Waterfall

PreviousDevelopment processes NextAgile

Last updated 5 years ago

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Waterfall

The pros and cons of Waterfall Development

Pro: Everyone gets up to speed quickly Since technical documentation is a necessary part of the initial requirements phase, this means that everyone understands the objectives. New developers can get up to speed quickly – even during the maintenance phase.
Pro: Timescales are kept The phased development cycle enforces discipline. Each step has a clearly defined starting point and conclusion, which makes progress easy to monitor. This helps reduce any project “slippage” from agreed timescales.
Pro: No financial surprises Costs can be estimated with a fairly high degree of accuracy once the requirements have been defined.
Pro: Testing is made easy Test scenarios are already detailed in the functional specification of the requirements phase, which makes the testing process easier and more transparent.
Pro: The outcome is crystal clear Even before the software development starts, the design is hammered out in detail which makes the needs and the outcome clear to everyone.
Pro: Deal with issues in the design Potential development issues can be researched and tackled in the design stage – and alternative solutions planned – before any programming takes place.
Pro: What you plan is what you get Many organisations appreciate the attention to documentation right at the beginning, as it also means there should be no surprises with the end product.
Con: Needs can be difficult to define Clients may find it challenging to conceptualise their needs in terms of a functional specification during the requirements phase. This means that they may change their minds once they see the end product, which is difficult to address if the application needs to be re-engineered to any large extent.
Con: Potential lack of flexibility There may be issues with the flexibility of the model to cater for new developments or changes of requirements which may occur after the initial consultation. Changes due to business plans or market influences may not have been taken into account when planning is all done up front.

PreviousDevelopment processes NextAgile

Last updated 5 years ago

Was this helpful?

The pros and cons of Waterfall Development

Pro: Everyone gets up to speed quickly Since technical documentation is a necessary part of the initial requirements phase, this means that everyone understands the objectives. New developers can get up to speed quickly – even during the maintenance phase.
Pro: Timescales are kept The phased development cycle enforces discipline. Each step has a clearly defined starting point and conclusion, which makes progress easy to monitor. This helps reduce any project “slippage” from agreed timescales.
Pro: No financial surprises Costs can be estimated with a fairly high degree of accuracy once the requirements have been defined.
Pro: Testing is made easy Test scenarios are already detailed in the functional specification of the requirements phase, which makes the testing process easier and more transparent.
Pro: The outcome is crystal clear Even before the software development starts, the design is hammered out in detail which makes the needs and the outcome clear to everyone.
Pro: Deal with issues in the design Potential development issues can be researched and tackled in the design stage – and alternative solutions planned – before any programming takes place.
Pro: What you plan is what you get Many organisations appreciate the attention to documentation right at the beginning, as it also means there should be no surprises with the end product.
Con: Needs can be difficult to define Clients may find it challenging to conceptualise their needs in terms of a functional specification during the requirements phase. This means that they may change their minds once they see the end product, which is difficult to address if the application needs to be re-engineered to any large extent.
Con: Potential lack of flexibility There may be issues with the flexibility of the model to cater for new developments or changes of requirements which may occur after the initial consultation. Changes due to business plans or market influences may not have been taken into account when planning is all done up front.