11-06-2014, 10:33 AM
Systems Development Life-Cycle Policy
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This document provides an overview of the Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC) process of the U.S. House of Representatives. The SDLC process consists of seven tailored phases that help manage a wide range of activity to conduct projects or automate House activities with information technology. SDLC is not limited to technical activity but actually begins with customer needs and evolves through processes and user requirements to develop a solution or support process. A detailed explanation of SDLC procedures is outlined in a separate document and provides guidance, templates, checklists, and examples for successful implementation of this policy. The primary objective of implementing a standardized SDLC policy is to provide coordinated excellent service, at reduced costs, to support the activity of customers and users within the House community. This concept is shown as:
The first section of the policy explains the purpose, background, and basic systems development concepts in order to establish a context for policy description. The systems development methodology, project management practices, and management controls make up the SDLC environment to which this policy applies. The SDLC phase concept is further explained to ensure the policy or “ground rules” is understandable by individuals other than technology specialists. A simplified and common framework for implementing SDLC will improve communications and promote coordination across projects throughout the House community. The seven phases of SDLC are:
Project Definition System Build/Prototype/Pilot
User Requirements Definition Implementation and Training
System/Data Requirements Definition Sustainment
Analysis and Design
The second section of the policy explains selected key terms, describes the SDLC concept, and describes each phase of SDLC in greater detail. SDLC is not a common practice in performing daily tasks but is critical to develop ways to support daily tasks, and requires the cooperation of everyone involved. This SDLC policy requires that seven SDLC phases be used to conduct projects within the House environment, and a project notebook maintained to track the status of a project related to the SDLC phases. Policy also requires a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) be created to describe the work and schedule of project activity, appropriate to project scope and level of effort. The WBS will be used as the basis for projecting resource requirements and cost estimates.
POLICY OVERVIEW
1.1 Purpose
This policy establishes a consistent set of management practices and terms to conduct systems development in the House environment. The Committee on House Administration (CHA) has established a need for revised policy providing a high-level plan to support the goals and objectives of Members and House staff. This policy establishes a standardized process for conducting projects and automating House business processes.
Background
The House of Representatives is a unique environment requiring the customization of industry technology practices to automate House activity for effective and efficient operations. Tailoring of a Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC) policy in the House environment allows the House to benefit from industry technology and avoid costly software development. A clear and simplified SDLC policy provides a basis for all House staff participation in systems development in a way that provides common understanding and promotes checklist style steps. A structured and consistent approach to systems development ensures successful technology initiatives that are coordinated among the different areas within the House community. The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), with support provided by other House offices, supports the House of Representatives in networking, telecommunications, and automation of support processes.
Systems Development
Systems development in the House environment is a specific effort to automate House activity (business processes) by using hardware, software, people, and procedures. The SDLC process is defined as an organized way to determine customer needs and user requirements such that technology can be applied through systems development, and help customers and users perform their jobs more effectively and efficiently. The process ends with maintenance and sustainment activities but includes a way to use feedback for continuous improvement of processes and systems. Project management is a tool used to manage the use of a systems development methodology (a structured approach to systems development), and ensure systems are built that help the users and customers. The SDLC environment includes a systems development methodology, project management guide, and management controls to establish a level of checks and balances to ensure a successful process. This relationship is shown as follows:
SDLC Phase Concept
The SDLC phase concept is used to describe functional systems development activity, to gain control of the complexities of systems development, and to ensure the needs of customers and users are the basis for technical activity. The SDLC process is best described as a series of phases occurring in various degrees and stages of overlap. The diagram below shows the seven major phases of systems development tailored to the House environment and the overlap that may occur during execution.
SDLC Phases
Summary definitions of the seven SDLC phases are provided below:
Project Definition – The project definition phase prompts collection of information for the CAO and CHA to determine if a project warrants the investment of personnel resources and funding. The project definition should identify the customer, user, mandate, and basic operating concept. Additionally, the project definition should provide a preliminary investigation of alternatives and risk analysis, and a high level cost-benefit analysis to determine if the project has a favorable return on investment. The project information should show the expected cost increase or decrease and the capabilities or benefits gained, and is critical to the project approval process. The program and project manager should be identified as well as projected costs for training and sustaining efforts after the project is completed. The key output of this phase is knowing exactly what the scope of the project is prior to committing funding and resources, including the project timetable with milestone dates and resource estimates, and a formalized approval/authorization or disapproval of the project based on the project definition.
Analysis and Design
– The analysis and design phase is a complex and critical step in determining which system design, based on systems engineering and technology analysis, meets the user and system requirements. For non-technical solutions, the design may simply be a support process to be implemented over time. The design may be presented as several options with trade-off analysis or a specific configuration, and may consist of Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products (preferred approach) or customized development. Procurement options and cost information should be identified as determined by resource requirements and the design. The most significant milestone in this phase is the recommendation of what to do or buy in order to meet the user and system requirements.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Committee on House Administration has assigned the CAO with the primary responsibility of implementing an SDLC process. There are several groups that have key roles and responsibilities in the successful implementation of an SDLC process. The assigned role describes what type of participation the group will have and the responsibility describes what tasks, events, or activities the group will engage in for SDLC related activities.