System Development Methodology

System Development Methodology is a general term applied to a variety of structured, organized processes for developing information technology and embedded software systems.

Over the years there have been many system development methodologies including Cap Gemini SDM and SDM2, developed by PANDATA, now part of Cap Gemini, PRIDE: Profitable Information by DEsign, the first commercially available SDM, SSADM Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method, SDM70 by Atlantic Management Systems, Spectrum Structured by Spectrum Systems, and many more.

Early SDMs were focused on project management - and defining the phases, tasks and worksteps, or hierarchical work breakdown structure or Waterfall Model of a typical information technology project, and were analysis and design technique agnostic. Many of these project management based methodologies were, in fact, based on either critical path method (CPM) or the Navy's Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT).