Decision-making and decision management are, in essence, key aspects of SDLC. Numerous crucial decisions are made at each of the SDLC phases, starting with the concept and ending with deployment. Decisive decisions regarding any of these areas determine the efficient approach and project plan. Among the many decision-making frameworks available, the SOLVED Decision-Making Model stands out as a highly structured and effective method for enhancing SDLC processes.
This blog explores how the SOLVED model improves SDLC efficiency, breaking down its six steps and demonstrating their application in real-world scenarios.
What Is the SOLVED Decision-Making Model?
The SOLVED model is a six-part decision-making approach that aims at facilitating effective and rational decision making across different teams. Each step corresponds to a letter in the acronym:
- S – Survey
- O – Outline
- L – Leverage
- V – Validate
- E – Engage
- D – Document
This model can be used for a wide range of decisions during the SDLC, from the selection of technology and architecture to feature inclusions and more.
How SOLVED Streamlines the SDLC
1. Survey: Gathering Insights
This step involves an elaborate analysis of the situation with a view of identifying the issue at hand. Teams gather data from literature, feedback, as well as the efficiency and effectiveness in the completion of their tasks.
Example in SDLC: In addressing some issues of performance, this step entails establishing a way of observing how an application works, learning where it slows down, and acquiring user feedback.
Efficiency Gain: Helps avoid jumping straight to solving symptoms instead of the main problem since it lays down an information base.
2. Outline: Defining Objectives
Next, the problem statement is clearly outlined. This step enables coordination of the multiple teams by providing clear goals.
Example in SDLC: In the case of a performance improvement project the goal might be to reduce page load time from 10 seconds to below 2 seconds.
Efficiency Gain: Reduces confusion, which may cause working teams to lose sight of collectively agreed objectives.
3. Leverage: Identifying Solutions
Here, the data gathered during the first step assesses possible decision options and outcomes. This involves looking at patterns, trends, and similar cases of events that have happened before to determine what must be done next.
Example in SDLC: Finding code that needs refactoring or SQL queries that could be written more efficiently.
Efficiency Gain: Promotes data-driven decision-making, reducing reliance on intuition or guesswork.
4. Validate: Testing Decisions
Low-risk trials or technical advice assist in affirming that a claimed solution is workable and effective before adoption on a large scale.
Example in SDLC: Using a spike to analyze the efficiency of a certain optimization strategy and verifying the improvement in load periods.
Efficiency Gain: Reduces risk by doing away with unknown so as to provide room for the testing of new solutions.
5. Engage: Collaboration and Feedback
To avoid deviating from the existing objectives and goals you need stakeholders’ help. This step collects endorsement and input from all stakeholders.
Example in SDLC: Beneficial with development, testing and UX teams talking over proposed design changes in order to get the other side of the story.
Efficiency Gain: Promotes more cooperation meaning less conflict and better enhance project cohesiveness.
6. Document: Recording Decisions
Last but not the least, these decisions are recorded for future use with proper reasoning.
Example in SDLC: Recording the modification and activities that have been put in practice, potential benefits, and occurrence in an effective reference system.
Efficiency Gain: It also increases transparency and develops a database that can be used for future projects.
Practical Applications of SOLVED in SDLC
The SOLVED model has wide-ranging applications in software development:
- Technology Stack Selection: Choosing between the usage of relational databases and non-relational databases.
- Architecture Design: So the idea is to compare microservices to monolithic structures.
- Testing Strategies: Explaining scopes of automations versus manual testing.
- Feature Prioritization: Selecting the features that will match the client’s requirements and organizational objectives.
- UX Improvements: Improving navigation and business access on the basis of analysis of yields.
Why Choose SOLVED for SDLC Decision-Making?
- Structured Approach: One of the advantages of the implementation of this model is that it has a flowchart which reduces the likelihood of missing a particular point.
- Data-Driven: More accurate because it relies on empirical evidence rather than theory.
- Collaborative: Involves all the stakeholders to develop the best solutions.
- Repeatable: The methodology thus generalizes for the other projects and scenarios of the problem.
Conclusion
The SOLVED Decision-Making Model is a game-changer for optimizing the software development lifecycle. It stands as a platform that promotes a rational and strategic manner of problem-solving while fostering a healthy collaboration within the team.
When considering a detailed feature enhancement, which database to use, or performance problems, the SOLVED model guarantees that decisions will be made to benefit the project.
