Project Management: Waterfall, Agile, & Hybrid Approaches

Summary

In this video, Candice Porter explains the differences between Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid project management methodologies. She highlights when to use each approach, noting Waterfall for well-known requirements and Agile for dynamic, customer-driven projects. Hybrid combines both, tailored to organizational needs.

Takeaways

• 📝 Waterfall project management, also known as traditional or predictive project management, is about developing a detailed plan and following it throughout the project lifecycle.
• 🏗️ Waterfall is best suited for projects with well-known requirements, such as building a house or a bridge, where changes can be costly.
• 🔄 The waterfall process involves sequential steps: gathering requirements, designing, building, testing, validating, and deploying, with a 'big bang' outcome at the end.
• 🤝 Agile project management emphasizes collaboration with the customer and is ideal for projects with less defined requirements, such as software development.
• 🔄 Agile uses 'sprints', which are time-boxed periods for completing specific work and delivering project increments, as opposed to the waterfall's single large outcome.
• 🔧 Hybrid project management is a flexible approach that combines elements of both waterfall and agile, tailored to the needs of the organization and the project.
• 🛠️ In hybrid projects, phases may alternate between waterfall and agile methodologies, or run in parallel, depending on the nature of the work and the project requirements.
• 🛑 Waterfall management uses a traditional work breakdown structure to plan and organize tasks, considering dependencies and critical paths.
• 📋 Agile management involves a backlog of prioritized requirements and a sprint backlog for the work to be done in a specific sprint, with durations typically ranging from one to four weeks.
• 🚀 Agile projects often use dedicated resources and feature a product or project increment showcase after each sprint, allowing for customer feedback and potential requirement adjustments.
• 📈 Both waterfall and agile methodologies have their strengths and are chosen based on the nature of the project requirements and the project environment.
• 🔑 Scrum is an agile approach with specific roles and is one way to execute agile project management, often discussed in the context of dedicated resources and sprints.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Waterfall project management?

The main focus of Waterfall project management is to develop a comprehensive plan at the beginning of the project and strictly adhere to that plan throughout the project lifecycle.

Can you give an example of when Waterfall project management would be most appropriate?

Waterfall project management is most appropriate when the requirements are well known and the project involves significant costs for changes, such as in building a house or a bridge.

What is the typical flow of steps in the Waterfall methodology?

The typical flow in the Waterfall methodology involves gathering requirements, creating a design, developing or building the solution, testing and validating, and finally deploying the project outcome.

How does Agile project management differ from Waterfall in terms of collaboration with the customer?

Agile project management involves much closer collaboration with the customer throughout the project, allowing for the gathering of additional requirements and adjustments as the project progresses.

What is the term used to describe the time-boxed periods in Agile project management?

In Agile project management, the term used to describe the time-boxed periods is 'sprints'.

What is a sprint in Agile project management and how does it differ from the Waterfall approach?

A sprint in Agile project management is a set amount of time dedicated to accomplishing specific work and delivering a part of the project incrementally. This differs from the Waterfall approach, which typically results in one big outcome at the end of the project.

What is Hybrid project management and how does it combine elements of Waterfall and Agile?

Hybrid project management is a combined approach that tailors elements of both Waterfall and Agile methodologies to meet the specific needs of an organization, its culture, and the project itself. It can switch between phases of Waterfall and Agile as needed.

Why might Hybrid project management be used in a project involving both hardware and software development?

Hybrid project management might be used in a project involving both hardware and software development because hardware typically benefits from the Waterfall approach due to the high cost of changes, while software can be more flexible and benefit from Agile's iterative and incremental delivery.

What is the traditional work breakdown structure used in Waterfall project management?

The traditional work breakdown structure in Waterfall project management involves breaking down the project into deliverables, defining tasks to achieve those deliverables, and establishing dependencies and order of work to create a schedule and identify the critical path.

How does Agile project management handle requirements and prioritization?

Agile project management uses a backlog to gather and prioritize requirements. The highest priority items are pulled into a sprint backlog for the team to work on during a sprint, ensuring that the most valuable features are developed first.

What is the role of dedicated resources in Agile project management?

Dedicated resources are important in Agile project management because they allow the team to focus fully on the work during each sprint, ensuring that the work can be completed efficiently and effectively within the sprint's time frame.

What is Scrum and how does it relate to Agile project management?

Scrum is an Agile approach for executing projects, characterized by specific roles and ceremonies. It is a framework within Agile project management that provides a structured way to implement the Agile methodology.