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Which Activity Spans All Stages of an SDLC?

Which Activity Spans All Stages of an SDLC?

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Oct 2, 2026

In the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), the “software work” is commonly described as phases such as planning/requirements, design, implementation (coding), testing, deployment, and maintenance. 2
Among the options given—(i) Coding, (ii) Design, (iii) Testing, (iv) Project management—the activity that spans all SDLC stages is (iv) Project management, because it coordinates planning, execution, risk, stakeholder alignment, and delivery across the entire lifecycle rather than being limited to a single technical phase. 2

Mermaid overview of typical SDLC phases:

Key takeaway: technical activities like coding and design are primarily concentrated in specific phases, while project management remains active throughout to keep the work aligned with scope, schedule, resources, and quality goals. 2

Key terms:

  • SDLC
  • Phase
  • Implementation
  • Deployment

Footnotes

  1. The Software Development Lifecycle: The Most Common SDLC Models | Splunk - Defines SDLC phases including requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩ ↩2

  2. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

  3. Project managing the SDLC | PMI - Discusses aligning project management lifecycle phases with SDLC phases across initiation/planning/execution/deployment. ↩ ↩2

  4. System Development Lifecycle (Project Management Guidebook) | NYS - States there are corresponding activities required throughout each phase of the SDLC and highlights the project manager’s responsibility for creating a broad view carried throughout lifecycle phases. ↩

SDLC Stages and Where Project Management Fits

Planning & Requirements

Stage 1

Define scope, feasibility, schedule, and stakeholder alignment; manage risks early. 2"

Footnotes

  1. The Software Development Lifecycle: The Most Common SDLC Models | Splunk - Defines SDLC phases including requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

  2. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

Design

Stage 2

Coordinate reviews, confirm requirements traceability, and manage constraints/approvals. 2"

Footnotes

  1. The Software Development Lifecycle: The Most Common SDLC Models | Splunk - Defines SDLC phases including requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

  2. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

Coding (Implementation)

Stage 3

Track delivery against plan; manage changes and quality gates as the system is built. 2"

Footnotes

  1. The Software Development Lifecycle: The Most Common SDLC Models | Splunk - Defines SDLC phases including requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

  2. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

Testing

Stage 4

Ensure test strategy, environments, and defect-handling processes are in place. 2"

Footnotes

  1. The Software Development Lifecycle: The Most Common SDLC Models | Splunk - Defines SDLC phases including requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

  2. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

Deployment

Stage 5

Coordinate release readiness, communication, and operational handoff. 2"

Footnotes

  1. The Software Development Lifecycle: The Most Common SDLC Models | Splunk - Defines SDLC phases including requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

  2. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

Maintenance

Stage 6

Oversee ongoing support/changes and lifecycle feedback loops. 2"

Footnotes

  1. The Software Development Lifecycle: The Most Common SDLC Models | Splunk - Defines SDLC phases including requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

  2. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

Why the other options don’t span all stages

Coding, design, and testing are core technical phases/activities, but they are not present as the primary focus at every SDLC stage.

OptionMain role in SDLCSpans all stages?
(i) CodingImplementation transforms design into working software. No—primarily concentrated in implementation
(ii) DesignTranslates requirements into architecture/specifications. No—primarily concentrated in design
(iii) TestingVerifies the built software before deployment and supports quality feedback. Not exclusive, and not the only activity across lifecycle stages
(iv) Project managementCoordinates work, planning, execution, and alignment across phases (not just one technical phase). 2Yes

Technical phases are part of the SDLC, but project management is the connective tissue that runs across them all—especially in initiation/planning through execution and ongoing lifecycle governance. 2

Keywords to remember:

  • Requirements
  • Test execution
  • Release readiness

Footnotes

  1. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. Project managing the SDLC | PMI - Discusses aligning project management lifecycle phases with SDLC phases across initiation/planning/execution/deployment. ↩ ↩2

  3. System Development Lifecycle (Project Management Guidebook) | NYS - States there are corresponding activities required throughout each phase of the SDLC and highlights the project manager’s responsibility for creating a broad view carried throughout lifecycle phases. ↩ ↩2

Reasoning to select the correct option

  1. 1
    Step 1

    Typical SDLC phases include planning/requirements, design, coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance. 2

    Footnotes

    1. The Software Development Lifecycle: The Most Common SDLC Models | Splunk - Defines SDLC phases including requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

    2. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

  2. 2
    Step 2

    Coding is implementation; design is architecture/specification; testing is evaluation. Each is primarily focused within specific phases.

    Footnotes

    1. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

  3. 3
    Step 3

    Project management coordinates across lifecycle phases—planning, execution, delivery, and change/risk handling—so it naturally spans the entire SDLC. 2

    Footnotes

    1. Project managing the SDLC | PMI - Discusses aligning project management lifecycle phases with SDLC phases across initiation/planning/execution/deployment. ↩

    2. System Development Lifecycle (Project Management Guidebook) | NYS - States there are corresponding activities required throughout each phase of the SDLC and highlights the project manager’s responsibility for creating a broad view carried throughout lifecycle phases. ↩

  4. 4
    Step 4

    Therefore, the correct choice is (iv) Project management. 2

    Footnotes

    1. Project managing the SDLC | PMI - Discusses aligning project management lifecycle phases with SDLC phases across initiation/planning/execution/deployment. ↩

    2. System Development Lifecycle (Project Management Guidebook) | NYS - States there are corresponding activities required throughout each phase of the SDLC and highlights the project manager’s responsibility for creating a broad view carried throughout lifecycle phases. ↩

Pro Tip

If a choice is a function that coordinates delivery (scope/schedule/resources/risk/communication), it often appears across the whole SDLC—not just inside one technical phase.

Warning: Testing vs. Testing Phase

Testing is usually described as a specific SDLC phase, but quality verification activities can also occur earlier (e.g., test planning). Still, testing alone is not as lifecycle-wide as project management, which remains active from planning through maintenance. 2

Footnotes

  1. The Software Development Lifecycle: The Most Common SDLC Models | Splunk - Defines SDLC phases including requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

  2. Software Development Life Cycle: 7 Key Phases | Harness - Lists SDLC phases: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding/implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance. ↩

Final Answer

(iv) Project management spans all stages of a software development life cycle (SDLC). 2

Footnotes

  1. Project managing the SDLC | PMI - Discusses aligning project management lifecycle phases with SDLC phases across initiation/planning/execution/deployment. ↩

  2. System Development Lifecycle (Project Management Guidebook) | NYS - States there are corresponding activities required throughout each phase of the SDLC and highlights the project manager’s responsibility for creating a broad view carried throughout lifecycle phases. ↩

Knowledge Check

Question 1 of 4
Q1Single choice

Which of the following activity spans all stages of a software development life cycle (SDLC)?

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