The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) typically begins with:

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Accepted Answer

Systems planning and investigation. The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) typically begins with systems planning and investigation (also called the feasibility study or project initiation phase), where the organization identifies the need for a new or improved system, defines the problem or opportunity, and evaluates the feasibility of the project in terms of technical, economic, organizational, and time considerations.

Coding and programming occurs during the implementation/development phase, which comes after requirements analysis and system design. Starting with coding before understanding requirements and designing the system would lead to a product that doesn't meet user needs. Testing and quality assurance occurs after the system has been developed, not at the beginning of the lifecycle. System maintenance and support is the final ongoing phase of the SDLC, occurring after the system has been deployed.

The SDLC is a foundational concept on the DSST Management Information Systems exam. Students should know the standard phases - planning/investigation, analysis, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance - and understand the purpose of each phase, key activities and deliverables, and why following a structured development methodology reduces project risk and improves outcomes.

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