Waterfall Project Management Vs. Agile Project Management

Waterfall Project Management vs. Agile Project Management

One of the eye opening moments was our discussion about Waterfall vs Agile project implementation methodology. This topic was especially of interest to me as my company just recently decided to switch to an Agile delivery model and we are trying to rationalize how the organization needs to be restructured to support this model. As I have learned from class readings and presentation there is no single best way to define an ideal project life cycle however there are some indicators that could be used to assess project individually and determine most optimal methodology.

Both Waterfall and Agile are mature methodologies. Having been involved in software development projects for a long time and based on class materials here are my thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of each.

The Waterfall Methodology

Waterfall is a linear approach to software development. In this methodology, the sequence of steps is follow:

1. Gather and document requirements

2. Design

3. Code and unit test

4. Perform system testing

5. Perform user acceptance testing (UAT)

6. Fix any issues

7. Deliver the finished product

In a Waterfall development project, each of the above steps represents a unique stage of software development, and each stage needs to finish before the next one can begin. There usually also is stage gate between each; for example, design must be reviewed and approved before coding can begin.

There are many positive things about the Waterfall approach including:

• Project sponsors, customers and developers