If you've been in project management for a while, you must’ve encountered the Waterfall methodology. It's an old-school software development method from the 1970s.
In a Waterfall process, you must complete each project phase before moving to the next. It's pretty rigid and linear. The method relies heavily on all the requirements and thinking done before you begin.
Don't worry if you haven't heard of it. Let’s break the Waterfall method down and see how it works.
Waterfall methodology is a well-established project management workflow. Like a waterfall, each process phase cascades downward sequentially through five stages (requirements, design, implementation, verification, and maintenance).
The methodology comes from computer scientist Winston Royce’s 1970 research paper on software development. Although Royce never named this model “waterfall”, he gets credit for creating a linear, rigorous project management system.
Unlike other methods, such as the Agile methodology, Waterfall doesn't allow flexibility. You must finish one phase before beginning the next. Your team can’t move forward until they resolve any problems. Moreover, as our introduction to project management guide outlines, your team can’t address bugs or technical debt if it’s already moved on to the next project phase.
Five phases comprise the Waterfall methodology: requirements, design, implementation, verification, and maintenance. Let's break down the five specific phases of Waterfall development and understand why it’s critical to complete each phase before progressing to the next.
The requirements phase states what the system should do. At this stage, you determine the project's scope, from business obligations to user needs. This gives you a 30,000-foot overview of the entire project. The requirements should specify:
But these requirements "may range from very abstract to a detailed mathematical specification,” writes Steven Zeil, professor of computer science at Old Dominion University. That’s because requirements might not outline an exact implementation, and that’s something development addresses in later stages.
After gathering all the requirements, it's time to move on to the design stage. Here, designers develop solutions that meet the requirements. In this stage, designers:
Deliverables could include software or they could consist of a physical product. For instance, designers determine the system architecture and use cases for software. For a physical product, they figure out its exact specifications for production.
Once the design is finalized and approved, it's time to implement it. Design hands off their specifications to developers to build.
To accomplish this, developers:
Here is where you might even find out that parts of the design that can't be implemented. If it's a huge issue, you must step back and re-enter the design phase.
After the developers code the design, it’s time for quality assurance. It’s important to test for all use cases to ensure a good user experience. That's because you don't want to release a buggy product to customers.
After the product release, devs might have to squash bugs. Customers let your support staff know of any issues that come up. Then, it's up to the team to address those requests and release newer versions of your product.
As you can see, each stage depends on the one that comes before it. It doesn't allow for much error between or within phases.
For example, if a stakeholder wants to add a requirement when you're in the verification phase, you'll have to re-examine the entirety of your project. That could mean tossing the whole thing out and starting over.
The benefits of Waterfall methodology have made it a lasting workflow for projects that rely on a fixed outcome. A 2020 survey found that 56% of project professionals had used traditional, or Waterfall, models in the previous year.
A few benefits of Waterfall planning include:
Waterfall isn't without its limitations, which is why many product teams opt for an Agile methodology.
The Waterfall method works wonders for predictable projects but falls apart on a project with many variables and unknowns. Let's look at some other limitations of Waterfall planning:
Below is an illustration of a project using the waterfall approach. As you can see, the project is segmented into rigid blocks of time. This rigidity fosters an environment that encourages developers, product managers, and stakeholders to request the maximum amount of time allotted in each time block, since there may be no opportunity to iterate in the future.
Agile project management and the Waterfall methodology have the same end goal: crystal clear project execution. While Waterfall planning isolates teams into phases, Agile allows for cross-functional work across multiple phases of a project. Instead of rigid steps, teams work in a cycle of planning, executing, and evaluating, iterating as they go.
The "Agile Manifesto" explains the benefits of Agile over the Waterfall model:
If you're looking for tools that support Agile project management and serve the same end goal as Waterfall, consider Jira. It’s best suited for Agile projects, and helps you:
Atlassian's Agile tools support the product development lifecycle. There are even Agile metrics for tracking purposes. Jira lets you drive forward the Agile process. It uses intake forms to track work being done by internal teams and offers a repeatable process for requests.
These Jira products integrate natively within the app, unifying teams so they can work faster.
Waterfall methodology has a long history in project management, but it's often not the right choice for modern software developers. Agile methodology offers greater flexibility.
Here’s why most teams prefer an Agile process:
Here is where a project management tool such as Jira comes in handy for an Agile methodology. You can also use a project management template for your Agile projects. Your team can plan, collaborate, deliver, and report on projects in one tool. That keeps everyone aligned throughout any project and streamlines project management.
The Waterfall methodology works best for project managers working on projects that include:
Agile methodology is perfect for nimble teams with an iterative mindset, such as:
Finally, Agile works well for customer-centric projects where their input allows you to iterate.
When deciding on the proper methodology to implement in project management, there are four main factors to consider: project complexity, organizational goals, team expertise, and stakeholder involvement.
Let’s break each one down: