Waterfall model advantages:
Waterfall model disadvantages:
Advantages of Agile methodologies:
- This model is simple and easy to understand and use.
- It is easy to manage due to the rigidity of the model – each phase has specific deliverables and a review process.
- In this model phases are processed and completed one at a time. Phases do not overlap.
- Waterfall model works well for smaller projects where requirements are very well understood.
Waterfall model disadvantages:
- Once an application is in the test stage, it is very difficult to go back and change something that was not well-thought out in the concept stage.
- No working software is produced until late during the life cycle.
- High amounts of risk and uncertainty.
- Not a good model for complex and object-oriented projects.
- Poor model for long and ongoing projects.
- Not suitable for the projects where requirements are at a moderate to high risk of changing.
Advantages of Agile methodologies:
- Customer satisfaction by rapid, continuous delivery of useful software.
- People and interactions are emphasized rather than process and tools. Customers, developers and testers constantly interact with each other.
- Working software is delivered frequently (weeks rather than months).
- Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication.
- Close, daily cooperation between business people and developers.
- Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design.
- Regular adaptation to changing circumstances.
- Even late changes in requirements are welcomed
- In case of some software deliverables, especially the large ones, it is difficult to assess the effort required at the beginning of the software development life cycle.
- There is lack of emphasis on necessary designing and documentation.
- The project can easily get taken off track if the customer representative is not clear what final outcome that they want.
- Only senior programmers are capable of taking the kind of decisions required during the development process. Hence it has no place for newbie programmers, unless combined with experienced resources.
