Agile vs. Waterfall: What’s the Difference? 

November 19, 2025
Clock Icon 7 min read

Effective project management is essential to a project running smoothly and delivering the necessary results in a timely manner. There are numerous frameworks that project managers use to facilitate the running of a project and these can vary depending on the project. Whilst project managers have an in-depth knowledge of the different frameworks, it can be useful for employees working on a project to have a general understanding of them as well. Two common project management methodologies are Agile and Waterfall. In this article we will provide a general overview of Agile and Waterfall so that you are familiar with both methodologies should they be used in your next project. 

What is Agile Project Management? 

Agile is a project management framework that breaks projects down into smaller, manageable steps, often called sprints. Each sprint is carefully planned so that it reflects a team’s capacity and project time frame. At the end of each sprint the work is evaluated so that teams can quickly adapt to any necessary changes and make improvements for the benefit of the larger project. 

Agile is an iterative methodology which means that it allows for continuous improvement at each stage. Iterative processes can help to reduce risk and improve efficiency as it allows for a more flexible, trial and error approach to projects. As such, the evaluation stage at the end of each sprint is vital to maintaining efficiency and learning from previous iterations. 

Whilst the philosophy behind Agile has been around for decades, its development as a means of project management was first introduced in 2001 when 17 technologists published the Agile Manifesto. The manifesto was the result of a two day conference during which software developers came together to discuss different methodologies and find an effective means of work. The manifesto detailed four major principles of Agile, intended to guide teams on developing better software. Those principles are:

  • Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
  • Working software over comprehensive documentation
  • Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
  • Responding to change over following a plan

Unlike other frameworks, Agile enables teams to approach a project in small increments, rather than approaching the project in bulk. This can be done via methods such as scrum or kanban. Scrum uses fixed term interactions, also known as sprints, to work through a backlog or body of work. Comparatively, kanban does not typically focus on backlogs and instead focuses on how to get work completed as effectively and quickly as possible. A project manager will decide which framework works best for a given project and assign roles accordingly. Whilst it is useful to have an understanding of scrum and kanban it will typically be whomever is leading the project, such as the project manager, who decides which approach is best. 

Expert Icon

Want to Learn More?

Our wide range of Business Essentials courses, such as our Project Management and Leadership and Management courses can provide you with the knowledge and skills to be a confident and competent team member.

Advantages of an Agile Methodology 

Some of the advantages of an Agile methodology include:

  • Adaptability – Agile enables work to be broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks. This allows for better flexibility as projects can easily change direction without it causing a domino effect of chaos. If things do need to change direction it’s easy to do so without massively undoing the work that has already been done. 
  • Continuous improvement – As sprints are evaluated at the end of each iteration it allows for the chance to improve processes before the next sprint begins. This approach ensures that each sprint is more effective than the last and that lessons learnt from previous iterations are actively implemented for the benefit of the project. 
  • Reduced risk – An Agile approach enables project managers to have better control and to plan what needs to be done by what stage. In doing so this helps to reduce risk as they can project where potential issues may arise and plan accordingly. Moreover, the lessons learnt at the end of each iteration allow for more effective planning of the next iterations which reduces risk even further. 
  • Predictability – By breaking work down into iterations, project managers can forecast what they expect to happen and when, based on a team’s capacity, ability and resources. This affords a level of predictability which is beneficial for schedules and producing deliverables on time. All projects have roadblocks and unexpected difficulties, however working in sprints, which are often two weeks long, rather than months on end makes it easier to predict the needs of a project before they cause significant issues.
  • Collaboration – A core principle of Agile prioritises individuals and interactions over processes and tools. As such, an Agile approach encourages teams to regularly communicate, removing any confusion or lack of clarity, in order to achieve a collective objective. 

Disadvantages of an Agile Methodology 

Some of the disadvantages of an Agile methodology include:

  • Incompatibility – Agile was developed by software developers and for years was used predominantly in that field. Whilst Agile is incredibly adaptable it isn’t suitable for every project and some industries may find that the iterative approach to work is incompatible with their work. 
  • Jargon heavy – Project management is a vast and broad field and project managers work hard to decipher and communicate with their team in a clear and concise manner. Nevertheless, there are elements of project management methodologies that others within a team may struggle to understand as they do not have, nor do they need to have, the same level of understanding as project managers. Agile can be very jargon-heavy and include terms that can be confusing. Whilst it can be beneficial for someone working on a project to have an understanding of the different terminology, they may not have the time to gain an in-depth understanding whilst also doing their other work. 
  • No clear end – Agile allows teams to have a more reactive approach, adapting to changes as and when necessary. However, this can make it hard to know when a project is actually finished and it can be easy to get sidetracked with new deliverables that come up along the way. 

What is a Waterfall Project Management?

Waterfall is a linear sequential project management framework commonly used by software engineers and developers. The methodology flows like a waterfall and focuses on finishing each phase completely before moving onto the next. The Waterfall method follows a chronological process and works on fixed requirements and deliverables. Unlike with Agile, Waterfall is not necessarily flexible and teams work independently, often with little communication, to complete one phase of work entirely before moving onto the next phase. 

Prior to the development of Agile, Waterfall was arguably the most popular and well used project management method in software development. Whilst he did not develop the method as it is now known, the Waterfall model is often attributed to computer scientist Winston Royce. In 1970 Royce published a paper titled Managing the Development of Large Software Systems. In his paper Royce argued that large software systems needed a more thorough approach and introduced a model of several steps that a project should go through. Royce did not use the term ‘waterfall’ in his paper, however his work is often seen as the beginning of what is now known as Waterfall.  

The notion of a project passing through stages carried over from Royce’s paper and can be seen in the stages of Waterfall methodology. There are a number of different stages involved in a Waterfall approach and these can vary depending on the project, however there are five common stages that all projects using the Waterfall model will follow. These are:

  • Requirements – This phase defines the scope of the project and should specify the resources required for the project, what each team member will work on, a timeline for the whole project and details on each stage of the project. 
  • Design – This phase focuses on how the deliverables of a project will be achieved. This plan is likely to be highly detailed and unlikely to change throughout the duration of the project. 
  • Implementation – Once the design has been completed it is time to implement it. Developers will use the information from the previous phases to collect data and research for what needs to be created and assign specific tasks within their teams. If the planning has been done effectively in the previous stages, this phase should run smoothly but this phase may also highlight parts of the design stage that can’t actually be implemented. If this causes significant issues then the design phase may need to be revisited. 
  • Verification – This phase allows for a product to be tested before it is released to customers. This helps to confirm that everything works as intended and that customers will have a good user experience.
  • Deployment and Maintenance – Once the product works as intended with no bugs it can be deployed for the general public. Developers then need to maintain the product, utilising customer feedback to fix any issues that may arise. 

Advantages of a Waterfall Methodology 

Some of the advantages of a Waterfall methodology include:

  • Clear structure – The Waterfall methodology focuses on clear defined phases which must be completed before the next phase can be started. As such, it provides a clear structure as to what needs to be achieved and when. Moreover, the preliminary process of implementing Waterfall, which necessitates taking a project through numerous stages, ensures that each stage has been meticulously planned. 
  • Defined end goal – A core part of the Waterfall model is having a clear end goal and knowing the necessary steps to achieve it. Unlike Agile which has room for changes and additional tasks, Waterfall commits to a set end deliverable before work has even begun. As such, teams are clear on what they need to accomplish and what additional tasks would cause them to deviate from that goal. 
  • Easy tracking – When applying the Waterfall methodology each part of the working process is carefully planned out. This linear approach makes tracking milestones easier and since each requirement is clearly defined from the offset, individuals can effectively track what has been done and what further steps need to be taken. 
  • Comprehensive documentation – Applying the Waterfall method requires careful planning of each phase of the project. As such, there is clear documentation of what needs to be done and when providing a clear and comprehensive blueprint of the project. This documentation can also be incredibly beneficial for project reviews as there is a clear written record of the project, process and achievements. 
  • Fewer delays – As Waterfall has set goals and expectations from the onset there is less room for additional tasks throughout the project’s lifespan. This helps to reduce delays as those working on the project know what must be delivered from the get go and can focus solely on that not additional ‘nice to haves’ that may pop up. 

Disadvantages of a Waterfall Methodology

Some of the disadvantages of a Waterfall methodology include:

  • Lack of flexibility – Waterfall requires establishing what needs to be done, by whom and when before work begins. Unlike Agile, this leaves little room to adapt to changes or additions. As such, unexpected changes cannot necessarily be catered for and this can cause significant issues for the project. 
  • Limited customer involvement – Once the requirement phase of the Waterfall model has been completed and the project has begun the project is effectively out of the client/customers hands. As such, they don’t have a chance to provide input or feedback till the very end of the project by which point their needs may have changed. Depending on the duration of the project there may even have been legislative changes that impact the project as they couldn’t be catered for in a timely manner. 
  • Deadline creep – A core principle of Waterfall is that the next phase of work doesn’t begin until the previous phase has been finished. However, if there is an issue at one phase this can cause everything else to come to a halt. As nothing can progress until the issue has been resolved, this can cause notable delays in the end product. 

Difference Between Agile and Waterfall

As mentioned, it is highly likely that a project manager will decide which method is the best for a given project. It is advisable to have an understanding of how Agile and Waterfall work, however a core part of a project manager’s role is leading a project and deciding which processes and methods will work best for the project, the team and the timeframe. Unless you are leading the project yourself it is unlikely that you will be deciding which methodology is best. Nevertheless, a general knowledge of popular methodologies such as Agile and Waterfall can be very beneficial. 

Below you will find a table that highlights some of the main differences between Agile and Waterfall. This, combined with the information above, will provide you with an introductory overview of both methodologies enabling you to have a better understanding of how a project that you are working on may be run. 

Agile and Waterfall are two project management methodologies that support the smooth and effective running of a project. Each methodology has its pros and cons, however both provide a clear structure to help guarantee a project’s success. 

Further Resources:

Tags: