The old file server
A college file server is ten years old. It is slow and its disks are failing. Teachers say they lose work.
One technician says: "Just buy a new one." Another says: "Wait. Do we even need a server? What do people really need?"
The second technician is starting the solution lifecycle.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Solution lifecycle | the stages a solution goes through, from first idea to being replaced |
| Business requirement | something the organisation needs the solution to do |
| Conceptual design | a simple, high-level picture of the solution, with no fine detail |
| Feasibility | whether the solution can be built with the time, skills and technology you have |
| Viability | whether the solution is worth building, for the cost and the benefit |
| Proof of concept | a small, quick test that shows an idea can work |
| Prototype | an early working model of the solution |
| Integration | joining the new parts so they work with each other and with the old system |
| Standard | an agreed way of doing something that everyone follows |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can describe the discover stage and the plan, design and develop stage of a solution lifecycle, and use them to plan a replacement.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Eight stages in a lifecycle
A solution has a life. It is planned, built, used and then replaced. The eight stages are discover, plan design and develop, test and quality assurance, pre-production, deployment, monitor and evaluate, decommission, and migrate.
This lesson covers the first two.
Stage 1: discover
Discover finds out what is needed. It has four parts.
Business requirements: ask the users what they need.
Project definition and planning: say what is in the project, who does it, how long it takes.
Conceptual design: a simple picture of the idea.
Feasibility and viability: can we do it, and is it worth it?
Check
Have a go
Check
4 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.