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What Is The Waterfall Model Used For In Project Management?

Projects come in all shapes and sizes. Some projects are broad, vague and developed over time as changes and improvements are implemented. On these more complex projects, using a management method with flexibility and room for changes is of utmost importance. Other projects require a more straightforward, linear approach – complete step 1 as required, then move onto step 2 when step 1 is fully satisfied. Repeat until the project is finished. The former method is known as the Agile project management process, which we’ve recently written about. The latter approach is what we’re focusing on in this article, which is known as the Waterfall method. So what is the waterfall model used for in project management? Let’s explore!

How Does The Waterfall Model Work?

The simplest way to understand the waterfall project management method is to think in terms of steps. One step must be completed before the next one can begin.

Let’s consider all of the typical project management steps:

Conceptualize & Initiate The Project
Plan The Project & Check For Feasibility
Execute On The Plan
Monitor The Project Throughout The Process & Test/Inspect Accordingly
Review The Project At Completion, Maintain End Products

Following these steps, the project will first be conceptualized. All stakeholders involved – the Owner/Client, Owner’s Representatives, Developers, Contractors, Consultants, Etc. – are aware of and have agreed upon the project’s concept, which is completely defined during this first step.

Only once the concept of the project is fully defined, will the project then move into the planning stage. At this point, the intent of the project is known by all. The plan that the project stakeholders put together will be based on solid information. Nothing in the concept will change, so the plan is built upon solid footing.

With the Waterfall method, this process continues step-by-step through all project phases until the project is complete.

The Waterfall method is consider the original methodical approach to project management, due to its’ straightforward nature and rigid process. In fact, the Agile project management was first introduced by software developers who felt bogged down and inhibited by earlier project management methods, such as Waterfall.

Waterfall Project Management Method Step Chart — The Waterfall Method Is Aptly Named For The Downward Flow Of Progressive Project Steps. This Chart Represents The General Intent Of The Waterfall Method. Click Here To Read More About The Waterfall Method In The Software Development Life Cycle.

In fact, home construction is analogous to the Waterfall method in this way. Before any work begins, the Owner and Contractor will have a firm concept of what the house will look like on a fundamental level.

Sure, the Owner might opt for different shutters and another paint color, but that foundation is not getting poured until the fundamentals of the house are completely understood! What would happen if the foundation is poured and the Owner decides they want a 3,000 SF Victorian house instead of the 2,000 SF Colonial they planned for? Not going to happen.

As you can imagine, the Waterfall method is best served for projects with specific characteristics.

What Is The Waterfall Model Used For In Project Management?

The Waterfall method is known for being a sequential process. Looking at the typical project steps and our house example from the previous section, it’s easy to see that the Waterfall method is better served for some projects than others.

The waterfall model is best used in project management on projects with the following characteristics and requirements:

The Project Is Smaller And/Or Easy To Understand.
A Specific Series Of Steps Must Be Followed To Ensure Quality & The Desired Outcome.
There Is Little To No Likelihood Of Changes Or Deviations From The Original Project Concept, Plan, Etc.
The Scope Of Work Is 100% Defined & Understood Before Any Execution Of The Project Begins. This Understanding Is Reflected In Budgets, Prices & Contracts.
There Is Little Tolerance For Risk Or Unknowns.
The Project Does Not Require Intermittent Testing Or Trials To Determine Next Steps.
Budget Constraints & Controls Require That All Pricing & Costs Be Fixed, Based On The Project’s Vital Details.
Resources Are Fixed & Mostly Inflexible To Change
When The Owner/Project Initiator Knows EXACTLY What They Want The End Result Of Each Phase, As Well As The Entire Project, To Be.

Contrasting the list above, the Waterfall project management method is NOT a great choice for projects with these characteristics:

The Scope Of Work & Project Deliverables Are Complex & Not Fully Defined.
Planning & Testing May Change The Course Of The Project’s Next Phases.
The Project Requires Extensive User Testing, Development, Revisions & ‘Looking For Bugs’.
There’s High Likelihood Of Staff, Resource & Management Changes.
Several Unknowns Will Drastically Affect The Cost & Time Of A Project, And The Unknowns Will Only Be Defined Once The Project Is Underway.
The Schedule Requires A Specific End Date, With No Ability To Change The Project’s Course & Resources In Order To Meet That Date.

Industries such as construction and healthcare often approach projects using the Waterfall method, because they have budget constraints, high quality standards and minimal risk tolerance. In other words, each step must conclude with the exact end result that is expected.

The fields of information technology (IT) and software development can use the Waterfall method on some projects, but largely benefit from a more flexible model like Agile. These industries require testing, development, creativity and ‘lightness’ i.e. not bogged down by strict, rigid requirements that may hinder the project’s progress.

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In Summary

Not all projects are created equal. Projects can vary so much in size, complexity, budgets, industries, constraints, deadlines and more. Therefore, each project must be approach using a methodology that maximizes the likelihood of desired outcome and minimizes intolerable risks. If your project requires a step-by-step, predictable, straightforward approach, the Waterfall model for project management is most likely what you’re looking for.

I hope this article has been helpful, and I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to read it!

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Pat Finnegan

Hello! I'm Patrick, the creator of PM Problems. I have an educational background in Civil Engineering and I've worked in the construction industry since 2008, working on many types of projects in that time. I love talking about project management as well as helping others learn and grow!

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What Is The Waterfall Model Used For In Project Management?

How Does The Waterfall Model Work?

What Is The Waterfall Model Used For In Project Management?

In Summary

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Is My Boss Manipulating Me? Here Are 12 Signs Of A Manipulative Boss

What Do Building Inspectors Do? 4 Construction Inspector Responsibilities

Buying Materials For Contractors Directly? The Pros & Cons To Consider

My Boss Doesn’t Have My Back: What Should I Do? My 5 Personal Tips

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Tracking Construction Productivity: A Few Examples [Free Excel Template]

6 Project Management Lessons From Enron & Their Historic Collapse

6 Things I Learned While Working For A Failing Company

Is Project Management Competitive? The Answer Is Complicated

For Project Managers Becoming Entrepreneurs: 5 Tips From Experience

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What Is The Waterfall Model Used For In Project Management?

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