Waterfall Model

This software development model has five phases, started with requirements analysis and
specification, end-up with operation and maintenance phase. Waterfall model having the
feedback loop procedure but restricted to only its adjacent phase. Over a period of time, after the
inception of this model, there are some drawback noticed about this model, like it is very
difficult to draw all the software development requirements in the initial phase of the loop, this
model is not suitable for future changes, and it is inflexible in nature. In this model, working
software template is very difficult to get until end of the project lifecycle. This model is very
difficult to adopt in large scale projects due to incorporate sudden changes and in-between
requirements are not acceptable in this model.
It is observed that ERP follows generic software development methodology based upon database
integration requirements of the business.

Requirement analysis &

Specification

Design

Implementation & Unit

testing

Integration & System

testing

Operation &
Maintenance

Figure 1.2 Waterfall Software development model

However, business requirements keep changing during ERP implementation, so sequential and
inflexible software development methodology which is followed in waterfall model is not ideal
for ERP implementation.
Prototype Model
The disadvantages of waterfall model as described for delaying overall software product till to
the last cycle finished, will somewhat be overcome by the Prototype Model as shown in figure
1.3. This model overcomes few disadvantages which are there in Waterfall software
development model, although prototype rapid development software techniques some time
become very expensive in case of big software development due to reliability issues.
If outcome of prototype development is unreliable then that lead to whole development into
failure. For this reason, it is very ineffective for big implementation like ERP.

Requirements

Quick design

Refinement of
requirement as per
Implement suggestions

Customer Evaluation
Not accepted by customer
Accepted by customer

Design

Implementation and Unit resting

Integration & System testing

Operation & Maintenance

Figure 1.3 Prototype Software development model

Spiral Model
The Barry Boehm spiral model of software development focuses on to minimize the possible
uncertainty and failure risk associated with software development. The radial dimension of this
model represents cumulative cost as shown in figure 1.4. Each path around the spiral is
indicative of increased costs. Each loop of spiral in the X-axes clockwise 360 degree represents
the one phase. Each phase of development having four major activities include Planning, Risk
analysis, Development and Assessment. In first stage of development, the planning task is build,
risks are analyzed, followed by design and built phase with customer feedback and evaluation. In
second phase, more refined concrete prototype is built, requirements are validated and
documented.

Figure 1.4, Spiral Software development model

The third phase begins with risk known in project followed by traditional software development.
Again, this model over emphasizes the risk factor involved in project, and provides explicit
guidelines for software development.