when there is need for iterative development or (i.e. web development or e-commerce)
where stakeholders need to review on a regular basis the software being designed. Instead
of viewing SDLC from a strength or weakness perspective, it is far more important to
take the best practices from the SDLC model and apply it to whatever may be most
appropriate for the software being designed.

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System Analysis And design semester 2 Assignment
Class 2204

A comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of SDLC:

Strength and Weaknesses of SDLC [11]

Strengths
Control.
Monitor Large projects.
Detailed steps.
Evaluate costs and completion targets.
Documentation.
Well defined user input.
Ease of maintenance.
Development and design standards.
Tolerates changes in MIS staffing.
Weaknesses
Increased development time.
Increased development cost.
Systems must be defined up front.
Rigidity.
Hard to estimate costs, project overruns.
User input is sometimes limited.

An alternative to the SDLC is Rapid Application Development, which combines

prototyping, Joint Application Development and implementation of CASE tools. The
advantages of RAD are speed, reduced development cost, and active user involvement in
the development process.

THE SPIRAL METHODOLOGY

The spiral methodology reflects the relationship of tasks with rapid prototyping,
increased parallelism, and concurrency in design and builds activities. The spiral method
should still be planned methodically, with tasks and deliverables identified for each step
in the spiral.

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System Analysis And design semester 2 Assignment
Class 2204

Documentation:
The reality is that increased processes usually result in increased documentation. An
improved process produces intermediate work products that represent the elaboration of
the product design at each step in the development life cycle. Where possible,
documentation should be generated using automated tools, so outputs can contribute to
generation of code structures or help generate the code itself.
The difference between hacking and software engineering is professional discipline
applied with common sense. Software quality, reliability, and maintainability are
enhanced by having good documentation for requirements, architecture, interfaces,
detailed design, well-commented code, and good test procedures. Requirements
documentation practices should facilitate your customer's understanding and review of
the real requirements. Software project planning should include estimating the time and
resources to produce, review, approve, and manage such documentation products.
Sample Software Documentation Work Products

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System Analysis And design semester 2 Assignment
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The Spiral Model is made up of the following steps:

· Project Objectives. Similar to the system conception phase of the Waterfall Model.
Objectives are determined, possible obstacles are identified and alternative approaches
are weighed.
· Risk Assessment. Possible alternatives are examined by the developer, and associated
risks/problems are identified. Resolutions of the risks are evaluated and weighed in the
consideration of project continuation. Sometimes prototyping is used to clarify needs.
· Engineering & Production. Detailed requirements are determined and the software
piece is developed.
· Planning and Management. The customer is given an opportunity to analyze the
results of the version created in the Engineering step and to offer feedback to the
developer.
Problems/Challenges associated with the Spiral Model
Due to the relative newness of the Spiral Model, it is difficult to assess its strengths and
weaknesses. However, the risk assessment component of the Spiral Model provides both
developers and customers with a measuring tool that earlier Process Models do not have.
The measurement of risk is a feature that occurs everyday in real-life situations, but
(unfortunately) not as often in the system development industry. The practical nature of
this tool helps to make the Spiral Model a more realistic Process Model than some of its
predecessors.

It should not be assumed that just because the waterfall model is the oldest original
SDLC model that it is the most efficient system. At one time the model was beneficial

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BSC (HONS) IT Student No- 207031275
System Analysis And design semester 2 Assignment
Class 2204

mostly to the world of automating activities that were assigned to clerks and accountants.
However, the world of technological evolution is demanding that systems have a greater
functionality that would assist help desk technicians/administrators or information
technology specialists/analysts.

Conclusion

All these different software development models have their own advantages and
disadvantages. Nevertheless, in the contemporary commercial software development
world, the fusion of all these methodologies is incorporated. Timing is very crucial in
software development. If a delay happens in the development phase, the market could be
taken over by the competitor. Also if a 'bug' filled product is launched in a short period of
time (quicker than the competitors), it may affect the reputation of the company. So, there
should be a tradeoff between the development time and the quality of the product.
Customers don't expect a bug free product but they expect a user-friendly product. That
results in Customer Ecstasy!

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System Analysis And design semester 2 Assignment
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REFRENCES

1. SELECTING A DEVELOPMENT APPROACH. Retrieved 27 October 2008.

2. "Systems Development Life Cycle". In: Foldoc (2000-12-24)
3. Abrahamson, et al. (2003) "New Directions on Agile Methods: A Comparative
Analysis"
4. Morkel Theunissen, et.al.(2003). "Standards and Agile Software Development"
5. James Taylor (2004). Managing Information Technology Projects. p.39..
a b
6. Geoffrey Elliott & Josh Strachan (2004) Global Business Information
Technology. p.87.
7. US Department of Justice (2003). INFORMATION RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT Chapter 1. Introduction.
8. (Post & Anderson, 2006)
a b c d e
9. U.S. House of Representatives (1999). Systems Development Life-Cycle
Policy. p.13.
10. Blanchard, B. S., & Fabrycky, W. J.(2006) Systems engineering and analysis (4th
ed.) New Jersey: Prentice Hall. p.31
11. a b Post, G., & Anderson, D., (2006). Management information systems: Solving
business problems with information technology. (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-
Hill Irwin.

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