System Development and Life-
         Cycle Management (SDLCM)
         Methodology
         Handbook, Version 2.3
         July 2002
                     UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION     
                     WASHINGTON, DC
                        SDLCM Methodology Handbook
                          Foreword
        Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Management Directive 2.5, “Application Systems Life-
        Cycle Management,” establishes the policies for applications systems life-cycle management.
        The System Development and Life-Cycle Management (SDLCM) Methodology implements
        Directive 2.5 by providing life-cycle structure and guidance to NRC Projects.
        The SDLCM Methodology comprises seven components:
         1. Define Initial Project Requirements
         2. Acquire Support Resources
         3. Design the Solution
         4. Engineer the Solution
         5. Deploy the Solution
         6. Service the Solution
         7. Decommission the Solution
        The methodology is not Itself a document or a set of documents. It is the approach to doing
        business at NRC, and it is described by a set of documents, including but not limited to the
        following:
         
 SDLCM Methodology Handbook
         
 SDLCM Methodology Procedures, Standards, and Forms
         
 SDLCM Methodology Tool Inventory
         
 SDLCM Methodology Overview Training
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                                              SDLCM Methodology Handbook
                                               Table of Contents
               1.    Introduction ............................................................1
                  1.1  Background ........................................................1
                  1.2 Objectives..........................................................1
                  1.3 Scope.............................................................1
                  1.4 Overview ..........................................................1
               2.    Methodology Overview ....................................................3
                  2.1  A Structured Approach................................................3
                       2.1.1   Seven Components .............................................3
                       2.1.2   Presentation of the Components ...................................4
                  2.2 Principles and Assumptions ............................................5
                  2.3  Activities and Products ................................................5
                  2.4  Feedback and Improvement ............................................7
                  2.5  Systems Concepts...................................................8
               3.    Selecting an Appropriate Software..........................................10
                  3.1  Waterfall development Life-cycle Model ..................................11
                  3.2 Incremental Development Life-cycle Model ...............................13
                  3.3  Evolutionary Development Life-cycle Model ...............................14
                  3.4  Package-based Development Life-Cycle Model ............................16
               4.    Quality Assurance ......................................................18
                  4.1 Purpose ..........................................................18
                  4.2 Quality Assurance Goals .............................................18
                  4.3 Process Implementation..............................................18
                  4.4 Measurement and Analysis............................................19
                  4.5 Verifying Implementation .............................................19
               5.    Configuration Management ...............................................21
                  5.1 CM Process Implementation...........................................21
                  5.2  Configuration Identification ............................................22
                  5.3 Configuration Control ................................................23
                       5.3.1  Responsibility and Process Flow ..................................23
                       5.3.2   Change Vehicles ..............................................24
                       5.3.3   Change Management ..........................................24
                       5.3.4 Release Management ..........................................24
                  5.4  Configuration Status Accounting .......................................24
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                                              SDLCM Methodology Handbook
                  5.5  Data Management ..................................................25
                  5.6 Configuration Evaluation..............................................25
               6.    Component 1. Define Initial Project Requirements ..............................26
                  6.1 Purpose ..........................................................26
                  6.2  Roles and Responsibilities ............................................26
                  6.3 Entry Criteria ......................................................26
                  6.4  Input, Activities, and Outputs ..........................................27
                  6.5  Techniques and Tools ...............................................29
                  6.6 Exit Criteria........................................................29
                  6.7  Component 1 Activity Details ..........................................30
               7.    Component 2. Acquire Support Resources ...................................47
                  7.1 Purpose ..........................................................47
                       7.1.1   Projects and Funding  ..........................................47
                       7.1.2  Funding Approaches and Project Products ..........................47
                  7.2  Roles and Responsibilities ............................................48
                  7.3 Entry Criteria ......................................................48
                  7.4  Input, Activities, and Outputs ..........................................49
                  7.5  Techniques and Tools ...............................................50
                  7.6 Exit Criteria........................................................50
                  7.7  Component 2 Activity Details ..........................................50
               8.    Component 3. Design the Solution ..........................................62
                  8.1 Purpose ..........................................................62
                  8.2  Roles and Responsibilities ............................................62
                  8.3 Entry Criteria ......................................................63
                  8.4 Input, Activities and Outputs...........................................63
                  8.5  Techniques and Tools ...............................................65
                  8.6 Exit Criteria........................................................65
                  8.7  Component 3 Activity Details ..........................................65
               9.   Component 4. Engineer the Solution .........................................86
                  9.1 Purpose ..........................................................86
                  9.2  Roles and Responsibilities ............................................86
                  9.3 Entry Criteria ......................................................87
                  9.4  Input, Activities, and Outputs ..........................................87
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