Waterfall Method vs. Agile Method
- Posted by Tim Hsueh on July 7th, 2010 filed in Uncategorized
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In this article, the traditional Waterfall method and the Agile method are being discussed in detail including the advantages and the disadvantages of each method and the best time to use each method.
- Traditional Waterfall Method
- Just like the name, the Waterfall Method is one management method that keeps going down until the water hits the bottom. The Waterfall Method plans out everything in the beginning and the plan is set in stone. Once the plan starts, there is no turning back because the plan cannot be changed anymore.
- The Advantages of the Waterfall Method
- One of the advantages of the Waterfall Method is that the team only has to go through the planning process once. Thus, the team can work on other things with the time saved.
- Another advantage of the Waterfall Method is that everyone can just follow the plan without questioning because the plan will never change. Thus, there will be less communication error and everyone can work on the project step by step.
- The Disadvantages of the Waterfall Method
- One of the disadvantages of the Waterfall Method is that if the plan was not carefully written or there were mistakes in the plan, then the whole project is in jeopardy.
- Another disadvantage of the Waterfall Method is that no additional items or improvements can be added into the project once the plan is done.
- Agile Method
- Unlike the Waterfall Method, Agile Method embraces freedom and change. The plan in the Agile Method is not set in stone and it can be changed constantly with new ideas and improvements.
- The Advantages of the Agile Method
- One of the biggest advantages of the Agile Method is that the plan can be changed almost anytime with new ideas and improvements. Thus, the project can be better and the mistakes that were made during planning process can be corrected.
- Another advantage of the Agile Method is that the members of the team can try on new things to help the project without jeopardizing it.
- The Disadvantages of the Agile Method
- One of the disadvantages of the Agile Method is that since the plan is constantly changing, some team members might have the old plan if they are not updating it with the team regularly.
- Another disadvantage of the Agile Method is that the project might take longer to complete than the Waterfall Method if the plan is being changed often.
- So which one is better for you? Waterfall Method or Agile Method
- The Waterfall Method is best for projects that are hard to change after started or the projects that do not require any changes. For example, the building construction projects, if the plan was to build a building with 15 floors, it is almost impossible to change it to a building with 20 floors afterward without losing too much time and resources.
- The Agile Method is best for projects that require lots of changes or the projects that are easy to change. For example, the software projects, if the developers want to add a new feature in the program, the programmers can add it and if the developers want to have different graphics, the artist can change it accordingly.
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