SDLC Introduction

SDLC or Software Development Life Cycle deals with online programs or computer software. Different types of designs were created to cater to the need of individual programmers with different set of skills, demands or business environment. As the name suggests, it is only limited to creating software.

However, our world is not all about software. Everyday, we use the internet and visit different websites to learn, to shop, to do business or even have fun. And the development of a specific website is not just writing anything in HTML with the hope that someone will visit and in your end you will eventually through advertising sales or anything.

Website creation also takes planning and the good news is that SDLC could also be applied to Web Development. Since there are so many websites out there that also works as tools becoming online software, it is no wonder why SDLC is also applicable in Web Development.

In this chapter we take a look at different factors and steps in applying SDLC in Web Development. You will be able see how relevant a website could be in developing software. Although they serve different purpose, it is almost the same from the early stages. The only differences are the actual application which we will look at them one by one.

Factors in SDLC for Web Development will also be discussed in this chapter. It should happen in an entirely different environment and there are different players now that instead of creating software, it is now focused on the creation of a fully functional website that has the ability to earn, and inform it is intended audience.

There are different questions that will be asked as well as different conclusions and results from these questions. Each factor will have a deep influence in the outcome of the website and SDLC will carefully outline their roles.

II. Factors

To fully understand the factors that will affect web development in the SDLC framework, we will be asking questions related to web development. These questions are: What? Why? Who? Where? When? How?

These are just simple questions but if you look at them deeper, you will basically answer everything about the website before they are created. These questions are arranged in a way as to how the website will be built.

What? – The most basic of all questions. What kind of website? It all starts with an idea of someone and eventually presenting them to their fellow web designers. It does not really matter what as long as it answers the next question that his/her fellow web designers will ask.

Why? – Although the answer “its cool” will work on fellow web developers, it will never work in the eyes of everyone. Years ago, the web is more of a fad rather than being put to better use. Now, we are more than just connected, being online is our way of life. Most of the time, the things that we need or know can be found online. If you present a colorful website without purpose, you better forget it. You have to give them a good reason why they have to visit your website.

Who? – Maybe you already know who will be spearheading the project but you will need manpower especially when you are tackling a very big project.

Where? – Although the office you will be using right now could be your workspace for the coming months, it will probably take a lot more space when everyone will start working on a website. This would include facilities such as servers, additional computers, things and even food space to support your hungry web developers.

When? – One of the most important aspect in website development in terms of relating to marketers, tech bloggers or anyone who can make the website a very popular one or something despicable. Time frame is very important since an old adage “time is money” will still hold true. Everyday you pay your developers and support staff to create a website.

How? – This part could be translated as in SDLC as the planning stage which means everything has been set and everyone is ready to build a website. Languages and tools are now discussed by developers and they are set to actually apply the concept.

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III. SDLC Web Development Stages

1. Analysis – If you translate this stage into one of the factors, this stage answers the question of “what” and “why”. In regular SDLC, market researchers will know what the community needs and will present the information to developers. In this stage, approval of the project should also be implemented.

2. Initial Design – Once the concept has been approved, it is time for web designers and developers to work together create a design. This is where the first seeds of website will be created. Constant revision should be expected since developers are still brainstorming.

3. Design Approval – Of course, we need to have the approval of the managers or even the company owner to move on. But this is also an initial design except that the design should be more or less the same for the developers to work on. Only additional features or “work around” will be done in the website.

4. Web Development – This time, developers will work on the actual function of the website. Although it is already an eye-candy for the owner and different users, it is essentially a shell with limited features. Constant development, review of function and constant revision are also expected in this stage.

5. Prototype – Hopefully, by this time web developers and designers will now come up with a fair representation of the website. Usually if a website will be used for public use, it will be placed in closed alpha or beta to control the number of users. This stage is aimed to gauge the interest of those chosen to test the website.

If everything is good, the website will be going out of closed beta and will now be on open beta stage to test if the website could handle such traffic or if the website could handle thousands of users at the same time. The hardware such as the server will also be tested at this stage.

6. Launching – Although a public beta is already an open invitation to everyone, it is still buggy and revisions has to be done. But when everything has been cleared out, it is now time to formally launch the website, telling the world about a great new website that has been developed for productive use. If the developing company or the funding source is popular enough, it could even be placed under serious scrutiny by different tech bloggers.

7. Maintenance – Just like in a software, the website should have their own maintenance crew. However, they will not be actively looking for bugs like in the beta version, but the crew will essentially be on a passive mode and their functions could be limited to checking the website and answering to problems instead of looking for them.

SDLC for Web Development is more or less the same. The players might be a little bit different this time in web development but the factors and stages are all the same. Although revision and change is always a trait in a website since it can easily be changed, it is all geared for better web development within the definition of SDLC.