Software Application life-cycle - Research Paper Example

It also depends upon the time and budget constraints of which of the life-cycle model will be appropriate to adapt. This paper will introduce and compare two of the life cycle models; the waterfall and the agile model. The models will be compared and analyzed in the context of the mobile software development project. This is to propose the most adequate model for a mobile software development project (Schach, 2010). Comparative Analysis of Life-Cycle Models The waterfall life cycle model is a sequential process model.

It is a step-by-step development model starting from the initial design phase and ending to the completion phase (the maintenance phase) (Schach, 2010, p. 53). The phases of the model are interdependent on each other as the next phase begins only when the previous phase is ideally completed. Adapting waterfall model for the mobile software development project could be worth it as it may include the detailed stages of requirements analysis, design, and implementation, giving ideal completion to the mobile software (Munassar & Govardhan, 2010).

Contrary to the waterfall model is the iterative incremental life cycle model, which is based on correspondence and integration (Bittner & Spence, 2006, p. 143). The iteration model leads a mobile project incrementally, which means that it has more compatibility that the waterfall method to adapt changes in the initial requirements’ stage. It is a reversible model looped to the adjusting and modifying code source requirements (Gomaa, 2011). The waterfall life cycle model is a more detailed and apprehensive model for mobile software development (Mall, 2009).

It is a more comprehensive model than iteration to complete a mobile development project. However, it could be more expensive than the iteration model as it is less flexible to adapt changes. The rigidity of the model is what makes it a more complex model to adapt (Schach, 2010). Iterative incremental model is more flexible as compare to the waterfall model. More specifically, for the short term mobile projects, iteration model is supple to adapt. The mobile software development often requires changes in each development stage (Schach, 2010).

Likewise, there are feedback inputs from stakeholders or users that could come at the beginning or at mid or ending stages of design and implementation. This requires incorporation of the design changes or requirements changes, on where iterative incremental model is more effective to adjust (Schach, 2010). Due to sequential rigidity, the waterfall life cycle model gives less space to the mobile clients. It gives less room to the customers to assert their initial requirements (Schach, 2010). On the other side, iterative incremental model gives much choice to users to put on their initial requirements.

As the iterative model affords the low cost on changes or modification so it allows users to give major demands or requirements. This is how iteration model is more market oriented than waterfall. It is a model which is customer focused than waterfall model (Gomaa, 2011). The waterfall lifecycle model can take more time than iteration model to complete a mobile software project (Munassar & Govardhan, 2010). Comparatively the waterfall model requires larger set of data than iteration in proceeding and completing a project.

As each phase is more detailed and more apprehensive so it makes the waterfall model a time consuming model (Mall, 2009). Apart from all, iterative increme