Agile vs Waterfall: Which Is Best for IT Project Management?

1. Agile vs Waterfall: Which Is Best for IT Project Management? Diving right into the development phase of your project, but have you given a thought of which approach will be the perfect fit for your entire project development cycle? The two major development methodologies; Agile and Waterfall are into the play, and it’s up to you which among these you choose for your software development project. Survey shows that ​Agile is the new norm​, and most IT professionals are embracing this new methodology. The Agile process stepped into the development phase 15 years back, leaving the waterfall model at the back seat. 54% of agile users use agile methodology over the waterfall because it enhances collaboration and teamwork. Here, I will discuss some of the pros and cons of both the approaches so that you can make a fair choice between the two.

2. Know the difference between Waterfall and Agile methodology Agile means “something that can move easily and quickly”. This approach involves sudden adaptability and involvement. It helps in the continuous iteration of development and testing in the software development process. This methodology uses an interactive and incremental approach to ensure the fastest delivery of the project. However, if the project does not get completed in the present cycle, the work is reprioritised, and the information is used for sprint planning. The Agile process allows accessible communication between developers, managers, testers, and clients as it is one of the easiest models to manage. Advantages of Agile Process in software development: Quick ​- This process enables speedy delivery of the project since there is continuous engagement between the development team and the clients. Flexible Deliverables - ​It allows the customers to release the necessary software before the full suite. Stakeholders within a company can set deliverables by order of importance. Adaptability - ​It is one of the most flexible approaches in the software development process where the developers can change the design, requirements, architecture and deliverable during the development cycle.

3. Customer involvement: Clients are just part of the project; they knew about the minor changes in the design and deliverable units. Hence, the team can deliver the project in precisely the same way as the customer needs it just because there is a close collaboration between the development team and customers. Lean development Lean Development Process also known as ​MVP (Minimum Viable Product) strategy, is an agile framework where the resources and development time are best utilised. The ultimate goal is to deliver what precisely the product needs, thus eliminating the waste during the development phase. Teamwork As I mentioned above, agile values teamwork almost above all else. Teams must continually assess how they can become more effective and adjust the agile project as they go. Extreme Programming (living up to its name) insists that developers work in pairs on the principle that two heads are better than one. Time The Agile development process involves the “time-boxed sprints” methodology in which the project is divided into very small units of time. Testing Agile approach emphasises the distinct testing phase where the testing is done through every phase of the project. Well, every approach comes with a set of cons and you must be aware of it. Drawbacks of Agile Methodology: Like any single approach to ​software ​development​, agile may have drawbacks for certain settings or teams. With planning and a dedicated team, these added challenges can be overcome.

4. ● Intense commitment: Unlike waterfall, agile development only works well when the entire development team is committed to the project for the duration. This may be a challenge for some development companies that have a lot going on at once, and may even prove challenging for individual developers. ● Potential for a higher cost and longer deadline: While time-boxed sprints allow for planning, it is always possible that some deliverables will not be completed on time. It’s a simple truth of development projects. Creating the necessary additional sprints may mean a higher project cost for the customer. ● Communication: Since agile requires a high level of collaboration, development projects using this methodology will also require a high level of communication. Now, let’s delve into the pros and cons of the waterfall approach. Waterfall Methodology

5. Waterfall methodology involves breaking down the process into several distinct phases and a fixed plan of work. Another phase cannot be started until the previous phase is completed. Look at the steps involved in the Waterfall approach: Discover - At this stage, the developers decide the business requirements and hence plan what they want to design and why. Initialisation and Analysis - In this process, the development team will gather the documents related to system and software requirements of the project. Design - Here, the designing and the development team decide how they want their piece of software to work and determine which pieces are necessary to code. Construction and Coding - Here, the developers code each unit of software and test it simultaneously before moving to the next phase. Testing - This involves testing the entire software and reverting to the stage where any bugs come out. Testing includes user testing, bug testing, functional testing, acceptance testing, regression testing, ad-hoc testing and cross-browser testing. Implementation or Launch - At the end, the team delivers the deliverable to the client and rolls out the system-wide software. Benefits of Waterfall Methodology ● Clear framework: The scope of the project is well defined, and the development team and customers know this in advance before the project begins. It helps in meeting the delivery deadline. ● Documentation​- The documentation is done precisely to eliminate any misunderstandings and shortcuts. ● Shared load​: The load is shared equally among the team members so that they can focus on other aspects of the work. ● Hands-off approach​: This approach allows for a more hands-off approach from the customer. Once the initial design and project plan is in place, there is little requirement for ongoing customer presence until the review phase.

6. Cons of Waterfall Methodology Potential Drawbacks No single approach to software development will work every time for every team. There are a few drawbacks to the waterfall approach. ● Less customer involvement​: A hands-off approach is not suitable for every type of product. Some customers will want more involvement as the project proceeds. If there isn’t a framework for that involvement, the waterfall approach could lead to frustration on both ends. ● Changes can be difficult​: The whole point of the waterfall methodology is that it follows exact steps and a set timeframe. Once these elements are in place, it can be challenging to make changes once the development team encounters a roadblock. Adaptability is a crucial part of software development to consider, particularly since it can be challenging for customers to have a full grasp of the project before it begins. ● Last-minute testing​: Again, one of the drawbacks of waterfall vs agile is that it is not time-bound. While this can often make for a significant project, more often than not, development projects start to run behind schedule. The final testing phase consequently gets rushed, which could lead to a very buggy code. Comparing Project Traits along with Development Methodologies Parameters Agile Waterfall Client Availability Demands customer Prefers customer availability throughout involvement at the project milestones. Scope/Features Accepts changes at any Works well when the point of the project. This scope is defined because it approach works well does not involve testing in when the scope is not between the process.

7. defined. Feature Prioritization Allows partial success by Everything is planned prioritising the most before the projects start. valuable products and Either it is “all” or pushing the unusable “nothing”. However, it products at the bottom. increases the risk of failure. Team Hires a small and highly Team Coordination is not dedicated team with good given that much coordination and importance. synchronisation among them. Funding Fits best into the “Time Reduces risks in fixed and Material” Model but firm contacts. It becomes increases stress in the challenging for the fixed price scenario. development team when the scope is not known in advance. The Bottom Line Majority of primary organisations have reported that they use an Agile approach for the software development cycle. Since 2008 this methodology has seen incremental growth in its adoption. Being a multi-generation approach, developers between 24 to 34 are more likely to report agile as compared to other age groups. Early adopters of agile over waterfall hesitated to adopt this new style of development as the agile approach is slow to start but quick to dominate. However, at the very end, it’s up to you which approach you would love to lean towards. In case, you are still confused about the right approach to follow for your software development, consult the top ​software consulting company in India who will

8. guide you through the pros and cons of both the methodologies as per your project needs.