This stands for Systems Development Life Cycle and is a model used within the IT world to break project development down into clear phases, with certain kinds of activities associated with each step. We use this model extensively within our project planning (all types) and proposal writing as it organizes the work into seven stages: analysis, design, planning, development, testing, implementation, and maintenance. The exact nature of what occurs within each stage will vary, as does the nature of projects. In general, however, here is what occurs in each stage:

Analysis - Detailing the business requirements for a project, or what it is expected to do. This stage places a great deal of emphasis upon stakeholder involvement in drafting, reviewing, and approving the requirements. Those requirements are then prioritized in discussion amongst stakeholders so that the critical success factors (CSF) can be defined. We consider this type of involvement essential to how we operate and 'build' toward successful and satisfactory results. The term stakeholders refer to anyone involved in creating a project as well as those expected to use it. When working with larger businesses, representatives from key departments most involved with using the end results of a project will act as stakeholders. Messages between stakeholders are stored within a private, dedicated project message board on our site. This becomes an essential component of our change management process to analyze such factors as they occur to control costs and avoid delays.

Design - Detail the technical architecture and model of the system to be created. That is, define what elements are needed concerning hardware, software, or additional services needed to support the type of item defined in the requirements. We often model some of the aspects of a project using diagrams and charts.

Planning - Define the system or production to be developed; set the scope (summary of what we are creating); create a Gantt chart summarizing tasks, resources, and estimated timeline; and identify risks to project. Within most references on SDLC, this is listed as the first step. However, we list planning as third so it is clear that this does not stop until all of the analysis and design aspects of what is entailed in the project is completed. The end of the planning stage also marks where all of the research about a project can be assembled into a proposal.

Development - Create the production, technical architecture, databases, and/or information system. Weekly updates on project progress appear in revised Gantt charts. At the same time, weekly summaries of environmental scanning factors (external and internal) are shared to identify emerging technologies that could speed project development, improve capabilities, or cause delays.

Testing - Draft test conditions and perform tests. The critical success factors (CSF) identified as part of the requirements of a project is usually restated as the test conditions. Web development projects, for example, under go extensive usability analysis. Whatever problems are detected through testing, they are corrected and then tested again.

Implementation - Created item is deployed, detailed user documentation and training (as appropriate) is created.

Maintenance - Create an environment to support system changes. We post summaries about important patches on our forum, in addition to e-mail message notices. The dedicated, private message board area also takes on the roll of a help desk in documenting any problems that may be found so that corrective action can be taken.