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Waterfall model: advantages and disadvantages

Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2025 3:42 am
by suchona.kani.z
The waterfall model proceeds linearly . It does not move on to the second phase of development until the first phase is complete. Some phases may overlap in practice – for example, testing and some parts of implementation. This method emphasizes adherence to the schedule , budget and planning of implementation in advance.

The development has several stages:

Requirements specification
Proposal
Implementation
Integration
Testing and debugging
"Installation
Maintenance
What does the waterfall method look like?

There are a number of modifications to the phases and tasks in the model. Basically, each agency adapts it to best suit its work system and client requirements.

The big advantage is that at the beginning of development, the requirements are precisely determined, and the work schedule, completion dates and budget are determined based on them. Thanks to high-quality analyses and clarifications at the beginning of development, much can be predicted and a functional model of the application can be designed cash app database right away. This can save a lot of money . Steve McConnell , author of a book on software engineering, writes that removing an error that is discovered only in the implementation or maintenance phase costs 50 to 200 times more than if it had been discovered in the requirements specification phase.

Another advantage is the simplicity of the model, it is clear and transparent even for lay clients. The model also emphasizes high-quality project documentation, which is definitely a big plus, especially for more demanding projects.

On the other hand, this method is not as flexible to change requests because there is a clear work schedule in advance and any additional work makes it impossible to meet the schedule (and therefore the budget).

What method does AITOM use and why?
At AITOM we work using the waterfall method . We sometimes find the scrum method more creative and fun, but it is not nearly as transparent for our clients. The vast majority of clients expect us to clearly communicate the completion date and price of the website, which is not easy at all with scrum.

We place great emphasis on the first phase – i.e. requirements specification . Before each project, we prepare a detailed initial study , which includes project goals, wireframes, marketing plan, SWOT and competition analyses. In the first phase, we ask a lot of questions, sometimes to the point of being annoying, but only thanks to this we are able to detect a whole range of possible errors at the beginning of development and prevent them.

Our clients appreciate our approach, it is easier for them to understand. They also have a precise idea of ​​how the work is progressing and the cost of the projects from start to finish.