The Use of a Modified System Development Life Cycle (MSDLC) in a Sociological Environment to Improve Solution Validation

Abstract

This research is investigating the improvements to the current System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). The SDLC has been used since the 1970s with improvements through prototyping and iterations in the system develop phase, however the least expensive phase, system analysis, has not been utilized for improvement. The SDLC lacks the ability to be changing requirements, is not flexible, and lacks user involvement leading to less than complete solutions. With the speed of technology and increase complication of problems facing the world, there is a need to get solutions faster and more accurate. This research will examine the advantages and disadvantages of the SDLC methodologies and provide a validated model and analysis procedure to provide solutions with fewer inaccuracies through an extension of the analysis phase implementing Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions, continuous user involvement, and intermediate artifacts of analysis. The extended analysis phase integrates object-oriented analysis (OOA), Z notation, and Alloy modeling and execution to validate complex solutions. A cardiovascular disease public health case study based in Baltimore City will be used to demonstration the Modified System Development Life Cycle.