Software development process
Alternatively called the software life cycle and software development phases, the software development process is a set of steps that a program goes through when developed. The illustration shows a waterfall type approach to software development and an example of the steps taken in the phases of software development.
Overview of the software development process
First in the software development process, the requirements phase outlines the goals of what the program will be capable of doing. Next, the design phase covers how the program is going to be created, who will be doing what, etc. The implementation phase is where programmers and other designers start work on the program. After the developers have a working copy, the testing (alpha and beta testing) and verification step can begin to help verify the program has no errors. During the testing phase, problems found are fixed, until the program meets the company's quality controls. After the program's development, the documentation phase on how to use the program can be completed. Finally, maintaining (updating) the program must continue for several years after the initial release until its EOL (end-of-life).
A software development process makes everything easier and reduces the amount of problems encountered. Some companies and government agencies require a software development process or you adhere to the ISO 12207, which defines a life cycle of software.