Agile vs. Waterfall Methodologies

 

Differences Between Agile vs. Waterfall Methodologies

Definitions:

    Agile methodology is a type of incremental approach to software development based on principles that focuses more on people, results, collaboration, and flexible responses to change. Instead of planning for the whole project, it breaks down the development process in small increments completed in iterations or short time frames. Each iteration includes all SDLC phases such that a working product is delivered at the end. After several iterations, a new or updated product is released.

    Whereas, Waterfall project management is a traditional model for developing engineering systems and is originally based on manufacturing and construction industry projects. When applied to software development, specialized tasks completed in one phase need to be reviewed and verified before moving to the next phase. It is a linear and sequential approach, where phases flow downward (waterfalls) to the next.

Differences:

    Both methodologies can help developers produce high-quality project management. Depending on the specific project requirement, knowing the difference between agile and waterfall can better equip a development team to choose the right process and methods in delivering a successful project.

        Although Waterfall is ideal when projects include a variety of dependencies between tasks, Agile is more fitting for projects where the client is uncertain of their desired outcome, seeks a rapid delivery time, and wants to be closely involved in the design process. Quality and speed are important variables to consider when deciding which project management method to employ.

When to use:

- When to Use the Waterfall Methodology?

The Waterfall methodology prevails when the project is constrained by cost and/or time, and the requirements and scope are well understood. In these cases, the Waterfall methodology provides a set of processes that are built on the principle of approval of the previous phase. The bottom line is that the Waterfall methodology does a better job at providing a well-defined feature set within a constrained budget or timeline. 

- When to Use an Agile Methodology?

Agile wins the day when the product team is unsure at the onset of what needs to be built or they wish to discover what should be built based on adjustments they make along the way. Agile will produce more features in a shorter period of time and also gives the team more flexibility throughout the process so that they can take advantage of opportunities as the project unfolds.

Examples:

1. Waterfall Methodology - Ex: Construction Project

2. Agile Methodology - Ex: Software Development Project (Ex: Mobile Apps)

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#Agile #Waterfall #Project Management  #Quick_Learn

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Wasi Ahmed.