The document compares the Waterfall and Agile methodologies for implementing reports. Waterfall follows a linear sequential approach making it easier to plan but requires extensive user acceptance testing. Agile implements reports in short sprints, prioritizing critical reports first, with daily stand-ups to discuss progress. While Agile requires constant user involvement, it allows for changes in requirements and catching issues earlier. Overall, Agile is better suited when requirements are evolving while Waterfall works for stable requirements.
2. Advantages of Waterfall
• Waterfall follows linear and sequential approach
and thus it easier to plan and track
• Does not require constant support from business
users as their involvement is only during UAT
• Less overhead effort is required for monitoring
and control activities
3. Disadvantages of Waterfall Methodology
• Heavy workload during design/development stage especially if reports
are many
• Heavy workload during UAT as a significant number of reports needs to
be tested together, resulting in higher number of issues to be managed
• Constraints around user availability (e.g. black out period) could lead to
significant delays in go live
• High probability that any issues with parent reports could impact
subsidiary reports, leading to re-work in multiple reports for same issue
• Last stage is generally very critical during waterfall and thus any issues
identified later are difficult to manage
• Issues identified during UAT are costly to fix, and could result in
schedule slippages for major changes
• Easier to manage finite, small number of reports in each Sprint
4. Implementation of Agile Methodology
Define List of Deliverables
Delivery of reports scheduled in 7 Sprints based
on report hierarchy.
Reports with Critical and High business priority
scheduled in Sprint 1-3.
Subsidiary reports were scheduled from Sprint 4-
7.
Sprint Planning Exercise
Yielded clearly defined internal milestones for
each Sprint.
Sprints were scheduled in staggered manner to
make overall delivery schedule more efficient.
Daily Scrum Meeting
Discuss current activities, changes, risks and
issues associated with the Sprint deliverables.
Continuous interaction between representatives
of all project groups are required for Agile
methodology.
5. Advantages of Agile Methodology
• Heavy workload during design/development stage especially if reports
are many
• Heavy workload during UAT as a significant number of reports needs to be
tested together, resulting in higher number of issues to be managed
• Constraints around user availability (e.g. black out period) could lead to
significant delays in go live
• High probability that any issues with parent reports could impact
subsidiary reports, leading to re-work in multiple reports for same issue
• Last stage is generally very critical during waterfall and thus any issues
identified later are difficult to manage
• Issues identified during UAT are costly to fix, and could result in schedule
slippages for major changes
• Easier to manage finite, small number of reports in each Sprint
6. Disadvantages of Agile Methodology
• Needs constant support from business user
representative as there are continuous
analysis and testing cycles
• More management effort is required for
monitoring and control activities
7. Conclusion
• Agile Methodology will be perfect when the
requirements are changing over SDLC.
• Waterfall Methodology works only when
requirements are not changing over entire
project life cycle