The "launch" myth

Many system development lifecycle models ("SDLC") focus on a product "launch date" when the project is ready, and an "end date" when it's finished. These concepts don't apply to our web application model, which focuses on an iteration cycle.

No product launch

Every end of a milestone is a launch. At the end of every milestone, your team is expected to deliver a working product. You may have one big launch where your site is finally open to the public, but this is simply one of your project milestones.

Conversely, there's also no project "post-launch". Other lifecycle models tell us to measure metrics, fix bugs, and reflect after a launch. These should happen every sprint.

No project end date

Working on a product never ends. Apps and websites are continuously improved with enhancements and bug fixes. If it's finally feature-complete, then it's time to make new features, or plan new enhancements.

A project ends when the stakeholders decide it to end, and these shouldn't be any different from how sprints usually end.

Iteration is the key

To sum it up, our model focuses on an iteration cycle divided into milestones and sprints. Each sprint is essentially a mini-project that starts and ends.

Next: Let's recap what we've learned.