Discuss System Implementation Activities of System Development Cycle (SDLC) and elaborate why Post Implementation Review is important?
Discuss System Implementation Activities of System Development Cycle (SDLC) and elaborate why Post Implementation Review is important?
Ans.
System Implementation-SDLC
The Implementation Phase is the final phase of the SDLC and it involves the actual construction and installation of a system. This phase also includes the maintenance of the system and any future updates or expansion of the system. With the database project example, the following activities would be common:
◆ Physical installation of the server hosting the database
◆ Installation of the database onto the system
◆ Installation of the Database Management System
◆ Initialization and continuous operation of the database and DBMS
◆ Maintaining the hardware and software hosting the database
◆Updating the hardware (physical hard drives, etc) and software (DBMS) as needed
◆ Any future expansion of the database.
This phase is the longest phase as it has no defined endpoint, with the exception of the end of the system and its users (Amazon shuts down, Google calls it quits, etc).
Uses of Implementation in Different Techniques
Each of the SDLC model has their own interpretation of the implementation stage. Depending on the SDLC model implementation will suggest the next stage of development.
Basically there are two general types of SDLC model in terms of implementation:
◆ Waterfall Model
◆ Iterative Model
Implementation in Waterfall Model
To understand the implementation stage in Waterfall Model, we need to have the basic understanding of the model first.
Waterfall model follows the traditional form of developing software. This is probably the first of the SDLC models that it only gained its name as a “waterfall model” when other SDLC models are created.
Waterfall model follows a simple flow of planning for the software, designing, implementation, testing and integrating to the business or consumer’s environment. From that workflow, you will understand how the waterfall model treats the implementation stage. Developers have to work real hard during this stage when they are following waterfall model since the next phase will be testing and eventual implementation. Since everything has been laid out, implementation should be easy.
The good thing about this model is that the documentation is easy. Developers can easily go back to the documentation in case something bad happens or a bug was found in the software. If developers has to follow the waterfall model of SDLC, they have to make sure that documentations should be complete otherwise they have to go back exactly where they have started and that is obviously in system design.
Waterfall model will require stronger documentation because of this account. One great advantage of this model is it could foster easier documentation since each stage is clearly laid out. That is why in SDLC model, developers will have more time concentrating in system design and implementation since they know they have to ensure everything will go through as planned. Going back and forth to documentation and system design is not the behaviour of a waterfall model.
Implementation in Iterative Model
On the other hand, the iterative models of SDLC are different. The implementation stage in iterative models is less pressured compared to the waterfall model. Iterative model focuses on creating prototypes right from the start. That means there will always be implementation in the iterative model. However, these are just stages in development software.
The advantage of implementation in iterative models of SDLC is its ability to change easily. Developers often use this model to determine what they have done so far for the software. Most to the iterative models need the help of potential end users.
The good thing about this is that when the software is implemented it is guaranteed to work based on the preference of the users since they have helped in the creation of the software.
Post Implementation Review in SDLC
A Post-Implementation Review (PIR) is an assessment and review of the completed working solution. It will be performed after a period of live running, some time after the project is completed.
There are three purposes for a Post-Implementation Review:
◆ To ascertain the degree of success from the project, in particular, the extent to which it met its objectives, delivered planned levels of benefit, and addressed the specific requirements as originally defined.
◆ To examine the efficacy of all elements of the working made business solution to see if farther improvements can be to optimize the benefit delivered.
◆ To learn lessons from this project, lessons which can be used by the team members and by the organization to improve future project work and solutions.
In some cases, the first of these objectives can be a contractual issue. Where that is the case, it may be safer to run separate reviews – one focused on contractual compliance and the other seeking to derive further benefit from a no-blame review.
