Speak of the Development...

The iterative Development Process occurs after Needs Analysis and alongside the Project Management process.

The three main phases of the process include Development Planning, Development Tools Implementation, and Iterative Development:

The Development Planning phase runs concurrently with the Project Planning phase. This phase includes four critical tasks:
— “User stories” are written and prioritized by importance and difficulty. User stories are summaries of desired functionality which are written in plain English for ease of understanding
— Development tools are assessed based on their suitability and cost, and recommendations are made to the client, who of course has the final say.
— Iteration scheduling occurs. Because client participation and involvement are crucial to successful development, the Production process is designed around iterations. Each iteration is a scheduled period of time in which a particular set of User Stories is coded. At the end of each iteration, a preliminary release is made, during which the client can inspect the system and take it for a “test drive”. Development staff also perform rigorous testing during each release; and the client feedback and testing results generated here influence future development.
— Development staffing and resource planning are carried out, and incorporated into overall Project resource planning.

During the Development Tools Implementation phase, the development environment, versioning system, and issue tracking system are established and customized.

Once tools are in place, Iterative Development can begin. Development proper includes coding, issue tracking, and communication with the client. Constant unit testing is undertaken, so that issues can be identified while still small and readily isolated.
As noted above, the Development process is iterative, with iterations scheduled on a regular basis. Iterations are where the Development effort, Project Management, and the client come together. They serve as focal points for communication, as well as checkpoints against which project progress can be measured. Final Delivery, then, becomes largely the implementation of the final iteration – a continuation of Development, rather than a truly separate entity.