During which phase of a project are dataset schemas most likely to undergo changes?

The development phase is the stage where dataset schemas are most likely to undergo changes due to the iterative nature of building and refining a project. During development, teams often experiment with different data structures and relationships in order to optimize performance, ensure data integrity, and meet the evolving needs of the application and its users.

In this phase, developers might discover new requirements, encounter unforeseen data issues, or receive feedback that necessitates adjustments to the schema. As features are implemented and prototypes are created, it is common to adjust how data is structured to better align with the application’s functionality or the user's expectations.

Other phases, such as testing, deployment, and maintenance, typically have more stable schemas as the project matures. During testing, the focus is primarily on validating existing functionality without making major structural changes. The deployment phase aims to release the project in a stable format, where schema modifications would likely lead to complications. Maintenance may involve adjustments based on operational feedback but usually not at the same foundational level as in development.