Get the right fit and the best fit!
Project management is an ever-evolving landscape of (essentially) two dominant methodologies that stand out: Traditional Waterfall and Contemporary Agile. Both have their unique strengths, challenges, and ideal applications.
Through my experience I have worked in both methodologies where their approach has been well aligned to the type of product and outcome required. In each instance these projects / initiatives have each has specific requirements that helped to determine which approach enabled a successful delivery and therefore valuable outcomes.
It is in understanding these differences that is crucial for selecting the right approach for your projects, ensuring successful delivery and stakeholder satisfaction.
Traditional Waterfall: A Linear Approach
The Waterfall methodology is a sequential project management approach that originated in the manufacturing and construction industries. It follows a linear process, where each phase—requirements gathering, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance—must be completed before moving on to the next. This approach is akin to a waterfall, where each stage flows into the next.
When to Use Waterfall
Waterfall is most effective in projects with clearly defined objectives, stable requirements, and a predictable path from start to finish. This is often a project that has a pre-determined solution or outcome. This is not an approach where you will test and learn, or experiment. It’s particularly suited for:
Regulatory and Compliance Projects: Projects in highly regulated industries, such as healthcare, insurance or finance, often require detailed documentation and adherence to strict standards. The structured nature of Waterfall ensures compliance and traceability. This is specifically important for governance and the ability to produce documentation for audit.
Large-Scale Infrastructure Projects: When dealing with construction or infrastructure projects, where changes are costly and time-consuming, Waterfall’s upfront planning and design phases help to mitigate risks. Often these projects will have a comprehensive RAID (identification of Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Dependencies) and some may also apply a ROAM (that for each RAID item application of ‘Resolve, Ownership, Accept, Mitigate’ this practice is also used in Agile).
Fixed-Scope Projects: Projects with a well-defined scope and minimal anticipated changes benefit from Waterfall’s emphasis on upfront planning and design.
Benefits of Waterfall
Clear Structure: The step-by-step approach provides clarity and direction, making it easier to manage and track progress. Usually via a Gantt chart that will visualise the ‘waterfall’ effect with sequential milestone, tasks and activities.
Documentation and Traceability: Detailed documentation is a cornerstone of Waterfall, which is invaluable for audits, training, and maintenance. This is where the good practice of governance comes into play that will require specific project documentation that is covered off to ensure the project initiation, status reporting, risk management and closure are completed. Depending on the size of the project, more or less of specific project documentation may be needed to ensure it meets the governance required against the investment or value of the project’s deliverables.
Predictability: With a clear project timeline and scope, stakeholders can anticipate milestones and deliverables with greater accuracy. Moreover, upfront there is a higher initial certainty in anticipating when a project may be delivered. This initial certainty is on the basis of not (yet) having change requests and that external forces don’t impact the golden triangle of ‘cost, time and quality’.
Contemporary Agile: An Iterative Approach
Agile methodologies, on the other hand, embrace an iterative and incremental approach. Agile focuses on flexibility, customer collaboration, and the ability to adapt to changing requirements, and the ability to mitigate risk by adaptive iterative responsiveness. This methodology is characterised by short development cycles, known as sprints, and continuous feedback loops (from the end user/ customer and stakeholders).
When to Use Agile
Agile is ideal for projects where flexibility and speed are crucial. Agile is best applied when you don’t know the solution to the outcome, when there isn’t a predetermine product – like that of the Waterfall project methodologies. It excels in environments where a ‘test and learn’ experiment and its mindset is supported, environments with evolving requirements and a need for rapid delivery. Key scenarios include:
Software Development: Agile’s iterative nature allows for frequent releases and quick adaptations based on user feedback. This is particularly useful in tech-driven industries where innovation is constant.
Product Development: When creating new products, Agile’s emphasis on customer collaboration ensures that the final product aligns with market needs and user expectations.
Uncertain or Dynamic Projects: Projects with a high degree of uncertainty or where the end goals are not entirely clear benefit from Agile’s ability to pivot and refine the project direction.
Benefits of Agile
Flexibility and Adaptability: Agile’s iterative process allows teams to respond quickly to changes, ensuring that the project remains aligned with stakeholder needs.
Customer Collaboration: Continuous engagement with customers and stakeholders ensures that the final product meets their needs and expectations. Agile supports bringing value to the customer (experience).
Early and Frequent Delivery: Agile’s focus on delivering small, usable increments enables faster time-to-market and early ROI.
Choosing the Right Approach
Selecting the right methodology depends on various factors, including project size, complexity, industry, and stakeholder preferences. Here are some considerations:
Project Requirements: If the project requirements are well-defined and unlikely to change, Waterfall may be the better choice. However, if requirements are expected to evolve, Agile’s flexibility can accommodate these changes more effectively.
Stakeholder Involvement: Projects requiring high levels of stakeholder involvement and feedback benefit from Agile’s collaborative approach. Waterfall, with its defined stages and milestones, may be more suitable for stakeholders seeking clear documentation and timelines.
Risk Management: Waterfall’s thorough upfront planning can be advantageous for projects where risks need to be identified and mitigated early. Agile’s iterative approach allows for ongoing risk assessment and management.
Team Structure and Skills: Agile requires a cross-functional team capable of working collaboratively and adapting to change. Waterfall can be more suitable for teams that work in specialised, siloed roles.
Both Traditional Waterfall and Contemporary Agile methodologies have their place in project management. Now I can understand that this sounds like I am a 'fence sitter' - NO! by absolutely no means am I balancing on the fence (or getting any splinters!). I firmly believe, and from my experience, that there are 'homes' for both approaches and it is key for you to ensure that you have the right fit and the best fit in your approach by knowing which methodology suits your project and its desired outcome. This is where the key to success lies in understanding the strengths and limitations of each approach and aligning them with the project’s specific needs and goals. By choosing the right methodology, you can maximize efficiency, manage risks, and deliver value to stakeholders.
As project management continues to evolve, so too should our approaches and mindsets. Whether you're working in a highly regulated environment or a fast-paced tech industry, the right methodology can make all the difference. Stay informed, stay adaptable, and choose the path that best suits your project's unique challenges and opportunities. Happy PM'ing!
Author: Sarah Verity / TwointheHandConsulting.com
Waterfall, Agile, Project Methodologies, Right Fit
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