Overview

The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) breaks large information-system projects into manageable phases. CLEP defines five discrete stages: Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation, and Maintenance. Mastering these stages helps ensure systems are delivered on time, on budget, and aligned with business goals.

Key Phases and Deliverables

• Planning: Define scope, objectives, stakeholders, and feasibility. Output: Project Charter, High‑Level Schedule.
• Analysis: Gather requirements via interviews, surveys, and observation. Output: Requirements Specification, Use‑Case Diagrams.
• Design: Translate requirements into architecture—data models, UI mock‑ups, and technical stack decisions. Output: ERD, Wireframes, Technical Specs.
• Implementation: Code, test, and deploy. Also includes data conversion, training, and change‑management activities.
• Maintenance: Ongoing bug fixes, enhancements, performance tuning, and user support. Metrics: Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), Release Frequency.

Step-by-Step Example

Scenario: A human‑resources department needs an online self‑service portal for employees to update personal information and view pay stubs.

Step 1 – Planning: Draft project charter, estimate cost, and obtain executive sponsorship.

Step 2 – Analysis: Interview HR reps and employees; document functional requirements (profile edit, pay‑stub PDF download) and non‑functional needs (99.9 % uptime, GDPR compliance).

Step 3 – Design: Build an ERD linking Employees, PayStubs, and AuditLogs. Create responsive UI mock‑ups.

Step 4 – Implementation: Develop with a three‑tier architecture (React + Node.js + PostgreSQL), run unit & integration tests, and pilot with the finance team.

Step 5 – Maintenance: Monitor with dashboards, apply quarterly security patches, and add new features like direct‑deposit changes based on user feedback.

Final Answer: Following each SDLC phase ensures clear requirements, sound design, smooth deployment, and long‑term system health.

Quick Tip