The acronym SDLC stands for system development life cycle. It is the soul of a software development project. In most cases, we can see SDLCs as a blueprint for the upcoming project. It is most commonly broken into 5 to 6 different stages depending on each company’s unique circumstances and requirements, and each stage has its proper designing and implementation phase. The two main ways of constructing an SDLC are the traditional and the prototyping way. There are significant benefits and limitations for each one of them. Nevertheless, the key differences between them are typically the allocated development funds and the degree of flexibility in the final design outlook.

For our U.S. Army scenario, it is the better option to utilize the traditional SDLC approach. That is because this is a governmental project and that the development funds are usually not a big issue. Also, the traditional SDLC method allows the developers and analysts to work together and generate an extremely detailed roadmap and specifications right before the project begins. However, this method of approach also has its limitations; primarily, if there were a sudden design change, the budget might go way over the initially proposed amount. In that case, the prototyping method of approach will work best. It really should be decided on a case-by-case basis according to the project delivery time frame, the degree of flexibility, and the budget.

Works Cited

Martin, Matthew. “Prototyping Model in Software Engineering: Methodology, Process, Approach.” Guru99, 7 Oct. 2021, https://www.guru99.com/software-engineering-prototyping-model.html.

Intergy. “Prototyping vs Traditional Development – the Pros and Cons.” Intergy, 18 Oct. 2021, https://www.intergy.com.au/prototyping-vs-traditional-development/.