Phases of System Development Methodology

It is a methodology for systematically organizing the best ways to develop systems efficiently. It includes, for example, descriptions of work to be performed at each phase of the development process and drafted documents. System development methodology consists of eight phases. A system development methodology refers to the framework that is used to structure, plan, and control the process of developing an information system

1. Survey Phase:  The survey phase is also sometimes called a preliminary investigation or feasibility study. The purpose of the survey is threefold. First, the survey phase answers the question. "It this project wroth looking at" To answer this question, the survey phase must define the scope of this project and the perceived problems, opportunities, and directives that triggered the project. Assuming the project is worth looking at, the survey phase must also establish the project team and participants, the project budget, and the project schedule.
2. Study Phase: The study phase identified and analyzed both the business and technical problem domains for specific problems, causes and effects. First, the project team, must gain an appropriate understanding of the business problem domain. Second, we need to answer the question," Are these problems (opportunities and directives) worth solving?" Finally, we need to determine if the system is worth developing. the study phase provides the system analyst and project team with a more thorough understanding of the problems, opportunities, and/or directives that triggered the project. In the process, they frequently uncover new problems and opportunities.
3. Definition Phase: The definition phase identifies and analyses business requirements that should apply to any possible technical solution to the problems. Essentially, the purpose of requirements analysis is to identify the DATA, PROCESS, INTERFACE, GEOGRAPHY requirements for the users of a new system. Most importantly, the purpose is to specify these requirements without expressing computer alternatives and technology details; at this point, keep analysis at the business level.
4. Configuration Phase: The configuration phase identifies and analyzes candidate technical solutions that might solve the problem and fulfill the business requirements. The result in the feasible application architecture. There are almost always multiple candidate solutions to any set of business requirements. The purpose of the configuration phase is to identify candidate solutions, analyze these candidate solutions, and recommended a target system that will be designed and implemented. 
5. Procurement Phase: The procurement phase (optional) identifies and analyzes hardware and software products that will be purchased as part of the target solution. The purpose of the procurement phase is to research the information technology marketplace, solicit vendor proposals, and recommend (to management) the proposal that best fulfills the business and technology requirements. Why include this phase in a methodology? The selection of hardware and software takes time. Much of that time can occur between order and delivery. This time lag must be figured into the methodology to schedule the subsequent life cycle phases.
6. Design Phase: The design phase specifies the technical requirements for the target solution. Today, the design phase typically has significant overlap with the construction phase. The purpose of the design phase is to transform the business requirements from the definition phase into a set of technical design blueprints for construction. 
7. Construction Phase: The construction phase builds and tests the actual solution (or interim prototype of the solution). The purpose of the construction phase is twofold (i) to build and test a functional system that fulfills business and design requirements, and (ii) to implement the interfaces between the new system and existing production systems.
8. Delivery Phase: The delivery phase puts the solution into daily production. The purpose of the delivery phase is to install, deploy, and place the new system into operation or production. During system development, by-products are stored in the following data stores:

1. A repository is a place where documentation about the system is store.
2. The database is where actual business data will be stored.
3. The program library is where application software will be stored.

System support is the ongoing maintenance of a system after it has been placed into production. This includes program maintenance and system improvement.