When and where to apply Agile methods
Agile is a concept born in the software development industry. Still, its methods are being broadly applied nowadays to many organizations. The ongoing world-changing environment made it essential for companies to adapt rapidly, and to achieve that, the Agile framework is being adopted to provide agility, flexibility and efficiency for companies’ projects.
The Agile model came as an alternative to the traditional Waterfall model, which has a rigid framework. With technology development, adaptability became rule number one, making the conventional model no longer suitable for many projects.
However, it would be a mistake to assume that Agile Methodology is the best method for all projects and companies. Understanding when Agile is the best bet will be easier to know where it can be applied.
Agile x Waterfall
The Waterfall model is the traditional mindset used in project management, which has a cascade framework that requires a high awareness of the project’s final product. This predictive mindset is suitable especially for long-term projects with stable attributes, where the plan will be followed from day one.
The waterfall framework includes six continuous steps, where one is concluded before the start of the next.
- Initiation
- Analysis
- Design
- Development
- Testing
- Implementation
The Agile Methodology is designed to provide an iterative process, essential to innovative, creative and complex projects without an approximate sense of the outcome product on day one. Its iterative process allows flexibility to the project, eliminating the re-work common in the traditional model.
Agile includes a cyclic and collaborative framework, where those six steps are not held in a continuous line. Instead, there is the freedom to go back and forth on each phase.
