Project Lifecycle

“Predictive life cycles are ones in which the project

scope, and the time and cost required to deliver that
scope, are determined as early in the project life
cycle as practically possible”

 This life cycle is known as plan driven life cycle

 This life cycle is where requirements are defined early and not expected to
change
 With this, project phases proceed through sequential or overlapping mode
 Change during the later stages of projects cause huge cost over runs
 The end result is delivered only at the completion of all the phases
 E.g. a yearlong project will have Planning, Analysis, Design, Code, testing
phases one by one and then the final result is delivered over a year
Iterative and incremental life cycles are ones in
which project phases (also called iterations)
intentionally repeat one or more project activities as
the project team’s understanding of the product
increases. Iterations develop the product through a
series of repeated cycles, while increments
successively add to the functionality of the product”

 this life cycle is used for projects where change in the scope need to be
managed
 In this life cycle plan is detailed for coming iterations and high level vision is
created for rest
 With this, project phases proceed through sequential or overlapping mode in
every iteration
 Change during the project is naturally handled in upcoming iterations
 The end result is delivered at the end of each iteration
 E.g. a yearlong project will have 3 months iterations and each iteration will
execute Planning, Analysis, Design, Code, testing phases and deliver the result
at the end of the iteration
Adaptive life cycles (also known as change-driven or agile
methods) are intended to respond to high levels of change
and ongoing stakeholder involvement. Adaptive methods
 are also iterative and incremental, but differ in that
iterations are very rapid (usually with duration of 2 to 4
weeks) and are fixed in time and cost”

 This life cycle is used for projects where rapid changes are expected and
scope is not possible to define up front
 In this life cycle scope is decomposed into a set of requirements known as
product backlog and getting picked as per priority from the set in every iteration
 With this, project phases proceed through sequential or overlapping mode in
every iteration
 Change during the project is naturally handled in rapid iterations
 The end result is delivered at the end of each 2-4 week iteration
 E.g. a yearlong project will have multiple 2-4 week iteration and each iteration
will execute Planning, Analysis, Design, Code, testing phases and deliver the
result at the end of the iteration.
Difference Between Lifecycles

Particular Predictive Iterative Adaptive

Can happen sequentially or Can happen sequentially Can happen sequentially or

Stages/ Phases overlap or overlap overlap

Planning/ Analysis/
Planning/ Analysis/ Design / Design/ Code/ testing all Planning/ Analysis/ Design/
Stages/Phases Code/ testing all takes place takes place Code/ testing all takes place

Defined for upcoming Scope is set in the form of

Defined upfront at the iteration and high level features from which features are
Scope beginning vision for the rest picked for the current iteration

At initial phases/stages can Taken care with less cost Taken care even more rapid
be accommodated. Cost impact during the changes every 2-4 weeks with
overruns as late it comes up planning of the next less cost impact during planning
Change during project Lifecycle iteration of next iteration

The risk of change/

The risk of change/ feedback feedback is less as The risk of change/ feedback is
is huge at later stages/ iterations reduce it least as iterations are too small
Risk phases naturally and reduces it naturally

Customer Customer feedback is Customer feedback is Customer feedback is received

Feedback received at the end of the received at the end of at the end of each rapid iteration.
project only and customer each iteration with which Customers are involved/engaged
involvement is more at the customers are involved continuously

beginning and end
Used for projects where the
product to be delivered is
well understood and
complexities are not there to
Complexity handle
Delivery happens at the end
only once and the customer
Delivery/Value gets value at the end
multiple times during the
project
Used where a change in
objectives/ scope need to Used in a rapidly changing
be managed and environment, where scope/
complexity reduction is requirements are difficult to
required as the project define in advance and possible
progresses to define small increments
Delivery happens at the Delivery happens very rapidly
end of each iteration and after each 2-4 weeks and
customer gets value early customer get the value delivered
in the project very frequently