At Equinox, we understand that all businesses are unique and operate differently; that’s exactly why we offer a bespoke customised system development service for your business, nothing cookie cutter here!
We are specialists in Unit4 ERP (Agresso), offering a wealth of experience within a wide range of modules within the software, from Financial to HR & Payroll.
Through our customised service, we can give you a tailor-made solution focused on improving and developing your business efficiently.
What is System Development Life Cycle?
A system development life cycle or SDLC is essentially a project management model. It defines different stages that are necessary to bring a project from its initial idea or conception all the way to deployment and later maintenance.
By using our development life cycle strategy, we can offer you recommendations for your Unit4 system by highlighting key areas of improvement.

1. Requirements
The first phase of the SDLC is requirements. This is where you define your problem and set goals for what you hope to achieve from your solution. Arguably one of the most important phases, as this will steer the rest of the SDLC.
It’s important to be ambitious with this part of the process but also realistic so that you don’t get discouraged or overwhelmed when things don’t go according to plan.
We start by gathering the relevant information for your project from our team. We then analyse the outcome to identify what requirements are feasible.
2. Plan
After gathering your requirements, we will set out a plan to put these into action, ensuring the correct resources are available in the timescales required.
Planning is an important step in the SDLC. The purpose of planning is to define the scope of the project, identify the resources required and identify risks.
By developing an effective outline for the upcoming development cycle, we can theoretically catch problems before they affect development. Perfect!
Perhaps most importantly, the planning stage sets the project schedule, which can be of key importance if development is for a commercial product that must be sent to market by a certain time.
3. Design & Develop
Once we have the timescales and requirements, we will start creating the design that has been set out in the requirements. We look at “how will we build this” and develop the system in this manner.
The design aspect is where Equinox will put pen to paper (so to speak) and create a vision for your project.
In the development phase, Equinox will first outline the details for the overall application, alongside specific aspects, such as its:
- User interfaces
- System interfaces
- Network and network requirements
- Databases
The development stage can take a lot of time to complete, and it is imperative that progress is tracked throughout development. During the development stage, Equinox will write code and build the application to meet the previously discussed designs and specifications.
In certain cases, the development and testing phases can overlap to ensure there are no critical bugs.
4. Testing
Testing is a key element for all our projects, whether this means our system testing of the design or User Acceptance Testing (UAT), it will be fully tested before being put forward to go Live. All issues arising from testing will be tracked and fixed based on the MoSCoW prioritisation requirements.
Simply, MoSCoW prioritisation requirements helps people to understand what the software must-have, should-have, could-have and won’t have.
The purpose of testing is to make sure that your system works as expected, meets user requirements, and doesn’t have any bugs or errors which could compromise user experience or your security.
During the testing stage, developers will review their software with a fine-tooth comb, noting any bugs or defects that need to be tracked, fixed, and later retested.
The testing stage will continue until all issues are fixed to the required standard. We will never release your project until we are fully satisfied it is of the highest quality.
5. Release
Once fully tested and all agreed issues are resolved, the development will be processed through Change Approval internally and whatever CAB requirements you have.
6. Track & Monitor
Once Equinox has released the development piece, we ensure that the software is monitored for any snagging issues, which are then resolved before fully signing off.
Benefits of a System Development Life Cycle
An SDLC is an essential process for the successful development and maintenance of software systems, it is also host to a variety of benefits to your business:
- Clear Goal Descriptions: Goal descriptions allow us to clearly know the goals which we need to meet and the deliverables we must achieve by a set timeline, lowering the risk of time and resources being wasted.
- Proper Testing Before Installation: SDLC models implement checks and balances to ensure that all software is tested before being installed in greater source code.
- Clear Stage Progression: You can track progress easily through the different stages to ensure your project is moving as expected.
- Member Flexibility: Since SDLCs have well-structured documents for project goals and methodologies, team members can leave and be replaced by new members relatively painlessly.
- Perfection Is Achievable: All SDLC stages are meant to feed back into one another. SDLC models can therefore help projects to iterate and improve upon themselves over and over until they are essentially perfect.
- No One Member Makes or Breaks the Project: Again, since SDLCs utilise extensive paperwork and guideline documents, it’s a team effort and losing one, even a major member, will not jeopardise the project timeline.
Equinox Can Provide Development & Reporting to Meet Your Needs
Equinox can assist with all types of development and reporting. Our experienced team provide a high-quality service focused on developing your business needs.
If you are looking for a simple report or a bespoke purchasing ordering system, we can advise the best development options for your business. We also provide more complex development services which can be an exceptional resource for both your business and your team.
We pride ourselves in high quality work, we work within our Development Life Cycle Strategy. This offers recommendations for your system highlighting key areas of improvement.
Enable your Digital Future with Equinox
There are many benefits to using the 6 phases of the system development life cycle, especially for ERP software. If you’re looking for an easy way to manage your business, contact us today. We’re here to provide comprehensive support for your organisation.
With over 7+ years of experience and a team of highly skilled consultants, we offer a range of services to help your business grow and thrive.
We offer fast service and competitive prices to help your business systems remain up-to-date and applicable.