Agile Economics: Waterfall vs Incremental Delivery

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Questions and Answers

Explain how incremental delivery provides value to stakeholders faster than the waterfall model.

Incremental delivery provides value faster because features are delivered in short cycles, allowing stakeholders to use them sooner and provide feedback. The waterfall model delays value delivery until the end of the project.

What advantage does early and frequent delivery offer in terms of managing project risk compared to the waterfall approach?

Early and frequent delivery allows for the identification and mitigation of risks earlier in the project lifecycle. This is because each increment is tested and reviewed, uncovering potential problems sooner than in a waterfall approach where risks are often not apparent until late in the project.

Describe a scenario where the incremental approach might not be suitable despite its advantages in delivering early value.

If the system requires all components to be fully integrated and functional from the outset, such as a safety-critical system, an incremental approach might increase integration complexity and risk. Or, the project has a hard deadline that cannot be broken into smaller increments.

How does the 'fast feedback' loop in incremental delivery contribute to improved product quality compared to the waterfall model?

Fast feedback allows for continuous improvement based on user input and testing results. The continuous feedback helps to identify and correct defects early, leading to higher quality product. Waterfall relies on feedback at the end of the project, leading to more defects being found at the end of the project when it is more costly to fix. Signup and view all the answers

If you were managing a project with a high degree of uncertainty, would you choose incremental delivery or waterfall? Explain your reasoning.

I would choose incremental delivery for its ability to adapt to changing requirements and feedback. The iterative nature of the method promotes early and continuous value delivery, while mitigating the risks associated with high uncertainty. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a widely recognized Agile framework?

Scrum (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Agile methodologies?

Responding to change and customer collaboration (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a common practice used in Agile development?

Timeboxing (D) Signup and view all the answers

According to the Agile Manifesto, what is valued more?

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an Agile practice that helps teams visualize their workflow and limit work in progress?

Kanban (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal according to the first principle of the Agile Manifesto?

Satisfying the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is valued more in Agile development?

Responding to change (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does the Agile Manifesto say about customer collaboration?

It is more important than contract negotiation. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How frequently should working software be delivered, according to the Agile principles?

Frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to Agile principles, who should work together daily throughout the project?

Business people and developers (D) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Waterfall Methodology

A sequential design process where progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards through the phases.

Incremental Delivery

A software development approach where requirements, design, implementation and testing are completed in multiple cycles.