Methodologies: Waterfall and Agile
Waterfall: phases run in order and each finishes before the next starts. Clear and easy to manage, and suited to fixed, well-known requirements.
Agile: the system is built in short iterations called sprints (one to four weeks). Each sprint produces a working version the customer reviews, so direction can change early. The best-known framework is Scrum.
| Product Owner | Represents the customer and orders priorities |
| Scrum Master | Removes blockers and protects the way the team works |
| Development Team | Builds and tests the work in each sprint |
| Product Backlog | All requirements, ordered by priority |
| Daily Scrum | A short daily meeting (15 minutes) to coordinate |
| Waterfall | Agile | |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | Fixed and defined upfront | Evolve and change |
| Delivery | Once, at the end | In frequent increments |
| Customer involvement | At the start and end | Continuous |
| Fits | Fixed contracts, highly regulated systems | New products, startups |
Watch outA prototype is quick screens without full code that users can react to early. It works with any methodology and is one of the best ways to uncover requirements.