Waterfall Vs Agile Project Management - Assignment Example

Agile Vs Waterfall Software Development Methods Development of Company’s Website Introduction In this report, I will discuss the comparison between conventional waterfall approach to software development and modern Agile methodology. I will discuss the pros and cons of both approaches so that one gets clear picture about the applicability of these two methods. At the end, I will choose the one of these methods for my e-commerce project of website development through which our customers can buy our products, or access plenty of features. Comparison of Agile Versus Waterfall Methodology There have been endless discussions over the effectiveness of these two methods for software development and completion of various projects. Each of these methods has its own area of influence in which it is applicable. I briefly present the background of two methodologies before comparing them. Background Waterfall is traditionally defined to be a sequential approach or linear method for project management and implementation. In this approach, the project is completed in distinct stages with proper planning from start of the project right till the end. Each segment of the project is completed by different sections or groups of the team for ensuring the timely completion of the project (WATERFALL vs. AGILE METHODOLOGY, 2008). The stages of the waterfall method are presented below. Figure 1: Steps in Implementation of Waterfall Model Requirements: In this stage the needs of the projects are analyzed. Analysis: The feasibility of the project and other factors are analyzed for application. Design: In this phase of project analysis and implementation, design of the software is performed. The desired IT solution is proposed that considers the use of specific tools like programming languages or other software and algorithms required for implementation of projects. Coding: During this phase, the codes are written for different modules. Testing: The end user tests the modules for successful implementation. Acceptance: If the solution passes the test, it is accepted. Otherwise, go to step one for redesigning the project requirements. This is a classical approach. Modern software and IT developers are moving towards modern tools like Agile framework that is based on iterative approach. The salient features of Agile Software Development approach are presented below (Kroll, 2004). Figure 2: Agile Project Management It is a cyclic or iterative process that keeps working on the requirements of the project on regular basis. It divides the project into smaller steps and keeps assessing the requirements. It adapts the plans according to the results. It is not planned thoroughly; rather it adapts as the results come along taking the requirements with it. Even if the project design is not accepted at any stage, the algorithm quickly adapts to the requirement even in the middle of implementation as opposed to waterfall method. Comparison Figure 3: Waterfall Vs Agile Project Management Figure 3 shows the comparison between two approaches for project management in the light of various factors as time scale between specification and implementation, discovery of problems time duration, distance between customer and developer, and planning scale. We can observe, each project management approach has its own applications and none can be universally regarded as better over the other. Figure 4 shows the cost of changing the requirements of the project for the two approaches of project management. It is pretty much clear that, we cannot reverse the project implementation in sequential style of waterfall. While in Agile approach, we are continuously adapting our approach according to the results and requirements. The implementation is not planned completely. It adapts to the situation. The cost of changing the requirements in Waterfall is quite high in the long term as compared to that incurred by Agile project management. Figure 4: Cost of Changing the Requirements of Project Figure 5: Comparison of Steps of Implementation in Agile and Waterfall Figure 5 shows another basis of comparison between traditional approach and modern method of software development in terms of steps of execution. As you can see, the Agile framework of IT solution is more adaptable between its steps. Each pair has goes hand in hand and you can assess the requirements for changing the implementation steps accordingly. In traditional approach, there is no way back when you have jumped to the next step. You will have to start the process all over again in case the design fails. Pros and Cons of Waterfall Method (Melonfire, 2006) Advantages It ensures the disciplined approach in achieving different tasks. The whole procedure is completely studied and analyzed. There is no ambiguity in design procedure at any stage. Requirements are assessed prior to writing the code that ensures minimum time for development of software with reduced customer satisfaction. It is quite effective in knowledge transfer of project when the team members are present in different parts of the world. Disadvantages Perhaps the most obvious disadvantage is that, you cannot adapt to the changes in requirements on the part of designer or user. Once the things have been integrated, you cannot change their individual components. The design process is completely theoretical and doesn’t consider the practical aspects of the project. Hence, the cost incurred for practical implementation may be quite high. The clear division of project management into designers, developers etc are not a feasible solution in different IT companies. Pros and Cons of Agile Method (Martin, 2003) (Kroll, 2004) Advantages It is iterative, so we can adjust to the requirements of the users at different intervals of project implementation. The building blocks are integrated in small steps that save plenty of time for getting integration done all at once at the end. The risk management and mitigation is quite efficient in this method. The defects can be corrected over the implementation of the project. Team members learn from their shortcomings for further improvements in the next stage. The development process can be redefined at any stage of implementation. Disadvantages There is no specific plan for the project in the long run. You have to adapt the plan according to the situation. The mission is not pre-defined till the end. In case of large projects of software developments, it is not clear about the cost estimations and manpower required. Designing of project and documentation of results are less focused. The project may fail badly if the customer is not clear about its final requirements. In this method, only senior team members can take crucial decisions since newbies don’t have much idea about the adaptability features of this method. Our Project Management Our team is assigned the task to use the e-Commerce technology for developing the website of our company for collaboration with customers so that they can search our products and purchase them online. Our team is composed of 12 members in a scattered manner at different parts of the world. We have three months for completing our project. We would choose traditional waterfall method for accomplishing our goals owing to the following reasons. Justification of Choosing Waterfall Method (Jacobson, 1999) Our choice for software development methodology is based on the fact that team members cannot collaborate efficiently enough for taking decisions in short intervals of time. The design process must be done all at once before starting implementation phase. We have different sub-groups in our team who can perform different tasks like integration, designing, coding, and testing independently in efficient manner. We have sufficient time for assessing our requirements and planning our procedure. The requirements of the customer are pretty much clear so we will not face any major risk in redesigning the project. The project is huge in its significance and we cannot rely on designing in steps as the situation demands. We have to see the whole picture right from the beginning. Time Management for Project Requirements: One week Analysis: Two weeks Design: One month Coding: One month Testing: One week Acceptance: One week Conclusion In this report, we have presented the comparison between Agile and Waterfall methods for IT solutions. We have considered their pros and cons briefly. Next, we have considered the approach of Waterfall being useful in our case. We conclude that modern and classical software developments are efficient in their own ways. It depends on the scenario which one is better than the other. Bibliography Jacobson, I. (1999). The unified software development process. Pearson Education India. Kroll, P. (2004, April 16). Transitioning from waterfall to iterative development. Retrieved from DeveloperWorks: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/4243.html Martin, R. C. (2003). Agile software development: principles, patterns, and practices. Prentice Hall PTR. Melonfire, C. (2006, September 22). Understanding the pros and cons of the Waterfall Model of software development. Retrieved from TechRepublic US: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/understanding-the-pros-and-cons-of-the-waterfall-model-of-software-development/#. WATERFALL vs. AGILE METHODOLOGY. (2008, January 4). Retrieved from Agile Intriduction for Dummies : http://agileintro.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/waterfall-vs-agile-methodology/ Read More