The waterfall method was originally defined by Winston W. Royce in 1970 (Hughey 2009.) The waterfall method is a linear sequence that goes from the requirements of the project to the design and then to the implementation (Kroenke, Boyle 2015.) The agile development method was introduced by software engineers in the 1980s and early 1990s. Agile Software Development is a set of software development methods in which requirements …show more content…
Agile is an iterative type approach where phases are needed to complete a project and are done in matching order. There are many agile structures, but each has the same realistic arrangement where tasks are broken down into smaller phases (Jacobson, I., Spence I., & Pan-wei, N. 2013.) Agile came about as a “solution” to the disadvantages of the waterfall methodology. Instead of a progressive design process, the agile methodology follows a step-by-step approach (base36.) One difference between the agile method and the waterfall method is the waterfall method does development in stages whereas agile methodology uses small modules to …show more content…
One disadvantage is it can be difficult for programmers to understand the expectations and requirements that clients are looking for. A precise overview should be provided of what is required for complex systems to avoid confusion. Another disadvantage of agile methodology is that it requires constant support from business representatives because there are constant changes and testing phases. When using agile methodology, the project can easily get off track if the customer representative is not clear on what the outcome is they need. Although the agile methodology is very flexible, it doesn’t have the organization that the waterfall method has which can present problems. Agile projects can be hard to predict, from completion deadlines to budgets. Without a precise plan, everything can become blurry and confusing. You should use agile methodology when your clients are unsure of what the final project should look like or if they are unsure of what they want. You should also use it for an industry that is rapidly changing. Using agile methodology allows you to change things much easier which is why it would be a good use for a rapidly changing