Application
Development Process
CCE 106 – Application Development and Emerging Technologies
It is the process of dividing software development
work into smaller, parallel or sequential steps or
subprocesses to improve design, product
management, and project management.
- also known as a Software Development Life
Cycle (SDLC)
-Ex.: waterfall, prototyping, iterative and
incremental development, spiral development,
rapid application development.
Importance of Software Applications
Development
In business environment, there are two
types of information:
1. Internal Information - information
generated through business activities.
This includes information generated by
various transactions.
2. External Information - information
generated that will affect the activities
or economic situation of the business.
Importance of Software Applications Development
Internal Information
Definition: Information generated from within the organization.
Source: Comes from departments, operations, or activities of the business itself.
Examples:
•Financial records (sales reports, budgets, payroll)
•Employee performance reports
•Inventory levels
•Production schedules
•Customer databases (if owned internally)
Purpose:
•Helps in day-to-day decision-making
•Used for operational control and strategic planning
•Ensures efficiency within the organization
Importance of Software Applications Development
Importance in Application Development:
[Link] with Business Objectives
1. Ensures the app supports company goals, like improving customer
service or streamlining operations.
[Link] Use of Resources
1. Developers can reuse existing systems, APIs, or infrastructure.
[Link] and Compliance
1. Internal policies and data sensitivity guide how the app handles
information.
[Link]-Centric Design (Internal Users)
1. Apps for employees or departments reflect real workflows and pain
points.
Importance of Software Applications Development
External Information
Definition: Information gathered from outside the organization.
Source: Comes from the market, government, competitors, or general environment.
Examples:
•Market trends and competitor analysis
•Customer feedback and surveys
•Government regulations and legal requirements
•Economic indicators (inflation, exchange rates)
•News, research studies, industry reports
Purpose:
•Helps organizations adapt to external factors
•Supports strategic planning and risk management
•Identifies opportunities and threats in the environment
Importance of Software Applications Development
Importance in Application Development:
[Link] User Needs
1. External customer feedback ensures the app is useful and attractive to its
audience.
[Link] Competitive
1. Competitor benchmarking helps create better features or improved
performance.
[Link] with Regulations
1. Adhering to laws like GDPR or data privacy rules prevents legal issues.
[Link] and Modernization
1. Adopting external trends like AI, cloud, or mobile-first design keeps apps
future-ready.
Why Both Are Important Together
•Internal information ensures the app is practical, feasible, and
aligned with company operations.
•External information ensures the app is innovative, compliant,
and relevant to the market.
In short: Internal info = “fit for the organization” while External
info = “fit for the market and users.”
Both must be applied to build apps that are useful, usable, and
used (Interaction Design Foundation, 2019)
Importance of Software Application Development Process
The Software Application Development Process is a structured approach to
designing, coding, testing, and maintaining software. Its importance lies in
ensuring that applications are useful, reliable, efficient, and adaptable to
users’ needs.
Importance of Software Application Development
Process
1. Ensures Quality and Reliability - A defined
process reduces errors and [Link] and
debugging are built-in steps to deliver stable and
reliable software.
Example: Banking applications must be error-free to
avoid transaction failures.
2. Meets User Needs and Expectations - Following
the process involves requirements analysis, ensuring
the software matches user [Link] user
involvement for better usability and satisfaction.
Example: E-learning apps are designed with student
feedback to make learning interactive.
Importance of Software Application Development
Process
[Link] Efficiency and Productivity
Streamlined steps avoid rework and wasted effort.
Encourages modular design, making it easier for
teams to collaborate.
Leads to faster delivery without sacrificing quality.
4. Reduces Development Costs
Identifying and fixing problems early in the process
saves money.
Planned design prevents unnecessary features.
Example: Detecting a flaw during the design phase is
cheaper than fixing it after deployment.
Importance of Software Application
Development Process
5. Enhances Security - Security is considered from
the start (e.g., secure coding practices).Reduces risks
of data breaches, malware, and unauthorized
access. Especially important in healthcare, finance,
and government systems.
6. Supports Maintenance and Scalability –
Well-structured code and documentation make
updates [Link] can grow with user
demands (scalable).Example: Social media platforms
constantly update features while keeping systems
stable.
Application Development Phases
The activities involved in application
development are grouped in different
phases:
1. Planning
2. Analysis
3. Design
4. Implementation
5. Operation, Support, and Security
- These are called the System Development
Life Cycle (SDLC)
Application Development Phases
1. Planning
•Purpose: Define the project scope, goals,
resources, budget, and timeline.
•Key Activities:
• Feasibility study (technical, economic,
operational)
• Risk analysis
• Project planning
•Outcome: Project plan and approval to
proceed.
Application Development Phases
2. Requirement Analysis
•Purpose: Understand what the users
need.
•Key Activities:
• Collect requirements from stakeholders
(users, clients, management).
• Document functional and non-functional
requirements.
•Outcome: Software Requirement
Specification (SRS) document.
Application Development Phases
3. Design
•Purpose: Create a blueprint for the
system.
•Key Activities:
• System architecture design
• Database design
• User interface (UI/UX) design
•Outcome: System design documents,
wireframes, prototypes.
Application Development Phases
4. Development (Implementation /
Coding)
•Purpose: Actual creation of the software
application.
•Key Activities:
• Writing code based on design documents.
• Using programming languages, frameworks,
and tools.
• Following coding standards and best
practices.
•Outcome: Working software modules.
Application Development Phases
5. Testing
•Purpose: Ensure the application works
correctly and is bug-free.
•Key Activities:
• Unit testing, integration testing, system
testing, user acceptance testing (UAT).
• Performance and security testing.
•Outcome: Verified and validated
application ready for deployment.
Application Development Phases
6. Deployment
•Purpose: Deliver the application to the
users.
•Key Activities:
• Install the software in the production
environment.
• Provide training and documentation.
• May be released in stages (beta, full
release).
•Outcome: Application is live and available
for users.
Application Development Phases
7. Maintenance
•Purpose: Keep the application running
smoothly and updated.
•Key Activities:
• Fix bugs reported by users.
• Release updates and patches.
• Enhance features as user needs change.
•Outcome: Long-term usability and
adaptability of the application.
Case Study 1
A team developed a student grading system in just 2 weeks. They
started coding immediately without asking teachers what they needed.
When the system was delivered, teachers complained it had no report
generation, no class sections, and no way to edit grades.
Question: Which SDLC phase was skipped or poorly done?
Case Study 2
A bank launched a new mobile banking app quickly to beat
competitors. However, users discovered serious bugs: money transfers
failed, and balances displayed incorrectly. The bank had to recall the
app and suffered customer trust issues.
Question: Which SDLC phase was skipped or poorly done?
Case Study 3 A hospital created a patient management system, but
they ignored UI/UX design and only focused on coding the backend.
Nurses and doctors found the interface confusing, with hard-to-read
menus and scattered functions. Most refused to use it.
Question: Which SDLC phase was skipped or poorly done?
Case Study 4
A university built a library system that worked fine at first. But after
two years, it was never updated. New features like online reservations
and e-book integration were requested but never added. Eventually,
students stopped using it and switched to other platforms.
Question: Which SDLC phase was skipped or poorly done?
Case Study 5
A company planned to build a delivery app in just one month with only
two developers. Midway, deadlines were missed, costs went over
budget, and the project was abandoned.
Question: Which SDLC phase was skipped or poorly done?
Summary for Students:
Each SDLC phase is important. Skipping or rushing through one can lead to
failure:
•Planning → Missed deadlines & wasted budget.
•Requirement Analysis → Wrong features.
•Design → Poor usability.
•Development → Messy code.
•Testing → Buggy apps.
•Deployment → Poor rollout.
•Maintenance → Obsolete system.