FC0-U71 Software Development Concepts Practice Question
A software development team follows a methodology where work is divided into fixed sequential phases: requirements, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Changes to requirements are difficult once a phase is completed. Which development methodology is being used?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between sequential (Waterfall) and iterative (Agile/Spiral) methodologies by emphasizing the inability to change requirements after a phase is completed, which directly points to Waterfall and not to the risk-driven cycles of Spiral or the adaptive nature of Agile frameworks.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Waterfall
The Waterfall model is a linear sequential software development methodology where each phase (requirements, design, implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance) must be completed before the next begins. This rigidity makes it difficult to accommodate changes to requirements once a phase is finished, exactly as described in the question.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Spiral
Why it's wrong here
Spiral repeats risk-driven iterations through planning, risk analysis, engineering, and evaluation, so requirements can still evolve between loops. It tempts as a structured lifecycle model, but the stem's one-pass sequential phases with frozen requirements describe Waterfall.
- ✓
Waterfall
Why this is correct
Waterfall matches the stem's fixed sequential phases, where each stage completes before the next begins and requirements freeze once design starts. Its linear, document-driven structure makes late requirement changes costly, satisfying the constraint that changes are difficult after a phase completes. Iterative and Agile approaches would instead accommodate evolving requirements.
- ✗
Scrum
Why it's wrong here
Scrum is iterative and incremental, with requirements refined each sprint, so it cannot describe fixed sequential phases with locked requirements. It is tempting because Scrum also structures work into time-boxed increments, but those increments repeat rather than progress once through requirements, design, implementation, testing and deployment.
- ✗
Agile
Why it's wrong here
Agile delivers work in short iterative increments with evolving requirements, the opposite of fixed sequential phases. It tempts because it dominates modern practise, but the stem's rigid waterfall-style phases and resistance to change describe Waterfall, not Agile.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every FC0-U71 question from scratch — 988 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.