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The Waterfall Model

3:40 with Matt Anthes-Washburn

A time-honored tradition in software development is to use a consistent sequence of stages to design, build, and test software. This sequential model is often called, “waterfall” because, like water flowing downstream, it is characterized by a process of irreversible flow from stage to stage from start to finish.

Terms

Waterfall Model: A model for software development that follows a sequential and irreversible series of steps, like water flowing downstream.

Resources

Wikipedia: The Waterfall Model

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    [MUSIC] 0:02
    Hi, my name is Matt and I'm a SCRUM product owner. 0:04
    In this course, we're going tp take a look at some of the practices that teams use 0:08
    to efficiently develop software. 0:12
    We'll study a group of practices with an emphasis on delivering a high value to 0:14
    the customer in the face of changing needs and requirements. 0:18
    These practices are commonly referred to as agile software development. 0:23
    In this stage, we will discuss the meaning of the term agile and 0:27
    where the concept originates. 0:30
    To start, let's look at the landscape of software development 0:32
    before agile methods were introduced. 0:35
    The Waterfall Model. 0:38
    A time honored tradition in software development, 0:40
    is to use a consistent sequence of stages to design, build, and test software. 0:42
    This sequential model is often called waterfall, 0:48
    because like water flowing downstream, it is characterized by a process of 0:51
    irreversible flow from stage to stage from start to finish. 0:56
    For the purposes of understanding it here, 1:00
    we are going to simplify these stages into design, build, and test. 1:03
    At each step in the Waterfall Model, a specialized group of people, or 1:08
    a department, is tasked with the work of that stage. 1:12
    After completing the work, they hand it off to the next group. 1:16
    Typically this handoff involves some form of formal documentation 1:20
    that describes to the next group what the software is supposed to do. 1:24
    Critics of the Waterfall Model sometimes refer to this kind of handoff as 1:28
    throwing it over the wall. 1:33
    Because the groups hand over the work without a lot of contact, 1:34
    and then they never see it again. 1:37
    There are few problems that plague the waterfall model for software development. 1:39
    For one thing, it's said that the handoffs in this process can result in something 1:44
    like the childhood game of telephone [SOUND] where each person makes their own 1:48
    interpretation of a message and then passes it on. 1:52
    By the end of the process, 1:55
    the product may not look at all like what the client had in mind. 1:56
    Time and resources are wasted building a product that isn't a good fit for 2:00
    the customer. 2:04
    Another big issue with Waterfall development is that there's not a lot of 2:05
    opportunity during the process to respond to changing priorities or 2:09
    outside influences. 2:13
    Let's say you are two months into a six month 2:14
    process of bringing your groundbreaking product 2:17
    to market when a competitor introduces a new product in the same space. 2:19
    You may want to respond by differentiating your product from this new offering. 2:24
    However, in the Waterfall Model, you may be finished with design of a product and 2:28
    find yourself in the middle of the build phase. 2:33
    You're left with a tough choice, scrap the work that's been done so 2:35
    far, and start over, or finish the project 2:38
    even though the product might not be a great fit for the market anymore. 2:41
    So we've covered three key problems people find with Waterfall development. 2:45
    First, time and resources are wasted in the handoff between stages. 2:49
    Second, the product doesn't always fit the original intent 2:53
    due to imperfect communication. 2:57
    And finally, it's difficult in Waterfall development to respond to change. 2:59
    In this course, we'll learn more about alternate models meant to address some of 3:04
    these concerns with the Waterfall Model. 3:08
    You won't likely find companies boasting about being a Waterfall shop these days. 3:11
    But, it is nonetheless easy to identify points in many team's processes 3:16
    where a handoff is expected from one group to another. 3:20
    A wonderful piece of advice I've heard about handoffs 3:23
    is to be on the look out for them as opportunities for collaboration. 3:26
    When you a identify a handoff point in your process, 3:30
    try to figure out what can be done to bring the two parties involved 3:33
    closer together to share a richer understanding of each others work 3:36

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