Which development lifecycle model is characterized by breaking a project into a series of increments?

The incremental development model is characterized by breaking a project into smaller, manageable increments or segments. Each increment is developed separately and adds functionality to the overall system, allowing teams to focus on delivering value progressively and making adjustments based on feedback from earlier increments. This approach minimizes risks and fosters continuous improvement, as each increment can incorporate lessons learned from previous phases.

In contrast, the waterfall model follows a linear and sequential approach, where one phase must be fully completed before the next begins, which does not allow for breaking the project into increments. The Agile model also embraces incremental development but is broader in scope, encompassing iterative processes and emphasizing flexibility and collaboration. The spiral model, on the other hand, integrates iterative development with risk management but does not specifically focus on broadcasting the work as discrete increments in the same way the incremental development model does.

Therefore, the incremental development model is the most direct representation of a structure specifically built around the concept of dividing projects into increments.