Once you have your project approved, deliverables scoped and benefits goals identified, we now need to do the doing. In broad strokes we are going to explore the two most well known delivery methods; Agile and Waterfall, the benefits of each, and discuss how a hybrid approach can help you maintain better control over your projects.

Waterfall: Sequential and Structured

Waterfall is a linear, step-by-step project management methodology. Each phase of the project should be completed before the next begins, though workstreams are a good way to keep velocity high while delivering in Waterfall. This approach works like a cascade, flowing downward through clearly defined stages.

Waterfall emphasises thorough upfront planning, with detailed documentation. It is ideal for projects with well-defined goals and a predictable path from start to finish, where changes are minimal or disruptive.

Benefits of Waterfall Methodology

• Clear structure: Waterfall is sequential by design and provides a clearly defined project roadmap.
• Thorough documentation: Comprehensive documentation ensures that everyone understands the scope, goals, and timeline from the outset.
• Predictable timeline: Since all the planning is done upfront, Waterfall allows for a predictable schedule, which can be reassuring for stakeholders.
• Best for fixed scope projects: If the project has clear requirements that aren’t likely to change, Waterfall can reduce uncertainty and ensure control.

Agile Methodology: Iterative and Flexible

Agile is a more iterative and flexible approach. Instead of following a rigid sequence, Agile focuses on breaking the project into smaller, manageable tasks or “sprints.” Each sprint involves planning, execution, and review, allowing for regular course correction based on feedback. Agile is driven by collaboration and adaptability, which makes it ideal for projects with evolving requirements or innovation-driven environments.

Benefits of Agile Methodology

• Adaptability: Agile allows teams to respond swiftly to change, making it ideal for projects where customer needs or market conditions evolve.
• Frequent feedback loops: Continuous feedback from stakeholders during each sprint ensures that the project remains aligned with business objectives.
• Early and incremental delivery: Agile facilitates the early delivery of working features, allowing stakeholders to see progress and value sooner.
• Improved collaboration: Agile fosters close collaboration between developers, customers, and other stakeholders, leading to better project alignment.

Key Differences Between Agile and Waterfall

Feature	Waterfall	Agile
Approach	Linear, sequential	Iterative, flexible
Project Phases	Completed in set order	Broken into iterative cycles
Customer Involvement	Minimal until project completion	Continuous collaboration
Change Management	Resistant to changes once started	Highly adaptable to changes
Documentation	Heavy upfront documentation	Lightweight, continuous
Risk Management	Risk assessed at the beginning	Risk continuously evaluated
Delivery	Final product delivered at the end	Incremental delivery per sprint

The Best of Both Worlds: A Blended Approach

Many teams face projects where neither Agile nor Waterfall fits perfectly. For example, the initial stages of a project might require the structured planning of Waterfall, but later phases might benefit from the flexibility of Agile. This is where a hybrid approach comes in.

When to Blend Agile and Waterfall

• Fixed scope with changing details: You may have a fixed project scope that doesn’t change, but the details or priorities of individual tasks might evolve.
• High-level planning with flexibility in execution: Waterfall can be used to handle the high-level roadmap and milestone planning, while Agile is applied to the day-to-day execution of tasks.
• Compliance or regulatory projects: These often need Waterfall’s documentation rigor in the early phases, but Agile’s flexibility when implementing regulatory feedback.

How to Blend Agile and Waterfall

• Use Waterfall for high-level planning: Apply Waterfall principles to the initial phases of your project. Define the broad scope, objectives, and key milestones. This gives stakeholders a clear overview and ensures that critical deliverables are planned upfront.
• Introduce agile for iterative development: Once the initial groundwork is laid, switch to Agile for the execution phase. Break the project into smaller, manageable sprints. This approach gives the team flexibility to adapt to changes and gather regular feedback.
• Agile within waterfall phases: In some cases, Agile practices can be incorporated into specific phases of a Waterfall project. For example, you might use Waterfall for requirements gathering and design, but Agile for development and testing, ensuring quick iterations and feedback.
• Stage-gate approach: Another common hybrid model is the stage-gate process. Here, Waterfall is used to structure the overall project with defined stages and gates (approval points), while Agile methodologies are adopted within each stage for day-to-day work.

Wrap up

Waterfall’s structure and predictability are ideal for projects with clear, fixed requirements, while Agile’s flexibility and focus on collaboration make it perfect for dynamic, fast-changing environments. By blending these methodologies, you can tailor your approach to the specific needs of your project, but keep in mind that methodologies are just tools and not rules and should not detract from team creativity and autonomy.

---

We’ve been an AWS SaaS Services Competency Partner since 2020. If you think we might be the right partner to work with you on your next project, book a no-obligation call with us to talk more about it.

---

This blog is written exclusively by The Scale Factory team. We do not accept external contributions.