A Step-By-Step Guide to Choosing Between Agile and Waterfall for a Project

When undertaking a journey, there are bound to be multiple paths to the destination. So which path would you choose? You would probably choose the most suitable path. You might consider the distance, the scenery along the way, and also the terrain difficulty. 

Creating a digital product is no different. The whole process is akin to a journey. The destination is your final product. The path is the methodology that you choose. You must have already heard of these methodologies. The debate around Agile vs. Waterfall is even more popular. Each of these methodologies has its own set of pros and cons. So how does a software development company choose the right methodology? Read on to find the best fit for a project.

What is a Methodology?

Methodology – a set of methods used in a particular activity.

The above is the literal meaning of the word ‘methodology’. In software development, a methodology is the set of processes that is undertaken to develop software. Popular examples are Waterfall, Agile, and DevOps. 

Waterfall Methodology  

This is a traditional software development methodology. But why is it called ‘waterfall’? 

Imagine a waterfall. The waters cascade down the jutting rocks and boulders. This is how the waterfall methodology also works. A project is thus completed through a step-by-step approach. Thereby a project has different phases. Each phase must be completed to move to the next. You could think of it like building a house. You build the foundation, walls, and roof step-by-step.

Many a software development company in India uses Waterfall for projects with stable requirements. 

How Does it Work?

Now, how does this methodology work in a practical scenario?

Imagine that you have a project at hand that is to be completed using the waterfall methodology. The first step is for you to gather the requirements and needs of the project from your client. The next step is to design a plan to bring this product to fruition. Once the plan is set, it is time to build. But the process does not end there. Once built, the product has to be tested. After all, we do not want a faulty product. When you have ensured that the product is devoid of defects, you can finally deploy it.

Also, don’t forget to provide regular maintenance for the product.

Let’s recap. The waterfall project phases are:

1. Requirements
2. Design
3. Implementation
4. Testing
5. Deployment
6. Maintenance

When to Use it?

• When a project has clear and stable requirements.
• When your development team needs a strict timeline.
• When a project has budget constraints.

Pros & Cons of Waterfall Methodology

Pros	Cons
Clear structure	Not flexible
Easy to manage	Changes are difficult and costly
Predictable timelines	No feedback during the process
Predictable costs	A usable product is only available in the final phase.

Agile Methodology

Agile, as the name suggests, is a highly flexible methodology.  According to this methodology, the product is created through short cycles called sprints. In other words, the total work is divided into many sprints. 

But what is a sprint? 

A sprint is a cycle that delivers a small usable feature. So, the software is slowly built one feature at a time. This gives you the space to make changes or modifications in each cycle. You are more or less going with the flow here.

You can also think of the Agile development process like building a house room-by-room. You build one room, then you see how it looks. You can change the paint color or add more fixtures if the client says so. Once you and your client are satisfied you build the next room. And the loop goes on till you have a house at hand that your client is satisfied with. Quite different from building a house in the normal order (foundation, wall, roof,..), right?

How Does it Work?

You start with a product backlog. This is a list that contains all the features your client would like to include in the product. These features are then prioritized on the basis of customer needs and project goals. 

Then, sprint logs are created for each sprint. The sprint log contains the features you plan to work on in that sprint. A sprint typically takes 2 to 4 weeks to complete. The number of sprints it will take to complete the product will depend on its complexity and scope. An interesting characteristic of this sprint cycle process is the iterative approach. The project continuously evolves and feedback is incorporated regularly. This can also enhance the collaboration between the development team and the client. 

When to Use it?

• When a project has evolving requirements.
• When your development team is collaborative and adaptable.
• When a project requires working software to be delivered early and often.

Pros & Cons of Agile Methodology

Pros	Cons
Adaptable to change	Needs an experienced team
Encourages collaboration	Needs constant client involvement
Usable product available after every sprint	Difficult  to predict a timeline

Waterfall Vs Agile

Now, let’s compare these two software development methodologies side-by-side.

Waterfall	Agile
Linear and sequential approach	Iterative and flexible approach
Fixed plan	Adaptable and evolving plan
Client feedback available only in the initial and final phase	Client feedback is continuously available
Difficult to accommodate changes	Easy to accommodate changes
Fixed timeline	Flexible timeline
Usable product is created only at the end of the whole process.	A usable product is created after each sprint.

How to Choose the Right Methodology

Choosing the right methodology is very important. The methodology you choose has to align with the requirements of the product. We can simplify this for you. Just follow the steps given:

Step 1

Communicate with your client. Try and answer these questions:

• What are the requirements of the project?
• Is your client okay with being constantly involved in the project?
• What is their budget?
• Is there a time constraint?

Now, consider the answers to those questions. 

Consider Waterfall in the following cases:

• If the requirements are particular and fixed.
• If your client prefers minimal involvement due to lack of time or other commitments.
• If your client has a fixed budget that is not flexible.
• If your client has strict deadlines.

Consider Agile in the following cases:

• If the requirements might change.
• If your client prefers to be actively involved and can provide regular input.
• If your client has a flexible budget.
• If your client has flexible timelines.

Step 2

Now, analyze your team. Ask yourself:

• Can your team collaborate well?
• Do you have structured teams with well-defined roles?

Now, consider the answers to those questions. 

Consider Waterfall in the following cases:

• If your team is well-structured with finite roles.

Consider Agile in the following cases:

• If your team collaborates well and adapts quickly.

Step 3

From the many questions and answers you have gathered, make a choice. If you have followed all the steps you will surely arrive at the perfect methodology for your project. In some instances, you can even combine the methodologies. For instance, if you feel like neither methodology fits perfectly, you can cleverly use both. You can use Waterfall for initial planning and Agile for development. Such hybrid approaches are now very popular. This particular combination is called Waterfall with Agile execution or Agile-Waterfall.

How We Apply Waterfall & Agile at Weft

We understand that no two projects are the same. That’s why, at Weft Technologies, we don’t stick to one methodology. Neither would you hear us say that one methodology is better than the other. Instead, we have a system in place to assess every project. We consider factors like the project’s requirements and client preferences before choosing an approach. For projects where the scope and requirements are crystal clear, we rely on the Waterfall methodology. This helps us deliver predictable timelines and costs, which are crucial for such projects. For instance, if a client approaches us for a fixed-budget informative website, we would apply Agile. Then, we map out each phase, so that everything is planned meticulously from start to finish. This attention to detail is what sets our software development services apart from the rest.

On the other hand, for projects that demand flexibility and continuous iterations, we apply Agile. Through each sprint, our team delivers functional features quickly. For example, when designing a custom CRM system, we apply Agile. With each sprint, we create core features. We also gather feedback from the client after every sprint.

We have been offering software development services for many years. Sometimes we come across projects where a hybrid approach works best. For instance, we might use Waterfall for setting up a clear roadmap and defining milestones, and Agile for the development and testing phases. This ensures that the project benefits from the strengths of both methodologies.

Final Verdict

The debate of ‘Agile vs Traditional Project Management’ is more or less meaningless. It is all about the requirements of the project. The key is to just choose the right methodology for each project. Waterfall’s linear approach is ideal for projects with stable requirements and strict timelines. Alternatively, Agile’s iterative approach is best suited for projects with no well-defined requirements. All you need to do is choose wisely.