Arenduskäigu

Arenduskäigu is a term used in Estonian to denote a development cycle, a defined period during which a set of development tasks is planned, implemented, tested, and evaluated. It is commonly used in software development, product design, engineering, and other project-driven fields to describe a repeatable phase within a larger development process.

Etymology and form: The word combines arendus (development) and käik (cycle, phase, or run). The form arenduskäigu is the genitive singular, used to modify other words, for example arenduskäigu pikkus (the length of the development cycle) or arenduskäigu eesmärk (the purpose of the development cycle).

Scope and content: A typical arenduskäik encompasses planning, requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and review. Durations vary from short time-boxed intervals of a few days to several weeks, depending on the methodology and project size. In agile contexts, a closely related concept is the iteration or sprint, which serves a similar function as a recurring development cycle.

Relation to methodologies: The term is used across industries but is especially common in IT and product development. It emphasizes the cyclical nature of delivering incremental value and managing risk, resources, and timelines through repeatable cycles rather than a single, monolithic process.

Variants and usage: Other related terms include arendusprotsess (development process) and arendusperiood (development period). The exact usage of arenduskäigu may vary by organization, but it generally denotes a standardized phase within ongoing development work.

See also: arendus, käik, arendusprotsess, development lifecycle, sprint, Agile.