Waterfall or Agile Development Processes

What is SDLC ?

In the software world, Software development life cycle (SDLC) refers to splitting the development process of a software into distinct phases called Planning, Analysis, Design, Coding, Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance, within an organization. To make this development process easy and convenient, Waterfall or Agile Development processes are detailed under with specifications. 

Importance of Waterfall or Agile Development processes:

• Clear defined communication channels between stakeholders and development teams
• Uncomplicated roles & responsibilities among development team
• Regular vocabulary for each step
• We can define the completion by “deterministic done.”

Popular SDLC Methodologies

Here are following popular SDLC methodologies or models, that development teams approach or prefer for software development.

• Waterfall
• Agile
• Lean
• Iterative
• JAD
• Spiral

Among the above all, Waterfall and Agile are best known and most popularly preferred methodologies.

Waterfall Methodology

Waterfall methodology is never a process for developing, it is adapted from traditional engineering. Software development follows an inflexible, predetermined set of phases. After gaining popularity it became normal, standard methods for developing large projects.

It begins with a long planning and design phase. Many consider waterfall is too rigid to adapt the changes and it will not allow to feedback during development stages.

Advantages 

1. Saves Significant amount of time
2. Easy to understand functional wise
3. Simple enough to handle
4. Easy testing analysis

Disadvantages

1. Only matches for the clear requirement
2. Not excellent for long & Ongoing projects

Agile Methodology

Back in 2001, a group of software developers drafted & signed up the Agile software development manifesto. The Agile model Assists teams identify and address minor issues on projects before they advance into more remarkable problems, and capture business stakeholders and get their feedback throughout the development phases.

As part of their clutch of this methodology, many teams are also applying an Agile framework known as Scrum to help structure more complex development projects. Scrum teams work in “sprints,” which usually last two to four weeks, to utter the assigned tasks. Daily Scrum meetings help the whole team monitor the progress throughout the project. And to keep the team focused on goals, ScrumMaster is in charged for it.

Why Agile methodology over Waterfall?

• In waterfall methodology, development is divided into different phases while agile methodology segregates the development life cycle into sprints.
• Structured methodology of Waterfall is rigid, while methodology of Agile is flexible.
• For waterfall methodology, requirements must be clear. On the other hand, Agile is quite flexible and allows for changes even after initial phases.
• The major difference between Waterfall or Agile Development processes is their individual approach towards quality and testing. In the Waterfall model, the “Testing” phase comes after the “Build” phase, but, in the Agile methodology, testing performs simultaneously with programming or at least in the same iteration as programming.
• Since waterfall methodology is internal process, it does not require customers participation. But agile development is customer approach and focuses on customer satisfaction and involves customers participation.
• Waterfall model is a stringently sequential process. However, the Agile methodology is a extremely combining software development process.
• The Waterfall model illustrate a project mindset and lays its focus closely on the integration of project development, while Agile propose a product mindset that focuses on ensuring that the developed product satisfies its end customers, and changes itself as the requisites of customers changes.

Conclusion

All software begins as a concept and it flows through a series of phases after development of a release. The Software Development Life Cycle of an application or system continues, with updates and new features, until the day of replacement. Several methods are evolved for software development.

Waterfall or Agile Development processes are still common, though Agile is rapidly overtaking it in companies large and small. Whichever method you choose, use the right tools for the job. Software is difficult to deliver reliably without them. There is no perfect method, but it is far better to use some method than none.

Hence, here is the detailed information on Waterfall or Agile Development processes. However, if you have any queries regarding it, please click here.