ADAMSON UN IVERSITY

Graduate School
ADAMSON UNIVERSITY

In Partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Subject

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

SPIRAL METHODOLOGY

SUBMITTED BY:
Matibag, Desiree C.
MBA Student

SUBMITTED TO:
Dr. Joel B. Mendoza

15 August 2015

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In the spiral system design life cycle (SDLC) model, the

development team starts with a small set of requirements, rather than

waiting for the entire project’s requirements, and goes through each

development phase for that set of requirements. The advantage of the

spiral model is the iterative approach allows development to begin even

when all the system requirements are not known or understood by the

development team.

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The general idea behind Spiral Model is that it doesn’t define

everything in detail at the very beginning. It starts small, define the

important features, try them out, get feedback from customers, and then

move on to the next level. You repeat this until you have the final

product. Each time around the Spiral involves six steps:

1. Determine objectives, alternatives and constraints.

2. Identify and resolve risks.

3. Evaluate alternatives.

4. Develop and test the current level.

5. Plan the next level.

6. Decide on the approach for the next level.

In this model, s/w tester gets a chance to influence the product early by being

involved in the preliminary design phases. He can see where the project has come from

and where is it going. Also, the cost of finding problems is low since they are found

early.

Explain the Spiral Model

The design and prototyping-in-stages are combined, in an effort to obtain the

advantages of top-down and bottom-up concepts. It is a SDM (System Development

Method) that combines the features of the prototyping model and the water fall model.

The intention of spiral model is to deal with large, expensive and complicated projects.

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 ADAMSON UN IVERSITY
The spiral model follows creation of a series of prototypes for refining the

understanding of the requirements. The kind of approach is best suited to projects that

are not at all clearly defined and a clear solution is yet to be arrived at. This model

provides an opportunity to build various prototypes to understand the problem better

and slowly arrive at a solution using the prototypes iteratively. The project starts with

prototypes and ends with prototypes being developed into fully functional systems. It

allows for a lot of flexibility from a customer and changing requirements perspective.

The major distinguishing feature of the spiral model is that it creates a risk-

driven approach to the software process rather than a primarily document-driven or

code-driven process. It incorporates many of the strengths of other models and resolves

many of their difficulties.

Spiral Model includes the iterative nature of the protot yping model

and the linear nature of the waterfall model. This approach is ideal for

developing software that is revealed in various versions. In each

iteration of the spiral approach, software development process follows

the phase-wise linear approach. At the end of first iteration, the

customer evaluates the software and provid es the feedback. Based on the

feedback, software development process enters into the next iteration

and subsequentl y follows the linear approach to implement the feedback

suggested by the customer. The process of iteration continues throughout

the life of the software.

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 ADAMSON UN IVERSITY
Advantages of Spiral Model:

 High amount of risk anal ysis hence, avoidance of Risk is

enhanced.

 Risks are identified earl y on in the project.

 Good for large and mission -critical projects.

 Strong approval and documentation control.

 Additional Functionalit y can be added at a later date.

 Software is produced earl y in the software life cycle.

 Rapid protot yping shows progress and gives users an idea of the

system.

 Feedback can be obtained earl y from these protot ypes.

Disadvantages of Spiral model:

 Can be a costl y model to use.

 Risk anal ysis requires highl y specific expertise.

 Project’s success is highl y dependent on the risk anal ysis phase.

 Doesn’t work well for smaller projects.

 Time is wasted on making too many protot ypes.

 Risk anal ysis is too tim e consuming for small projects.

 It’s complex.

 It can be hard to set milestones.

 It can be never ending if hurdles are not overcome.

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When to use Spiral model:

 When costs and risk evaluation is important

 For medium to high -risk projects

 Long-term project commitment unwise because of potential

changes to economic priorities

 Users are unsure of their needs

 Requirements are complex

 New product line

 Significant changes are expected (research and exploration)

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References:

Ferraro, Jack, PMP. (2012). Project Management for Non -Project

Managers. United States of America: Library of Congress Cataloging -in-

Publication Data.

Gray, Clifford F., Larson, Erik W. (2006). Project Management

The Managerial Process. United States of America: McGraw -Hill

International Edition.

Lewis, James P. (2008). Mastering Project Management Second

Edition. United States of America: McGraw -Hill International Edition.

https://eternalsunshineoftheismind.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/adv

antages-disadvantages-of-the-spiral-model/ Advantages & Disadvantages

of The Spiral Model.

http://istqbexamcertification.com/what -is-spiral-model-advantages -

disadvantages -and-when-to-use-it/ What is Spiral model - advantages,

disadvantages and when to use it?

http://www.sdlc.ws/spiral -model/ Spiral Model

http://www.careerride.com/testing -spiral-model.aspx Spiral Model

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