From the course: Project Management: Technical Projects

Waterfall vs. agile vs. hybrid

From the course: Project Management: Technical Projects

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Waterfall vs. agile vs. hybrid

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- One of the more exciting things about being a project manager nowadays is that we've got great new tools and approaches. Innovative AI and development tools give us many options. Even project methodology approaches have expanded. I used to compare waterfall versus agile. Now it's waterfall versus agile versus hybrid methods, which gives us heaps of flexibility and more to think through. Here are recommendations to consider when selecting a project methodology. First is the clarity of your requirements. One of the benefits of Agile and a hybrid combination of Waterfall and agile is that you can learn as you go. While you need high-level project objectives, you can start developing and learning through a discovery process. You refine your requirements as you refine the product itself. In contrast, if you have well-defined requirements, the quickest way to produce the products might be through a waterfall approach. Develop what you know is needed and make it available as a development exercise with little or no interruptions. The trick here is understanding when requirements are well-defined. Changing business needs may make this a false belief as requirements may change, so be careful. The second consideration is the product you're producing. While you may have flexibility when constructing a building, there are significant limits to the agility you can apply. Conversely, software development allows for agility as the products can often be changed quickly. Consider how easily your product design or the product itself could be changed in your industry when considering waterfall versus agile approaches. Hybrid approaches are also helpful as some elements of a product solution may be appropriate for agile methods while others are more suited to waterfall. An example is when you're developing a new hardware and software solution, the hardware could be managed via a waterfall approach, and the software could be managed using agile methods with integrations conducted at critical development stages. Another consideration is the need for speed and the ability to break down your product into value producing pieces. Agile is practical when partial product deliverables will move your business forward, versus delivering an entire product or products in one delivery event. Breaking down your products, testing and delivering part of a solution to your client is an excellent benefit of agile. If an entire product must be delivered at once, waterfall may be a better choice. Finally, your organizational norms and practices can dictate whether waterfall, agile or hybrid is best. If you work in a highly-regulated industry, waterfall processes may be more suitable. In fact, they may be dictated. The development and testing of pharmaceuticals is a great example. Agile could be a great approach if you have fewer regulations or the process to create a regulated output isn't dictated. Consider these factors when determining your project methodology. Do so and you'll pick the best approach for your project. I've included a case study in the exercise files for additional insights.

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