What is System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?

An effective System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) should result in a high-quality system that meets customer expectations, reaches completion within time and cost evaluations, and works effectively and efficiently in the current and planned Information Technology infrastructure.
System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model which includes policies and procedures for developing or altering systems throughout their life cycles.
SDLC is used by analysts to develop an information system. SDLC includes the following activities −

• requirements
• design
• implementation
• testing
• deployment
• operations
• maintenance

 
Role of System Analyst
A system analyst is a person who is thoroughly aware of the system and guides the system development project by giving proper directions. He is an expert having technical and interpersonal skills to carry out development tasks required at each phase.
He pursues to match the objectives of the information system with the organization’s goal.
Main Roles

• Defining and understanding the requirement of user through various Fact finding techniques.
• Prioritizing the requirements by obtaining user consensus.
• Gathering the facts or information and acquires the opinions of users.
• Maintains analysis and evaluation to arrive at appropriate system which is more user friendly.
• Suggests many flexible alternative solutions, pick the best solution, and quantify cost and benefits.
• Draw certain specifications which are easily understood by users and programmer in precise and detailed form.
• Implemented the logical design of system which must be modular.
• Plan the periodicity for evaluation after it has been used for some time, and modify the system as needed.