Waterfall approach to project management is the traditional solution that embodies discrete and detailed plans / timelines, finely tuned and approved requirements, specific resource commitments, and budget tracking. This time-tested methodology has wide acceptance, is broadly supported, and well documented with a complete and mature body of knowledge (Project Management Institute). Waterfall certainly works well for projects that require minimum level of completeness before any beneficial use is attained. Typical examples include construction, equipment / automation solutions, and others.
Many companies are moving toward or have embraced Agile methodology in their project management organizations. In our software technology driven world this change makes sense given the need to constantly evolve product (software) solutions as we adjust to changing customer expectations and strive to remain highly competitive. Typically, we see Agile very prevalent and supported in customer’s IT organizations which is predominately the areas of work that are LEAST effectively managed using a Waterfall methodology.
Commonly we now see many projects which can be managed using a combined approach that is referred to as ‘Wagile’ methodology. This usually applies when we have construction and equipment solution deployments coupled with software product integrations. Executed correctly, this can result in quicker beneficial use by the business while additional features can be deployed shortly after initial start up is achieved or can be aligned with utilization ramp (volume increases, etc). It’s not a ‘one size fits all’ approach as there are many constraints to consider. The risks, coordination, and timing to dependencies, along with accounting for efforts and costs to perform real world tests with equipment / robotics / infrastructure should all be carefully examined to determine if the benefits are achievable. It is becoming more popular and proving to be a useful method in those cases where it makes sense.
As you probably expected there is no one ‘best’ solution for managing projects. It depends on many factors including a high reliance on organization maturity with the tools and experience in managing change. That said – we are happy to speak with you regarding any of these approaches and how you might benefit, improve your approach, or even augment your team with experienced professionals. Contact us at [email protected] for more information.