Agile and waterfall models

Agile and waterfall models

Organizations undertake different projects to ensure that they remain competitive. A project undergoes various processes before its completion, for example, initiation, implementation, and closure. A methodology refers to a set of methods, procedures, and techniques used to perform a given activity. Project managers use different methodologies to deliver projects. The methodology used for one project may not be suitable for another project. Various themes, processes, frameworks, standards, and principles are used by project managers to deliver projects. The selection of the correct project management methodology is critical to any project; it determines the success or the failure of the project. The factors considered while selecting a methodology include the budget, the requirements, the timeline, and the associated risks. Agile and waterfall models are some of the commonly used project management methodologies.

Due to the change in technology and increased levels of competition, the requirements at the initial stages of a project may be different a few months later. Agile project development methodology accommodates the change in conditions and aid in completing the project on time. Agile software development is an iterative and incremental methodology. The method is associated with short deliverables, changing team culture, changing requirements, and fewer restrictions on the project control. The agile methodology aims at producing working software on different phases. The working software would be used as a measure of progress. The requirements that were not clear at the initial stages of the project are incorporated during the different cycles. Similarly, the elements that were considered significant at the initial stages of the project but are not as crucial as considered before are eliminated.

The agile software development model is consumer-driven. The processes involved in the software development process include the following define the requirements based on the available information for iteration, development, testing, delivery, and feedback. Feedback provides insight into the product. The changes required are made on the following iteration. The advantages gained from using agile software development include the teams are well-coordinated, and there is effective communication. The customer can see the progress since, after two weeks, a product is released. The agile model provides a means in which changes in requirements or technical modifications can be made. The model also increases communication, for instance, between the customers, developers, and management, which increases its efficiency and brings a sense of ownership. The products produced through the agile model are of high quality since quality assurance is part of the agile process.

Despite the superior qualities that the agile software development model has, it has some limitations. The cost of implementing the agile process model I higher compared to other methodologies making it unsuitable for small projects. The methodology is suitable for large scale projects.

The waterfall is a traditional software development methodology where software development takes a specified set of phases and timelines. The stage includes gathering requirements, design, implementation, verification, and maintenance. The deliverables of a single-phase depended on the previous phase since phases are sequential. Under this model, the primary focus is the final product since its plan-based model. The requirements need to be well defined before the process begins. Documentation is a crucial aspect of this model. The projects that use waterfall methodology are management drive where the two of the triple constraints are flexible (budget and time) while the scope is fixed.

Project managers opt to use the water model in their project development since it easy to manage. The phases of the software development are well defined; as a result, the project manager would work within the specified guidelines. Also, the management is made more accessible by the well-defined deliverable. For smaller projects where the requirements are well defined, it’s an effective methodology. The project would be delivered on time, meeting the user requirements.

The customer requirements keep on changing in the current society. The requirements of a customer may change, making a given project obsolete. An organization using a waterfall methodology is not able to make changes due to the shift in the customer’s needs. Once a phase has been completed, it’s impossible to make changes to it. The model is not suitable for large size projects since not all the requirements can be well defined before the project is initiated. Testing of the project takes place once the development phase is complete, which makes it expensive to fix any error or bugs that may exist in the software.

Agile software development methodology provides a wide range of benefits over the waterfall model while developing large size projects. Since the requirements at the begging of most projects are a bit unclear agile model would be most suitable. The new requirements incorporation in the project can give an organization a competitive advantage. Similarly, the users would be able to see the progress since, at the end of each cycle, a release is made. Under the waterfall, the users would have to wait for the completion of all the phases. Due to the changing consumer requirements in the market, agile project managing methodology would be the most suitable for large projects.

References