In the field of project management, waterfall is very simple, which is why project managers like it.
This is a linear project management method. You can collect the requirements of stakeholders and customers at the beginning of the project, and then follow the sequential project plan to meet these requirements. That’s it!
Think of it as the OG of software development methodology.
Of course, waterfall is not the most flexible, especially when compared to modern counterparts such as Agile and Scrum, but that does not mean it is less efficient-as long as you use it for the right project.
In this guide, you will learn all about waterfall project management and how to use this method to improve project results.
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Why waterfall project management is so important
A waterfall project management strategy means that everything is set from the beginning. Project requirements, stakeholder expectations, overall structure… everything!
Despite the newly invented project management methods, you will find that several projects are still more suitable to use waterfall flow, especially if the team knows all the project needs in advance.
In the words of Ben Aston Digital Project Manager, “If the requirements are fixed, well-documented and clear, if the technology is understood and mature, the project is short, and if there is no additional value benefit from’becoming agile’, then waterfall is a useful and predictable approach .
Basically, for projects where Agile is not a beginner at all, the team still needs a waterfall.
Many people like this method because of its simple and linear design. In addition, the visual representation makes it easier for the team to understand the steps that must be completed to achieve project goals.
A 2017 Project Management Institute (PMI) report found that 51% of organizations Still use waterfall instead of other contemporary methods. Therefore, it is safe to say that the waterfall will not disappear anytime soon.
Here are a few reasons why waterfalls are still relevant today:
Direct progress measurement
Waterfall project management makes progress measurement simple and straightforward. Plus clearly defines the start and end points. Every relevant person fully understands the scope of work in advance.
Simple structure
Why complicate things when you can get rid of something easily, right?
Compared with other project management methods, waterfall is more intuitive. Each stage is arranged in order, with specific deliverables and review process. Since the whole method is very organized, it is easier for novices to get started.
Better documentation and clear information transmission
Every project benefits from clear documentation, making it easier for members to track progress. In fact, the waterfall is designed so that if any team member suddenly leaves during the development process, their replacement can easily recover from where the former left.
Keeping these benefits in mind, you should also understand the types of projects that are more suitable for waterfalls. These include the following situations:
- Customer requirements will not change frequently.
- These projects are short and straightforward.
- The project phases do not overlap.
- All requirements are clear and prescribed.
- These projects have a specific time frame.
- The development environment is stable, as well as the necessary tools and techniques.
- All available resources are properly trained.
In addition, in situations where life is endangered (system failure may lead to death), waterfalls are also more popular, and human safety is the most important. It is easy to understand why banks, healthcare, nuclear facility control systems, space shuttles, etc. use waterfalls instead of agility.
The Department of Defense (DoD), military, and aircraft programs follow the waterfall model in many organizations because these industries must follow strict standards and requirements.
Here, the requirements are known in advance, and the contract is very specific to the project deliverables. These agencies also found that waterfall is more in line with their procurement process and strict supervision process, which is required by the government.
How to improve waterfall project management today
By making key improvements, you can take full advantage of waterfall project management.The waterfall board should be clear, concise and easy to understand-use Project management tools picture on Monday.and Make it possible.
In addition, there are some other strategies to ensure maximum results.
Match the nature of the project with the methodology
Before deciding on the project approach, make sure to choose the best option for the nature of the project.
A waterfall only makes sense if you follow a linear process that does not require much flexibility or multiple iterations. However, if you want something smoother, more unstructured or less structured, using agile project management will be a better choice.
A good tip is to study what other teams have used in similar projects in the past, and then weigh your options based on what and how you need to complete it. You can also have group discussions on different methods, where team members and stakeholders can express their opinions and discuss nuances in more detail.
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Documentation is an important aspect of the waterfall method.
This is the best way to highlight everyone’s responsibilities in the team and the deadline for each task. It also creates the outline of the entire structure from start to finish, allowing others to see what steps need to be completed to achieve the final result.
Create a clear project scope to define project boundaries, and a central, documented action plan as a reference point. You can also make and publish a visual schedule (checkboxes, completion stages, etc.) to make it easier for team members to see and understand how their efforts help achieve the ultimate goal.
Think of it as adding specific elements to a seemingly distant target.
Create realistic timetables with clear deadlines
The waterfall team should always define the time when the customer is required to participate in phases.
Clients and clients only participate in specific points of the project, rather than having them at every stage. In addition, if you do not resolve asset and availability issues on time, you may end up delaying the project.
First determine a clear delivery deadline for both parties. Not only does it promote accountability for everyone, but it also allows them to proactively deliver results on time by informing them of requirements and deadlines.
Develop various standards and procedures for each stage
An action plan is always a good idea, especially for waterfall projects. Develop clear standards and procedures for each phase of the project, so that everyone can more easily follow, monitor and work together.
Therefore, there is no fluctuation in the standards and procedures of the project, which in turn means fewer opportunities for confusion and slower progress. In addition, due to simplified progress tracking, it is easier to plan a release date and make future-oriented decisions.
Align with stakeholders
Large projects are notorious for being off track. This is because the opinions, requests, insights, tasks, and deadlines of different stakeholders are constantly changing and never ending, which ultimately leads to longer deadlines and the project beyond the original scope.
This is why you should align your expectations with the stakeholders of the project from the beginning. In addition, stakeholders should understand not to go beyond what has been agreed upon at the start of implementation.
As a methodology, waterfall is designed to be rigid. Therefore, making changes in the middle of the project can be very difficult, which is why stakeholder requirements should be minimized and all requirements determined from the beginning.
Don’t rush to complete the process and always test the deliverables
You should plan your project timeline in a way that allows you enough time to test the results.
As the deadline approaches, waterfall projects are common. Although this is not desirable, there is not much that can be done other than to improve the project’s plan and create realistic deadlines. You can also try to take this rush into account during the planning phase, while allowing enough time to test and solve the problem.
In other words, do not limit the test to a small sample size. You should collect meaningful data and gain insights from valuable data sources, because this is the only way to get a clearer understanding of the final product. The test also allows you to take notes and discuss your findings with team members.
3 best practices for waterfall project management
Below, we have compiled a list of the top three waterfall project management best practices to understand what needs to be done to get the final deliverables.
Collect all requirements and documents in advance
Before starting the project, you need to clearly list all documents and requirements. Here is how you do it:
Project scope. This is one of the most important documents for your project. It should include your deliverables, features, deadlines, costs, etc. This is very important, so make sure you invest the necessary time and effort to get a clear and detailed project scope.
Stakeholder expectations. We have already mentioned the importance of aligning expectations with stakeholders (that is, those with vested interests in the project). You can conduct interviews and hold meetings to clearly understand their vision and needs. It will be conducive to the success of the project.
Research. Conduct market research on competitors, current market trends, customer needs, and anything else you think will contribute to the success of the project.
Create a team. The next one in the list should be a collection of all necessary personnel and resources, such as website developers, designers, programmers, etc.
Build your project plan
Having a well-defined framework is a key part of a waterfall project. Planning the project structure means figuring out how to complete the final deliverables, including:
Collect tasks. Use a work breakdown structure to list all the necessary tasks that must be completed in order to obtain the final deliverable.
Create a schedule. Now that you have tasks, the next step is to create a plan to estimate the total time each task will take. After that, map them to the Gantt chart and link dependencies to get a clearer understanding of the project. If needed, you can also add costs to build a project budget.
Regularly monitor and track the progress of the project
At this point, you should be in the implementation phase of the project, where you will build and test deliverables. Here is how you can easily monitor and track progress:
Assign team tasks. Project members are responsible for their work. Similarly, you can prepare these tasks from the Gantt chart and add priorities, descriptions, etc. to make the process clearer.
Monitoring and tracking tasks. After the project execution begins, you should monitor and track the daily progress to ensure that the project proceeds as planned.
Manage resources and workloads. It is very common to encounter obstacles when implementing projects. You will find yourself needing to reallocate resources and balance workloads a lot, but this is also a necessary step to avoid bottlenecks.
Report to stakeholders. In the process of the project, stakeholders should always be in the loop. You are responsible for constantly updating them to show progress. You can also meet with them and discuss a regular presentation schedule for the convenience of both parties.
Test and deliver deliverables. You must test deliverables extensively to ensure that everything is working as designed. Only after correcting the error and solving the problem, you can deliver the deliverables to the stakeholders.
This article was written by Daily Eggspert today.
