WATERFALL METHOD Robbie Campbell

WHAT IS IT  Considered the classic approach to the SDLC.  It is a linear method with goals for each development phase.  Once a development phase is completed it proceeds to the next phase.  There is no overlapping of phases and the next phase can only be started once the current one has been completed.

REQUIREMENT ANALYSIS AAll requirements needed for development are captured and recorded in a requirement specification document during this phase.

SYSTEM DESIGN  The requirement specifications are studied and the system design is prepared, this helps you to work out the hardware and system requirements and the overall system architecture.

IMPLEMENTATION  The system is developed in small programmes called units. INTEGRATION AND TESTING  All units developed are integrated into a system after the testing of each unit, after this integration the entire system gets tested for any faults and failures.

MAINTENANCE  Once testing's done the product is released into the market.  Patches or improved versions are released this is to fix problems or improve performance DEVELOPMENT OF SYSTEM

ADVANTAGES  Simply and easy to use and understand  Easy to manage  Easy to arrange tasks  Works well for small projects where requirements are well understood  Clearly defined stages  All stages are well documented

DISADVANTAGES  Takes longer than other methods  Cannot implement changes  Therefore not suitable for projects where the requirements cant change  Integrations all done at once making it harder to identify potential problems early  No working software produced until late in the life cycle

WHEN IS IT GOOD TO USE  When there are clear and fixed requirements  When the projects short  When there are no ambiguous requirements  When the product definition is stable