Which Approach Is Best For Your Project in 2023: Waterfall Vs Agile Methodology?

From the initial R&D phase to the final launching stage, there are hundreds of things that simultaneously occur while building a project. And one of the major decisions that need to be taken care of even before the actual development is what approach to use?

And that's exactly what we will be talking about what methodology is right for your app development project and why? In this article, our focus will remain on two of the most popular which are Waterfall and Agile Methodology.

So without any further ado, let’s start by covering the basics of both of these software development methodologies.

What Is The Waterfall Methodology?

The Waterfall Model methodology is also known by the term Linear Sequential Life Cycle Model. The 'app development life cycle' model can be defined as an approach that follows the sequential order. This means that the team working on the development stage of the project can only move towards the next stage, for instance, the testing phase.

And the project development team can do so only if the previous step is successfully completed without any hurdle.

What Do You Mean By Agile Methodology?

As discussed is one of our previous articles as well, the term agile methodology can be defined as a practice that helps in maintaining a series of continuous iterations of project development & testing in the software development process.

In this type of model approach, the project development and testing activities are concurrent in nature, unlike the Waterfall model that we discussed earlier. This app development methodology enables more communication between the end-users, app developers, testers as well as project managers.

When dealing with agile methodology and agile project management, it is essential to have a comprehensive overview of the Scrum framework. This is why you need CSM certification training so that you can get to know the basics of Scrum lifecycle and its involvement in the agile methodology. 

Main Differences: Waterfall Approach Vs Agile Approach

Below are some of the major differences that app developers and testers need to be aware of before making a decision of choosing a methodology:

1. In the agile approach, the project development life cycle is divided sprints. On the other hand, in the waterfall model, the software development process is categorized into distinct phases.
2. In the case of agile methodology, an incremental approach is followed whereas the waterfall methodology implements on a sequential design process.
3. When it comes to flexibility, agile approach takes the cake because in the waterfall approach the structured software development can be seen which many users also define as quite rigid to work with.
4. There are many occurrences when the agile methodology is also considered as a collection of various different projects. While working with the waterfall approach, the entire process of software development is considered as a single project.
5. In agile, the teams are small but dedicated with a high degree of coordination. And in the waterfall approach, the team synchronization is very limited.
6. During the agile approach, the team prepares requirements on a daily basis for their project. In the case of waterfall methodology, the business analysts prepare requirements at the initial stage only.
7. In agile, the test plan is reviewed after each sprint but that cannot be seen in the waterfall as the test plan is rarely discussed during the testing phase.
8. When it comes to the Agile development methodology, is a process the requirements are expected to change and evolve with time. In the waterfall model, the team has to work with definite requirements and changes rarely occurs. 

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Agile Approach?

In order to get a better understanding of the fact that if the agile approach is the right choice for your application development project, have a lot at some of its main advantages and disadvantages:

Pros Of Agile Methodology

• The primary focus in agile approach remains on the client process which ensures that the client is continuously in touch during each and every stage.
• The agile app development teams are highly motivated as well as self-organized which means chances of receiving an effective outcome are high.
• With the agile software development approach, you can make sure that the quality is maintained throughout the process.
• The complete process of agile approach is based on the incremental process due to this the risk factor is also reduced from the entire process. 

Cons Of Agile Methodology

• The agile methodology may not be that useful approach for small development projects.
• In this approach, you need an expert to take crucial decisions during the development process.
• Sometimes, the cost of implementing an agile method is a little more in comparison to the other development approaches.
• There may be times when the development project can go off track here the project manager has to take the lead. 

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Waterfall Approach?

Now that we have gone through the plus points and not-so positives of the agile methodology, it’s time we have a glance at the advantages and disadvantages of what the waterfall approach has to offer us:

Pros Of Waterfall Approach

• The waterfall methodology is considered to be one of the easiest approaches to work with and manage. Due to this, the model of the waterfall offers separate phases for specific deliverables.
• This approach seems to work fine projects that are smaller in size which consists of requirements that can be easily understood.
• In comparison to the agile approach, waterfall methodology has faster project delivery.
• In addition to the above-mentioned points, results are well documented in the waterfall model.
• It can be effortlessly adapted by teams belonging to different backgrounds.   

Cons Of Waterfall Approach

• Waterfall approach is not an ideal model for a project that large in size.
• For this methodology, the team needs to know the basic requirements of the project since the first stage.
• While implementing this method, it is very difficult to move back to the previous steps in case any chances are required.
• Here, the testing process only starts once the project development phase is over. Due to this, the chances of finding bugs in the process are quite high. 

Final Thoughts

So these were some of the major advantages as well as disadvantages of these software development methodologies. Both agile and waterfall methodologies are very different from one another in terms of implementation and operation.

Our suggestion would be to first note down all your project requirements like the magnitude of the project, specifications, functionalities, etc. And once all the points have been stated then you can finalize which mobile app development approach you want to proceed with your project.

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