Wade HarshmanScrum Master| GDITIndianapolis, In, United States
Some of you might be familiar with my little rants against abused or overused terms in project management. Today, I offer an unexpected- perhaps controversial- addition to my list: "Waterfall."
This term is used incessantly, especially in conversations about "Agile vs Waterfall." The term 'waterfall' is used exactly once in the PMBOK 5th edition, and it's in exactly that context. (I have an entirely separate rant about the poor way the 5th edition explains Agile. I believe this is a cause for much of our current confusion. I hope the 6th edition improves on this.)
My biggest irritation is that I've never seen a project that looked like a perfect waterfall. I had one mentor, early in my career, who believed that this is exactly how projects should look: one task ending and another beginning, in perfect order so as not to confuse the project team. I've never seen a Gantt chart so perfect, though, and I would be immediately suspicious of one that looked this way. A perfect "waterfall" is an indication that no schedule compression has been attempted.
We'd be better off using terms like "plan-driven" or "predictive." I've noticed that these terms immediately change the conversation with "waterfall vs Agile." After all, a fully Agile organization has no problem with a predictive project plan, given that the conditions support that decision (i.e. the scope is stable, the steps are well-established). What Agilists resent is the ignorance of Agile values. When our most important item is a pretty waterfall, we value a tool over people, and a plan over the ability to respond to change.
Rant complete; feel free to correct me. Saving Changes...
Sort By:
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
The problem is the big confusion and misuse of terms outside there (with an explosive combination of buzzwords). What you stated is applicable to determine the project life cycle. To determine that people have to think in a pyramid. The basemen is quality and quality practices and/or approaches (Lean, Agile, TQM, etc, etc). With basement on quality practices life cycle models have been defined (only two: adaptive and predictive). From life cycle models life cycle process have been defined (iterative, waterfall, V, etc). From life cycle process methods have been created (SCRUM, DSDM, SDLC, Spiral, etc). At the top of the pyramid are tools (any type of tools, not software tools only) that support the methods. So, you can mix all this stuff for any type of project and product you have to create. For example, you can apply Agile with predictive life cycle models and waterfall life cycle process based on that model. That´s all. Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
Agreed. What is important is getting it done, and in the eyes of the customer, successfully.
"....we value a tool over people, and a plan over the ability to respond to change."
Just like a carpenter, as professionals, we must use the best tool for the job at hand, and for the needs of the customer. Saving Changes...
Definitely agree with Andrew and Sergio. Use the best suitable methodology/processes based on type of project and maturity of the organization. Saving Changes...
"We are ashamed of everything that is real about us; ashamed of ourselves, of our relatives, of our incomes, of our accents, of our opinions, of our experience, just as we are ashamed of our naked skins."
