RESEARCH ABOUT AGILE AND WATERFALL



Agile and waterfall are two distinctive methodologies of processes to complete projects or work items. Agile is an iterative methodology that incorporates a cyclic and collaborative process. Waterfall is a sequential methodology that can also be collaborative, but tasks are generally handled in a more linear process.

Following the agile methodology, your project will move through a series of cycles throughout the lifetime of the project. The development phase, review, feedback, and then approval of the work item – either yes or no. If yes, implement and complete the task. If no, record and make any necessary changes, track and adjust the backlog or prioritization to reflect the newly acquired

AGILE AND WATERFALL METHODOLOGY-

SOME PROS AND CONS

Agile pros:

  • Agile’s flexibility avoids rigidity. Stakeholders and team members have opportunities to observe and test throughout the project which allows for adjustments and changes to be made as things move forward. This greater “user focus” means that on delivery it’s likely the outcome will be more in line with expectations - even if they have evolved along the way.

  • Agile encourages teamwork, collaboration, self-organisation and accountability. This helps with overall motivation and commitment to a project’s outcomes and goals.

Agile cons:

  • Because of its flexibility and ability to adapt, an Agile project can run the risk of losing direction or falling behind schedule. Constantly iterating and re-aligning a project can easily stretch budgets and timelines.

  • Adherence to Agile principles mean that team members are almost completely dedicated to the project which can be challenging from a resource or continuity point of view. While this kind of focus can lead to faster outcomes it may not lead to better ones if the project feels uncontained or has lost focus.

Waterfall pros:

  • Waterfall is particularly efficient for well-defined projects. Project stakeholders agree upfront on what will be delivered, which makes planning and design much easier. Progress is more easily tracked as the full scope of the project is known from the beginning.

  • Unlike Agile, this more linear approach often means that team members only need to be available for their specific project phases and can thus continue to focus in other areas. Equally a project’s customers may only need to be involved heavily in the early initial scoping phase and then at delivery.

Waterfall cons:

  • On the downside, Waterfall requires comprehensive requirements up front which can sometimes be challenging for more complex or longer-term projects.

  • Its sequential nature and reliance on pre-planning means there is a certain rigidity built into the project that makes mid-project pivots or directional shifts difficult to deploy without re-engineering all those pre-made plans.  


HOW TO CHOOSE?

As always, choosing which methodology (Agile or Waterfall) is right for your project is entirely dependent on the nature of the project you have in mind and the culture and type of organisation you work for. Of course, the reality might be that a hybrid Agile Waterfall approach makes the most sense for your project but there are some general rules of thumb.

Agile
Agile makes sense where a project is based on incremental progress, complex deliverables or consists of multiple, not always sequential timelines. Projects that require cohesive and collaborative but cross-functional teams to deliver will need to take an Agile approach.

If processes or roles are unclear it makes room for figuring it out as the project goes along. It also allows for involving the project client at any stage along the way. Products that are developed in stages, updates or versions are particularly suited to Agile.

Waterfall
Waterfall is usually more suited to less complex projects or those that have well defined requirements, processes and roles for team members. Single delivery timeframes with lots of detail and an expectation that very little is likely to change along the way are ideal.

Waterfall also works well when the client is not required to be heavily involved beyond the initial brief and final delivery. From a management point of view, Waterfall can often make sense for fixed-price or contract dependent projects in order to lessen the risk of budget or delivery over-runs.


DECIDE BEFORE YOU START

So take the time to consider the best way forward before you get underway. Know your project goals and determine the variables, dependencies and activities that are crucial for your project.

Identify the metrics and success factors that are most critical and review each methodology for the best match. Engage your team in the decision-making process and assess their familiarity and experience with different methodologies. Finally, whatever choice you make, stick to it! Changing horse mid-race rarely ends well.

REFERENCES-

https://www.aipm.com.au/blog/agile-vs-waterfall-whats-the-difference#:~:text=To%20put%20it%20simply%20Waterfall,of%20principles%20than%20one%20methodology.

https://www.aipm.com.au/blog/agile-vs-waterfall-whats-the-difference


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