Waterfall methodology phases.
The Waterfall methodology follows a chronological process and works based on fixed dates, requirements, and outcomes. Individual execution teams aren’t required to be in constant communication and are usually self-contained, unless specific integrations are needed.
Team members also tend to work independently and aren’t expected to provide status reports as often as with the Agile approach. Usually, one phase doesn’t begin until the previous one is finished.
Using a software development project as an example, the Waterfall process usually includes stages that look like this:
Requirements.
The Waterfall methodology depends on the belief that all project requirements can be gathered and understood upfront. The project manager does their best to get a detailed understanding of the project sponsor’s requirements. Written requirements, usually contained in a single document, are used to describe each stage of the project, including the costs, assumptions, risks, dependencies, success metrics, and timelines for completion. Once all the project requirements have been defined, the team is left with a clear outline of the entire project lifecycle.
Design.
Here, software developers design a technical solution to the problems set out by the product requirements, including scenarios, layouts, and data models. First, a higher-level or logical design is created that describes the purpose and scope of the project, the general traffic flow of each component, and the integration points. Once this is complete, it is transformed into a physical design using specific hardware and software technologies.
There are two phases of system design: high-level and low-level. The high-level design phase is where the team creates a skeleton of how information will be accessed and how things will work. Then at the low-level phase, each specific part of the software is defined and fleshed out.
Implementation.
Once the design is complete, the next stage of the Waterfall method is technical implementation. This might be the shortest phase of the Waterfall process because painstaking research and design have already been done. In this phase, programmers code applications based on project requirements and specifications, with some testing and implementation also taking place. If significant changes are required during this stage, this may mean returning to the design phase.
Verification or testing.
Before a product can be released to customers, it needs to be tested. This helps confirm the product has no errors and all the requirements have been completed, ensuring a good user experience with the software. The testing team will check the project management methodologies and turn to the design documents, personas, and use case scenarios supplied by the product manager to create their test cases.
Deployment and maintenance.
The deployment phase is when the software, product, or final deliverable is released to the end user — the customer. A smooth rollout requires coordination and careful planning. Once the software has been deployed in the market or released to customers, the maintenance phase begins. As defects are found and change requests come in from users, a team will be assigned to take care of updates and release new software versions.
