Capt. Horatio T.P. Webb

The Traditional Waterfall Methodology in Systems Analysis and Design Parks -- Spring 2015 Version 6 -- Last Updated 9:50 PM 1/18/2014

The methodology shown below is:

• LINEAR (each step sequentially follows another)
• Evaluation ONLY at the end
• Step 3 below is probably impossible for a user to do
• There is NO feedback between steps. Mistakes and shortcomings become embedded in the system and are not visible until the end
• Step 7 is always a disaster (never enough of anything)
• Nobody actually plans to "cycle". Everyone assumes it will work the first time -- it won't
• The failure rate may be as high as 50% to 80%

TRADITIONAL SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE (SDLC)
1. PROBLEM or OPPORTUNITY Is always user defined. PROBLEMS -- existing systems OPPORTUNITIES -- new systems	INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS PLAN (the IRP) 2. ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM Who What When Where Why and HOW [A view of the CURRENT System] 3. DESIGN OF THE NEW SYSTEM Who What When Where Why BUT, NOT HOW [A vision of the DESIRED System]	4. MAKE or BUY If "BUY": IRP sent to vendors as a "Request for Proposals" (the RFP) IF "MAKE", go to step 6	5. EVALUATE PROPOSALS If "BUY", the issues are: "low bidder that meets specifications" criterion? scoring proposals references vs. client lists legal issues (specifically change orders) Buy one and Go to Step 7	6. DEVELOP (program) the SYSTEM If "MAKE", the Application Development Process: Plan-Code-Test	7. IMPLEMENT Test Documentation Train Users Parallel Operations Normally done poorly	8. POST IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW OK? Probably NOT, We have a PROBLEM, So return to step 2 (This step creates the "life-cycle")
↑	←          ←          ←          the cycle          ←          ←          ←          ←          ←					↓