Waterfall Project Management

Waterfall or the waterfall approach to project management is often viewed as the ‘stepchild’ of project management. When you think of the Waterfall approach, think of the way things have been done for centuries – the planning phase, building phase, and assessment phase, with each phase being completed before moving on to the next one.

As a result, problems in earlier stages are often only discovered too far down the line to effect change efficiently, or with little cost or effort as possible.

It’s not uncommon to come across project managers that blatantly refuse to consider the waterfall approach in favor of the “newborn” agile approach or even the hybrid approach.

Is the waterfall approach dead?

There is no denying the benefit or need for agile project management in today’s fast-paced, dynamic environment. Agile project management is an essential tool for organizations looking to stay competitive and deliver value to their customers. It allows teams to be more responsive and adaptable, and to quickly deliver working software and other products and services. Additionally, agile project management promotes collaboration and cross-functional teamwork, which can help teams to be more efficient and effective.

But is the Waterfall approach still relevant in today’s fast-paced, dynamic world, where instant gratification is often prioritized over long-term planning and execution? While it is true that the Waterfall approach is a linear, sequential approach that may not be well-suited to projects with rapidly changing requirements or priorities, this does not mean that it is no longer relevant.

In fact, the Waterfall approach is still widely used in many industries, and it remains a popular choice for large, complex projects that require a high level of control and predictability. Additionally, the Waterfall approach can be customized and adapted to fit the needs of each project, making it a versatile tool for project managers to use.

Phases in waterfall project management

The typical phases of Waterfall project management include the following:

  1. Planning: In this phase, the project team defines the scope and objectives of the project, creates a detailed plan, and establishes a timeline and budget.
  2. Analysis: In this phase, the project team gathers and analyzes requirements, identifies potential risks, and defines the technical architecture of the project.
  3. Design: In this phase, the project team creates detailed designs for the system or product, including user interfaces, data structures, and algorithms.
  4. Implementation: In this phase, the project team develops the code for the system or product, as well as any necessary supporting materials such as documentation or training materials.
  5. Testing: In this phase, the project team conducts various types of testing to ensure that the system or product meets the specified requirements and functions as intended.
  6. Deployment: In this phase, the system or product is deployed to the intended users and made available for use.
  7. Maintenance: In this phase, the project team provides support and maintenance for the system or product, including bug fixes, updates, and improvements.

These stages are typically completed in a linear and successive manner, with little to no overlap or iteration between phases. This can make it difficult to incorporate changes or address unforeseen issues as the project progresses.

Example of Waterfall

One well-known example of the waterfall approach to project management from the 1800s is the construction of the Great Wall of China. This was a massive and complex project that involved building a wall over 4,000 miles long to protect China from invaders.

To manage the project, the team used a waterfall-style approach, in which the project was divided into a series of sequential phases. For example, the first phase of the project involved surveying the route for the wall, and the second phase involved gathering materials and building the foundation for the wall. Once a phase was completed, the team moved on to the next step, with little opportunity to go back and make changes to earlier phases.

This approach allowed the team to plan and execute the project in a controlled and predictable manner, and it ultimately resulted in the successful completion of the Great Wall of China. However, it also meant that the project was inflexible and unable to adapt to changing requirements or priorities, which could be a disadvantage in today’s fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Industries that use Waterfall

The waterfall approach is often used in industries where there are clear, sequential dependencies between tasks and stages. This approach is well-suited to projects with well-defined requirements and deliverables, where the project scope is relatively stable and the risks and uncertainties can be effectively managed.