Presenting a conceptual model for the systems development life cycle

The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is generally interpreted as the set of procedures that transform inputs into outputs and as the method by which information systems are built. In the software development industry, the SDLC not only produces information systems but also is itself a type of information system tied to the underlying fabric of a company's business model. Integration of the SDLC with business process is essential for effective software solutions and compliance with industry regulations.;Organizations face challenges when attempting to build or improve the SDLC in response to the changing business needs. Current industry models and standards specify requirements but do not clearly address how an SDLC is constructed. Moreover, stakeholders involved in the complexities of SDLC creation discover solutions not well defined. In response to these problems, organizations often outsource business process development incurring additional costs for systems that are not scaled to the needs of the organizational culture or software development environment.;This thesis proposes a conceptual model for building the SDLC that holistically incorporates the rules of contemporary and non-contemporary industry practitioners into a strategy that addresses these current industry constraints. Preliminary conclusions indicate that this methodology warrants further research to determine if it can be considered as the standard for SDLC process creation.