#WATERFALL PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERIES#

Note that each phase depends on the deliverables of the previous phase, without which you cannot move down to the next phase.

#WATERFALL PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERIES#

These ultimately look like slopes of a waterfall, flowing down a series of cascading rocks (thus the name ‘waterfall’):

The phases comprise of specialized tasks that are carried out by grouping project activities into sequential slabs. The waterfall method comprises of six phases that follow a predictable timeline. Phases of the Waterfall Project Management Methodology In the early years of adoption, this methodology found solid footing in the construction and manufacturing industries out of necessity. Having first been described by Winston W Royce in the early 1970s, this methodology follows a sequential, linear process. In simplistic terms, the waterfall project methodology is one of the oldest, traditional project planning processes. “Different people might have different (albeit incorrect) answers to the same riddle (think: agile), but with the case of puzzles (think: waterfall), the answer is consistent and linear. They require you to think on your feet, be alert, iterate often, and follow unconventional rules to get to the answer. On the other hand, riddles – like the agile methodology – are more complex in nature and somewhat unpredictable. All in all, there’s a transparent system in place. You can solve it by placing the pieces one after another using set rules and stellar organizational skills. Puzzles, like the waterfall model, maybe complicated in nature but are predictable. If we were to explain the difference between the agile and waterfall methodologies to a child, we’d talk about puzzles and riddles.

“Management is, above all, a practice where art, science, and craft meet.” – Henry Mintzberg A Complete Guide to the Waterfall Project Management Methodology

Waterfall project management