CST438 Week 7

Describe some of the differences between using an Agile process and using a Plan and Document (or Waterfall) process.

The Waterfall process, as compared to the Agile process, is a more traditional form of software development. As the name suggests, in a “Plan and Document” (Waterfall) process, a comprehensive set of documentation is created before any software development starts. It is from this rigorous documentation that the project’s goal, scope, required functionalities, etc. are defined. This documentation is then referenced during the development process to judge the project’s overall completion, and to what extent the client’s specifications are satisfied.

Agile, on the other hand, implements an approach that is much more flexible. In place of the rigid “documentation, analysis, development” pipeline of Waterfall, Agile maintains a sort of loop between the development process, and client feedback. Indeed, a core philosophy behind Agile is the belief that it is simply impossible to create a comprehensive set of documentation upfront. Thus, Agile breaks the development process up into short sections, called sprints. Sprints often take place over a week; and every time a sprint is completed, the project, along with the newly made progress, is reevaluated. If questions arise from this retrospective, the client is reconsulted, and the trajectory of the project is adjusted.