Agile vs. Waterfall for Business Analysts: A Comprehensive Comparison

Agile vs. Waterfall for Business Analysts: A Comprehensive Comparison

Agile vs. Waterfall for Business Analysts : In the world of software development and project management, two popular methodologies—agile and waterfall—come to the fore. For business analysts, understanding these processes is essential to managing requirements, ensuring timely delivery, and working with teams. Both Agile and Waterfall have advantages and disadvantages, and knowing when to use each technique can have a significant impact on the success of your project.

In this article, we’ll explore the key differences between Agile and Waterfall methods for business analysts, and provide examples and features that make each approach better.

What is waterfall technique?

Waterfall is a sequential project management method. It follows a continuous process where one phase must be completed before the next phase can begin. These sections include:

• Requirement gathering
• Design
• Implementation
• Testing
• Deployment
• Maintenance

In the waterfall model, requirements are collected at the beginning of the project, leaving little room for change once development begins.

Waterfall view:

Imagine you are working on a government project to develop a tax filing system. The requirements are well written and the rules are unlikely to change. In this case, a waterfall approach is great because it provides a structured, step-by-step process to keep the project on track.

What does agile mean?

Agile is a revolutionary and flexible project management method. This encourages collaboration, adaptation and continuous improvement. Agile works in short cycles called sprints or iterations, where small parts of the project are completed and reviewed weekly. Agile is about adapting to changing needs and focusing on customer feedback throughout the project.

Scenario:

Let’s say you’re developing a mobile app for a startup, and product features may change based on user feedback. In this case, Agile is a better choice because it allows for continuous changes and improvements based on direct input from stakeholders or end users.

Key Differences between Agile and Waterfall for Business Analysts

1. Requirement Gathering

Waterfall: Business analysts gather all the requirements up front and draft them extensively before the project begins. Once the arrangements are made, they will not change.

Agile: Collect requirements in short cycles. Business analysts continuously improve and adjust requirements based on input from stakeholders and the development team.

Example: In a waterfall project, a business analyst can put together all the information about an e-commerce website at the beginning. However, in Agile, they gather high-level requirements first and then refine the information as the project progresses and gather input from users.

2. Flexibility

Waterfall: Once a project reaches the planning stage, it is difficult to implement. Repairs can be expensive and time consuming.

Agile: Agile is designed for flexibility. The program can adapt to new requirements, customer feedback or market changes. This allows business analysts to update user information and make adjustments as needed.

Scenario: If a customer realizes in the middle of a project that they need to add a feature to their customer inventory management system, that feature can be added in the next step. If there is a waterfall, you have to go back to the design phase, which can significantly delay the project.

3. Documentation

Waterfall: General articles are an important part. Business analysts prepare detailed requirements documents and user guides.

Agile: The articles are lighter and more focused on collaboration. Collaborators like to communicate and modify documents based on project needs.

Example: In Waterfall, a business analyst may spend weeks writing a detailed specification for a healthcare management system. In Agile, the focus is on user input and sufficient documentation to guide development.

4. Stakeholder Participation

Waterfall: At the beginning and end of the event the fans enter. There is little involvement in the development phase.

Agile: Extensive stakeholder involvement throughout the project. Business analysts work with them to ensure that the final product meets their needs, and adjust the requirements as needed.

Scenario: In an agile project for a mobile banking application, stakeholders provide immediate feedback after each run. However, in a waterfall model, fans only evaluate the product at the final delivery stage, which increases the risk of misunderstanding.

5. Testing

Waterfall: Testing occurs after the development phase is complete. This can detect major problems later in the project’s life cycle.

Agile: Testing continues throughout the project. This allows problems to be identified and resolved early, reducing the risk of costly mistakes at the end of the project.

Example: In a responsive project for a marketing website, tests are performed after each run. All new features are tested, and the team can fix bugs and make adjustments based on customer feedback. In the waterfall, the tests are done after the whole area has been developed, and it can take a long time to resolve the issues.

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It’s time to choose a waterfall

Waterfall methodology is good for:

• Simple concepts and requirements with minimal risk of change.
• Stakeholders like projects that are planned ahead of time and have a clear timeline.
• Programs are less likely to change, for example in a regulatory environment.

  Example:

  Large enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in multinational corporations benefit from watershed systems, where prioritization is essential. When to choose agility

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Agile is good for:

• Programs that change requirements are focused on flexibility.
• Projects require customer feedback and ongoing stakeholder involvement.
• Projects can be delivered in components, such as a mobile app, website or SaaS product.

  Example:

  Startups developing new social media platforms can benefit from flexibility. Development teams can generate new features based on user feedback, and business analysts can customize features for each sprint based on current business goals.

Conclusion:

For business analysts, Agile and Waterfall are very beneficial in terms of project requirements. Waterfall is structured and predictable, and is good for projects that have clear, fixed requirements. Agile, on the other hand, is better in environments that require flexibility and quick response.

By understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, business analysts can better manage requirements, collaborate with teams, and ensure project success. Always consider the nature of the project, the expectations of the stakeholders, and the likelihood of changing requirements when deciding between Agile and Waterfall.

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