Spiral Model

What is Spiral Model?
Spiral Model is a risk-driven software development process model. It is a

combination of waterfall model and iterative model. Spiral Model helps to adopt
software development elements of multiple process models for the software project
based on unique risk patterns ensuring efficient development process.
Each phase of spiral model in software engineering begins with a design goal and
ends with the client reviewing the progress. The spiral model in software
engineering was first mentioned by Barry Boehm in his 1986 paper.
The development process in Spiral model in SDLC, starts with a small set of
requirement and goes through each development phase for those set of
requirements. The software engineering team adds functionality for the additional
requirement in every-increasing spirals until the application is ready for the
production phase. The below figure very well explain Spiral Model:
 Each loop of the spiral represents a phase of the software process:

o The innermost loop might be concerned with system feasibility,
o The next loop with system requirements definition,
o The next one with system design, and so on.
 There are no fixed phases in this model, the phases shown in the figure are
just examples.
 The team must decide:
o how to structure the project into phases.
 Start work using some generic model:
o add extra phases
o for specific projects or when problems are identified during a
project.
 Each loop in the spiral is split into four sectors (quadrants).
Spiral Model Phases
Spiral Model
Activities performed during phase
Phases
It includes estimating the cost, schedule and resources for
the iteration. It also involves understanding the system
requirements for continuous communication between the
system analyst and the customer
Identify objectives of the phase,

Examine the risks associated with these objectives.
Planning
Risk:
any adverse circumstance that might hamper

successful completion of a software project.
Find alternate solutions possible.
Identification of potential risk is done while risk mitigation

strategy is planned and finalized. For each identified
project risk,
a detailed analysis is carried out.

Risk Analysis
Steps are taken to reduce the risk.
For example, if there is a risk that the requirements are
inappropriate:
a prototype system may be developed.

Spiral Model
Activities performed during phase
Phases
 It includes testing, coding and deploying software at the
Engineering customer site
Evaluation of software by the customer. Also, includes

identifying and monitoring risks such as schedule slippage
and cost overrun
review the results achieved so far with the customer and

plan the next iteration around the spiral.
Evaluation
With each iteration around the spiral:
progressively more complete version of the software gets

built.
When to use Spiral Model?

 A Spiral model in software engineering is used when project is large
 When releases are required to be frequent, spiral methodology is
used
 When creation of a prototype is applicable
 When risk and costs evaluation is important
 Spiral methodology is useful for medium to high-risk projects
 When requirements are unclear and complex, Spiral model
in SDLC is useful
 When changes may require at any time
 When long term project commitment is not feasible due to changes in
economic priorities
Spiral Model as a meta model:

Subsumes all discussed models:
 a single loop spiral represents waterfall model.
 uses an evolutionary approach --
 iterations through the spiral are evolutionary levels.
 enables understanding and reacting to risks during each iteration along the
spiral.
Spiral Model Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages
Additional functionality or changes can Risk of not meeting the schedule or
be done at a later stage budget
Cost estimation becomes easy as the Spiral development works best for
prototype building is done in small large projects only also demands risk
fragments assessment expertise
Continuous or repeated development For its smooth operation spiral model
helps in risk management protocol needs to be followed strictly
Development is fast and features are
Documentation is more as it has
added in a systematic way in Spiral
intermediate phases
development
Spiral software development is not
There is always a space for customer
advisable for smaller project, it might
feedback
cost them a lot

Spiral Model

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What is Spiral Model?

Spiral Model is a risk-driven software development process model. It is a

 Each loop of the spiral represents a phase of the software process:

Spiral Model Phases

Identify objectives of the phase,

any adverse circumstance that might hamper

Find alternate solutions possible.

Identification of potential risk is done while risk mitigation

a detailed analysis is carried out.

a prototype system may be developed.

Evaluation of software by the customer. Also, includes

review the results achieved so far with the customer and

progressively more complete version of the software gets

When to use Spiral Model?

Spiral Model as a meta model:

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