In the adventurous world of software development, we have all come to experience, criticize, and embrace many software lifecycle approaches (e.g., RUP, Agile, Scrum, XP, etc.). At their core, they intend to identify various stages in the software process and optimize their instrumentation through various iterative techniques. Through my own consulting experience on many projects, I have come to expect a slightly different discrete set of "stages" that invariably accompany software endeavors. Expanding on these traditional software stages, this evolutionary software cycle or "evo-cycle" brings with it an incredible burden for managers and developers alike, often resulting in staff attrition, process degradation, or the dreaded burnout. Knowing the evo-cycle, software professionals can prepare better mentally for its unrelenting impact.

Software professionals usually take a great deal of pride in some combination of...