SPIRAL MODEL

Contents
 Spiral Model
 History
 Why to use spiral model
 Phases
 Advantages
 Disadvantages
 Conclusion
 Exercises
Spiral Model
 The Spiral Model is a combination of the waterfall model and
the iterative model.
 Spiral model is the Risk Driven model. This model is best used
for large projects which involves continues enhancements.
 Each phase in spiral model begins with a design goal and ends
with the client reviewing the progress.
 In its diagrammatic representation, looks like a spiral with
many loops. The exact number of loops of the spiral is
unknown and can vary from project to project.
 Each loop of the spiral is called a phase of the software
development process.
History

Background on software process models

 1950 ： Code-and-fix model
 1956 ： Stage wise model (Pennington )
 1970 ： Waterfall model (Royce)
 1971 ： Incremental model(Mills)
 1977 ： Prototyping model(Bally and others)
 1988 ： Spiral model(Boehm)
Spiral model : Appropriate usage

 When there is a budget Constraint and

risk evaluation is important.
 For medium to high-risk projects.
 Customer is not sure of their requirements
which is usually the case.
When to use Spiral Model?

 Where enough time frame is their..

 When the project is large.
 Whenrequirements are unclear and
complex.
 When changes may require at any
time.
 Large and high budget projects.
A spiral model has 4 phases
described below:
 Planning phase
 Risk analysis phase
 Engineering phase
 Evaluation phase.
1. Planning

 Gathering of requirements through consistent interaction with the

client and stakeholders.
 Feasibility study.
 Study and analysis of these requirements, to estimate the budget,
resource, time, etc., required in the software development.
2. Risk Analysis

 This Phase Identify and resolve all the possible risks in the project
Development.

 In the risk analysis phase, a process is undertaken to identify risk and

alternate solutions. A prototype is produced at the end of the risk analysis
phase. If any risk is found during the risk analysis, then alternate
solutions are suggested and implemented.
3. Development & Test

 It is an important phase of this model, where all the requirements,

strategies and plans are implemented and executed, so as to
develop the software product.
 It includes testing, coding and deploying software at the customer
site
4. Evaluation

 This phase involves the software product interaction with the

customers, who assess them and accordingly, provide their
feedbacks, which helps in determining the requirements or
features that needs to be added or removed from the software.
 This phase is very much similar to Testing phase.
Risk Handling in Spiral Model

A risk is any adverse situation that might affect the successful completion of a
software project. The most important feature of the spiral model is handling these
unknown risks after the project has started. Such risk resolutions are easier done by
developing a prototype.

 The spiral model supports coping with risks by providing the scope to build a
prototype at every phase of software development.
 The Prototyping Model also supports risk handling, but the risks must be
identified completely before the start of the development work of the project.
 But in real life, project risk may occur after the development work starts, in that
case, we cannot use the Prototyping Model.
 In each phase of the Spiral Model, the features of the product dated and analyzed,
and the risks at that point in time are identified and are resolved through
prototyping.
 Thus, this model is much more flexible compared to other SDLC models.
Advantages
 High amount of risk analysis .
 Good for large and mission-critical projects.
 Flexibility in Requirements.
 Customer Satisfaction.
 Largerprojects / software are created and
handled in a strategic way
 Controltowards all the phases of
development.
 More and more features are added in a
systematic way.
Disadvantages
 Can be a costly model to use.
 Risk analysis requires highly specific
expertise.
 Project's success is highly dependent
on the risk analysis phase.
 Doesn't work well for smaller
projects.
Conclusion

 This model is very good to use for larger projects where you can
develop and deliver smaller prototypes and can enhance it to make the
larger software.

 The implementation of this model requires experienced resources as

risk analysis is a very integral part of this model and risk analysis
requires expertise and as a result this model becomes costly.
Example: TRW Software Project for
the Space Shuttle Program
 A real-life example of a software project that used the
Spiral Model is the development of the U.S.
Military's TRW Software Project for the Space
Shuttle program.

 Project Overview:
• Client: NASA (National Aeronautics and Space
Administration)
• Company: TRW Inc. (now part of Northrop Grumman)
• Project Goal: Develop software to control various aspects
of the Space Shuttle, including navigation, control systems,
and payload management.
• Time Period: Late 1970s to early 1980s
Continue…
 Why the Spiral Model Was Used:
1. High Complexity and Risk: The software needed to meet
extremely high safety and reliability standards because any
failure could result in the loss of lives and valuable equipment.
The Spiral Model allowed for iterative development with
continuous risk assessment.
2. Changing Requirements: NASA's requirements evolved as new
technologies and mission profiles were developed. The Spiral
Model's iterative nature made it easier to incorporate changes
and refine the system over time.
3. Prototype Development: The model allowed for the creation of
prototypes at each iteration, enabling stakeholders to review and
provide feedback, ensuring the system met all critical needs.
4. Risk Management: Each spiral cycle involved careful risk
assessment, allowing the team to address potential issues early
in the development process.
Continue…
 Spiral Model Phases Applied:
1. Identification of Objectives: At the start of each cycle, the project
team identified specific objectives, constraints, and alternatives.
2. Risk Analysis and Prototyping: Risks were analyzed, and
prototypes were developed to mitigate identified risks.
3. Development and Testing: The chosen solution was developed and
tested, ensuring it met the objectives set for that cycle.
4. Planning for the Next Iteration: The results from the current cycle
were reviewed, and the next iteration was planned based on feedback
and risk analysis.

 Outcome:
• The use of the Spiral Model in the TRW project contributed to the
successful development of the software for the Space Shuttle
program. The iterative approach helped the team manage the
project's complexity and deliver a reliable, safe system that met
NASA's stringent requirements.
Exercises
 What differentiates the Spiral Model from traditional Waterfall and Agile methodologies,
and how does it incorporate elements of both?
 How does risk management influence the design and implementation phases in the Spiral
Model, and what could be the consequences of inadequate risk analysis?
 In a scenario where the project scope is constantly changing, how would the Spiral Model
help in managing these changes effectively compared to other models?
 If the budget and time constraints are extremely tight, is the Spiral Model still a suitable
choice for the project? Why or why not?
 Can the Spiral Model be adapted for large-scale distributed development projects? Discuss
the potential challenges and how they might be mitigated.
 How can the Spiral Model handle the risks associated with integrating third-party
components, especially when these components evolve independently?
 Compare and contrast the Spiral Model with the V-Model in terms of risk management,
flexibility, and suitability for safety-critical systems.
 Provide a case study where the Spiral Model was used effectively in a real-world project.
What were the key factors that led to its success?