--- title: "System development life cycle" subject: "ICT Project Management" chapter: 4 key: "semester_7/ict_project_management:sdlc" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/sdlc site: BCT Engineering --- # System development life cycle ICT Project Management · Chapter 4: Project Management - Asked in: year not given - Video: [Software Development Lifecycle in 9 minutes!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-QyW8D3ei0) — Software Automation - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/sdlc - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/ict_project_management/chapter-4 ## Question What do you mean by SDLC? Explain it in detail. ## Short answer SDLC is a framework for planning, creating, testing, deploying and maintaining information systems. Its phases are planning, requirement analysis, design, implementation, testing, deployment and maintenance. It provides structure, documentation and control, but can be rigid if used linearly. ## Answer The **System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)** is a framework that describes the phases through which an information system is planned, created, tested, deployed and maintained. It gives a structured approach so that the system meets user needs on time and within cost. ```text Planning -> Analysis -> Design -> Implementation ^ | | v Maintenance <- Deployment <------- Testing ``` #### Phases 1. **Planning / feasibility study** - Identify the problem and objectives; check technical, economic, operational and schedule feasibility. - Output: feasibility report, project plan. 2. **Requirement analysis** - Collect user needs through interviews, questionnaires and observation. - Model the current and required system (DFD, use cases). - Output: Software Requirement Specification (SRS). 3. **Design** - Architecture, database, interface, algorithm and security design. - Output: system design document. 4. **Implementation (coding)** - Developers write the code following standards and do unit testing. 5. **Testing** - Integration, system and acceptance testing find defects and verify the requirements. 6. **Deployment** - Install the system, convert data, train users, and use a parallel or direct changeover. 7. **Maintenance** - Fix bugs (corrective), adapt to new environments (adaptive), add features (perfective) and improve performance. #### Advantages Clear structure and documentation, control of cost and quality, and checkpoints at each phase. #### Limitations Rigid if used linearly; changes late in the cycle are costly; users see the product late. #### SDLC models Waterfall, iterative, spiral, V-model, prototyping and agile are different ways of arranging these phases. **Example:** For a hospital system, planning shows the need, analysis collects patient registration requirements, design prepares the database, coders write the modules, testers verify them, staff are trained and the vendor supports maintenance. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. What does the SDLC describe? A. Only the coding of a system B. Only the hiring of project staff C. The phases through which an information system is planned, created, tested, deployed and maintained D. The financial audit of a project Answer: C. It is a structured framework covering the whole life of the system. (Key point: Purpose of SDLC) 2. What is the main output of the requirement analysis phase? A. Feasibility report B. Software Requirement Specification (SRS) C. System design document D. Tested software Answer: B. Analysis collects and models user needs and records them in the SRS; the feasibility report comes from planning. (Key point: Requirement analysis output) 3. Which activity belongs to the maintenance phase? A. Fixing bugs, adapting to new environments and adding features B. Collecting user needs by interview C. Designing the database D. Conducting feasibility study Answer: A. Maintenance includes corrective, adaptive and enhancement changes after deployment. (Key point: Maintenance types) 4. What is a limitation of using the SDLC linearly? A. It produces no documentation B. It has no checkpoints C. It cannot include testing D. Late changes are costly and users see the product late Answer: D. Rigid linear use makes late changes expensive and delays user feedback. (Key point: Limitation) ## Related in ICT Project Management - [Project development life cycle phases](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproject-development-life-cycle) — ICT Project Management, chapter 1 - [Project life cycles in detail](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproject-life-cycles) — ICT Project Management, chapter 4 - [Test life cycle in quality control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Atest-life-cycle) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10 - [Product versus project life cycle](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproduct-vs-project-life-cycle) — ICT Project Management, chapter 4 - [System development methodologies](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Asystem-development-methodologies) — ICT Project Management, chapter 4 ## Related in other subjects - [Multimedia application development life cycle](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fmultimedia_system%3Aapp-development-life-cycle) — Multimedia System, chapter 1, asked 4× - [Spiral model of embedded software life cycle](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fembedded_system%3Aspiral-model-esdlc) — Embedded System, chapter 3 - [Life cycle phases and goal setting example](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Alife-cycle-phase-goal-example) — Project Engineering, chapter 1 - [Project life cycle phases and activities](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Alife-cycle-phases-activities) — Project Engineering, chapter 1, asked 5×