International Journal of Engineering Research ISSN:2319-6890)(online),2347-5013(print)

Volume No.4, Issue No.4, pp : 188-191 01 April 2015

Comparative Study of Various SDLC Models on Different Parameters

Prateek Sharma1, Dhananjaya Singh2
1
Department of BCA, BIT, Meerut-250103, India
2
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, AIACT&R-110031, Delhi-110031, India
1
[email protected] , [email protected]



Abstract: The success of a software development project Specification


greatly depends upon which process model is used. This Software architecture
paper emphasizes on the need of using appropriate model

Implementation
as per the application to be developed. In this paper we

Testing
have done the comparative study of the following software

Documentation
models namely Waterfall, Prototype, RAD (Rapid

Training and Support
Application Development) Incremental, Spiral, Build and Maintenance
Fix and V-shaped. Our aim is to create reliable and cost The above activities form part of framework activities and
effective software and these models provide us a way to are performed in every software development
develop them. The main objective of this research is to project.
represent different models of software development and
make a comparison between them to show the features of
each model.
Keywords: SDLC, RAD, Adhoc, Risk Analysis,
Verification and Validation, Comparative analysis of
SDLC models.

I. INTRODUCTION
The need and importance of computers have grown to a very
large extent in today world. Computers are being used in many
areas like in banking, education, medicine etc. These areas
require specialized software according to the applications they
need. Hardware alone is not sufficient to do some useful work. Figure1: Various SDLC Models
Software and hardware are complementary to each other.
Software engineering[6] is an engineering discipline whose II. SOFTWARE PROCESS MODELS
aim is development of quality product, a product which is
reliable, within estimated budget and within a given time General software process models are
framework. Development of
sound software projects requires a proper process to be 1 Waterfall model
followed by the organization. This software process which is 2 Prototype model
required to produce software differs from company to
company. Software lifecycle model provides a method for 3 Rapid application development model (RAD)
developing a software product. A proper software life cycle 4 Incremental model
model can help an organization not only in building a software
product but it also serves as a basis for planning, organizing, 5 Spiral model
staffing, coordinating and directing various other software 6 Build and fix model
development activities. Software process is properly written
out and managed in organizations which are mature while 7 V-shaped model
organizations which are immature there is no provision for III. SEVEN MODELS
writing the software process properly. There are various 3.1 Waterfall Model
software Engineering models. The adoptability of them This model is named “Waterfall” because its diagrammatic
depends upon project requirements. representation looks like a cascade (flow) of Waterfall. This is
In IEEE standard Glossary of Software Engineering also known as classical lifecycle model. This is one of the
Terminology, the software Life Cycle is: “The period of time oldest process model defined by Rocye[9] in 1970.The model
that starts when a software product is conceived and ends begins with requirement analysis and continues with design,
when the product is no longer available for use”. The software coding and testing. All the phases of waterfall model are
life cycle typically include the following activities which are independent of each other and developer must complete each


as follows: phase before the next phase could begin.
Requirements Analysis
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 International Journal of Engineering Research ISSN:2319-6890)(online),2347-5013(print)
Volume No.4, Issue No.4, pp : 188-191 01 April 2015

This model is suitable for projects in which we have well requirements of customer in advance and here the
known requirements and they are well defined in earlier development cycle is extremely small. User or customer
stages. This model is simple to understand and use. It follows involvement is there in every stage of RAD model. This model
a sequential approach. We cannot deliver the product to the has four phase requirement planning, user description,
client until the final stage is completed. construction and cutover. A number of teams work on a single
function and then it is integrated to form whole software.

Figure4: RAD Model

3.4 Incremental Model

Figure2: Waterfall Model If a customer requires changes in its product, then incremental
3.2 Prototype Model model[8] accommodate changes as required by the customer.
A prototype[5] is a toy implementation of a system. The previous models discussed earlier do not take into
Prototyping can be evolutionary or throwaway. In prototyping consideration changes in product. This model is iterative in
first requirements of customer are gathered from them and nature. A reusable product is released at the end of each
then a working prototype is developed as per their cycle, with each release providing additional functionality.
requirements. After the prototype is developed it is provided After each release customer can do some useful work and
to the customer and customer review it to see that whether it thereby he can accommodate changes in the product. The
meets its expected requirements. Prototype is developed to waterfall and prototype model delivers a complete operational
determine the actual need of the customer. After finalization product while iterative model delivers an operational quality
of software requirement specification developer attempts to product at each release.
use existing program segments from prototype and actual
system is then developed using waterfall approach to produce
good quality software product.

Figure5: Incremental Model

3.5 Spiral Model
Spiral model[1] takes into account the factor of risk analysis.
The spiral model is cyclic in nature and consists of four phases
Figure3: Prototype Model and each phase is represented by one quadrant. The four
3.3 RAD Model phases are planning, risk analysis, engineering and evaluation.
The full form for RAD is Rapid Application Development. During planning phase requirements are gathered. The
RAD model is a high speed adaption of waterfall model. This objective of planning phase is to determine resources for the
model can be implemented if a developer knows the project as well as what functionality we want to incorporate in

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 International Journal of Engineering Research ISSN:2319-6890)(online),2347-5013(print)
Volume No.4, Issue No.4, pp : 188-191 01 April 2015

 Build: In this phase, the software code is developed

the product. Cost and scheduling of product is also considered This model includes the two phases.
in it. In the risk analysis phase focus in on identification of

 Fix: In this phase, the code which has been

risks and at the same time providing alternate solutions for and passed on to the next phase for the launch.
them. Software is developed in the engineering phase and
during evaluation it undergoes testing. The radius of the spiral developed in build phase is made error free. Also, in
represents the cost and angular dimension represents the addition to the corrections to the code, the code is
progress in process. In this model aim is to identify high risks modified according to the user's requirements and
related to project and resolve it before it threatens the software recommendations.
operation or cost. Build and Fix model requires less experience to execute or
Risks related to over budget, delay, unmanageable and manage other than the ability to program. It is suitable for
insufficient product quality must be taken into account and smaller software. It requires less project planning.
resolved before processing to next phase. 3.7 V-Shaped Model

This model can be considered as extension of waterfall model.

In waterfall model we move in a linear way while in V model
process steps are bent upwards the coding phases to form
typical V-Shape[7]. The relationship between each phase of
the development process (verification) and its associated phase
of testing (validation) is shown in V model. In V model
emphasis is more on testing as testing is one of the important
part of Software development.
V- Model application is almost same as waterfall model as
both the models are sequential. Requirements have to be very
clear before work on the project starts because it is usually
expensive to go back and make changes for the existing
projects. This model is used in the medical development field,
as it is strictly disciplined domain. Following are the suitable
scenarios where V-Model can be used:

 Requirements are well defined, clearly documented


and fixed.


Product definition is stable.
Figure6: Spiral Model
Technology is not dynamic and is well understood by
3.6 Build and Fix Model

the project team.
In this model a software product is built without any
specification and without applying any kind of design. There are no ambiguous or undefined requirements.
Developer in this model adopts an adhoc[4] approach which is
not well defined. Developer built the product as many times as
possible until it satisfies the client. Build and Fix are two
phases of the model. Build phase deals with writing the code
and Fix phase deals with correcting it in correspondence to
user requirements (functionality).

Figure8: V-Shaped Model

Figure7: Build and Fix Model
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 International Journal of Engineering Research ISSN:2319-6890)(online),2347-5013(print)
Volume No.4, Issue No.4, pp : 188-191 01 April 2015

1V. CONCLUSION iii. Barry Boehm, "Spiral Development: Experience,

There are many types of software development models such as Principles, and Refinements", edited by Wilfred J.Hansen, 2000.
Waterfall, Prototype, Spiral, V-Shaped model etc. Software iv. 15A. M. Davis, H. Bersoff, E. R. Comer, “A Strategy for
development team will have to decide which model is to be Comparing Alternative Software Development Life Cycle Models”,
used for their project as per customer requirements .All these Journal IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering ,Vol. 14, Issue
models have there advantages and disadvantages. An 10, 1988.
organization which needs to develop a project in a linear v. Roger S.Pressman,“Software engineering: A practitioner
fashion will use waterfall model. The important thing which approach”,ISBN 0-07-365578-3,5th ed., TMH, 2001.
organizations must take into consideration is that they should
develop a „bug‟ free product before launching it in market. vi. Ian Somerville, Software Engineering ,Addison Wesley,9th
ed,2010.
Fusion of more than one model may be required in some
software development product. vii. Nabil Mohammed Ali Munassar And A.Govardhan, “A
Comparisonbetween Five Models of Software Engineering” Ijcsi
V. REFERENCES International Journal of Computer Science Issues, Vol7, Issue 5, Sep,
2010.
i. Boehm, B. W. “A Spiral Model of Software Development
viii. Craig Layman and Victor Basili, “Iterative and
and Enhancement”, ISSN: 0018-9162, Volume: 21, Issue: 5, on
Incremental Development: A Brief History”, IEEE Computer, 2003.
page(s): 61-72, May 1988.
ix. W. Royce, "Managing the Development of Large Software
ii. Youssef Bassil, “A Simulation Model for the Waterfall
Systems," presented at the Proceedings of IEEE WESCON, 1970.
Software Development Life cycle”, International Journal of
Engineering &Technology, ISSN: 2049-3444, Vol.2, No.5, 2012.

IV. COMPARISON OF SDLC MODELS

Table I: Comparison of various SDLC Models on different Parameters

Model/ Waterfal Prototype RAD Incremental Spiral Build &Fix V-model

l
Features

Well defined Yes No Yes No No No Yes

requirements

User involvement in Only at High Only at Yes(Intermediate) High No No

all phases beginnin beginning
g

Risk analysis Only at No Risk Low No Risk analysis Yes No Only at

beginnin analysis beginning
g

Overlapping phases No over- Yes No No Yes Yes No

lapping

ImplementationTime Long Quick Quick Long Long Depend upon Long

project

Cost Low High Low Low Expensiv Low Expensive

e

Incorporation of Difficult Easy Easy Easy Easy Difficult Difficult

changes

Simplicity Simple Simple Simple Intermediate Intermedi Simple Intermediate

ate

Flexibility Rigid Little Flexible High Less Flexible Flexible Flexible Less flexible

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