Project Initiation: This is the starting point where you define the project scope, goals, and stakeholders. It involves understanding the problem, identifying constraints, and setting project objectives.

Requirements Analysis: In this phase, you gather and document the functional and non-functional requirements of the system. You need to understand what the system should do, its features, and how it should behave.

Architectural Design: Once the requirements are clear, you design the high-level architecture of the system. This includes deciding on the system's components, their interactions, and the technologies to be used.

Component Design: In this step, you delve deeper into the design of individual components or modules. This includes defining data structures, algorithms, and interfaces for each part of the system.

Implementation: With the designs in hand, you proceed to implement the system. This phase involves writing code, integrating components, and building the entire system.

Testing: After implementation, you need to thoroughly test the system to ensure it works as intended. This includes unit testing, integration testing, and system testing to identify and fix any defects.

Deployment: Once testing is successful, you deploy the system in a production environment. This step may involve setting up servers, databases, and configuring the system for real-world use.

Maintenance: After deployment, the system requires ongoing maintenance to address issues, apply updates, and support user needs. Maintenance is an iterative process that continues throughout the system's lifecycle.