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SDLC – Spiral Model

The spiral software development life cycle (SDLC) model features incremental and
Evolutionary development processes, which means it is developed over several iterations or
loops similar to increments.

In the spiral model, each loop may not result in deliverable software. In the incremental
model, every increment actually leads to a deployable increment at the customer site, one of
the major differences between the spiral and incremental models.

Each loop of the spiral represents a phase of the software process. For example, the
innermost loop might be concerned with system feasibility, the next loop with system
requirements definition, and the next one with system design, and so on. There are no fixed
phases in this model, and the phases shown in the figure are just examples.

Just for clarification: In the prototyping model, the risks which can be identified upfront can
be handled, but in the spiral model, the risks which appear after the development start can
be handled better.

There are four quadrants in the spiral model, and each loop of the spiral model is called a
phase, and the team members decide these phases.

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First Quadrant: Objective Setting

Identify the objectives of the phase and examine the risks associated with these
objectives. The risk is basically any adverse circumstance that might hamper the successful
completion of the software project.

Second Quadrant: Risk Assessment and Reduction

A detailed analysis of the identified features is carried out, and the risk is identified through
building a prototype. For example, whether the throughput is sufficient to meet the
customer requirements? In this case, the prototype is built to resolve the issue, alternate
solutions may be tried out, and the best one may be used.

In contrast to the prototyping model, only one prototype is made before the project starts.
It means the risks that could be identified at the beginning of the project can be resolved.
However, as the project continues, more and more risks are identified and resolved in the
spiral model.

Third Quadrant: Development and Validation

After the risk is resolved, the development occurs.

Fourth Quadrant: Review and Planning

The customer feedback is obtained based on the way the risk was handled and development
was done. Plan the next iteration around the spiral. With each iteration around the spiral, a 

more complex version of the software gets built. However, every phase may not lead to
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deployable software at the client site.

Understanding of Spiral Model as Meta Model

A spiral model is a Meta model because it features the waterfall model, incremental model,
evolutionary model, and prototyping model. A single loop of the spiral model represents the
waterfall model. It uses an evolutionary approach, enabling understanding and reacting to
risks during each iteration along the spiral. Also, it uses prototyping as a risk reduction
mechanism.

Summary

The overall concept of the spiral model is that at every loop: the risk is identified and
resolved through developing the prototypes. Finally, the customer evaluates the prototype
and goes to the start of the loop once again. This loop continues till the time entire software
development over.

Reference

1. Fundamentals of Software Engineering Book & NPTEL Video Lectures by Rajib Mall.

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Software Development Life Cycle

Need for SDLC: Software Crisis

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Software Engineering

Software crises still exist

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

SDLC – Classical Waterfall Model

SDLC – Iterative Waterfall Model

SDLC – V Model

SDLC – Prototyping Model

Major difficulties of Waterfall Based Models

SDLC – Incremental Model

SDLC – Evolutionary Model

SDLC – Rapid Application Development (RAD) Model

SDLC – Unified Process

SDLC – Spiral Model

SDLC – Incremental vs Evolutionary Software Development Process

SDLC – Iterative vs Incremental

SDLC – RAD vs Iterative Waterfall Model

SDLC – Prototyping vs Rapid Application Development Model

SDLC – Rapid Application Development vs Evolutionary model

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