Waterfall methodology is the traditional software development method that everyone’s familiar with, and is still in use today. On the other hand, the spiral methodology is the result of one of many evolutions of the modern software development methodology.
Are you wondering how well these two fair against each other? We have the answer for you right here. But of course, we can’t start comparing without knowing their pros and cons. So let’s get started!
Pros of Waterfall Model
- Objectives are more simple and easy to align for all teammates
- Helps to strictly adhere to specified project timelines
- Planning takes priority over predictability
- Testing parameters are specified before the development phase begins
- Offers better control and departmentalization for project managers
- Since all steps are predicted, the project is far easier to manage
- Helps avoid objective or process overlapping since one phase doesn’t begin till the previous one is over
Cons of Waterfall Model
- High delivery time
- Doesn’t change direction from the original plan
- Often requires a hard reset in the case of a plan change
- Clients or users aren’t involved in the development process
- Not a great methodology for working on complex projects
Pros of Spiral Method
- Helps deliver early in the lifecycle
- High-risk mitigation due to risk analysis and risk handling at every phase
- High flexibility in requirements
- Additional functionality can be added in later stages
- Best for large and more complex projects
- Better for customer satisfaction
- Strong documentation control
- Suitable for high-risk projects due to risk analyzing and mitigating nature of the model
Cons of Spiral Method
- Highly expensive
- High expenses make it inappropriate for smaller projects
- Very dependent on risk analysis
- Requires highly specific expertise
- Time management is very difficult
- Spirals might go on indefinitely, increasing development time
- No way to predict the end of the project
- Not suitable for low-risk projects
- Tougher to define objectives due to milestones changing constantly
Ultimate Comparison
| Parameters | Waterfall Model | Spiral Model |
| Simplicity | Highly simple and straightforward | Relatively inexpensive compared to the Spiral model |
| Proceeding | Works in a sequential method | Works in the evolutionary method |
| Error Identification | Errors are identified once the development phase is complete | Errors are identified and fixed earlier |
| Adoption | The model is adopted by customers | The model is adopted by developers |
| Use Case | Applicable for small projects | Applicable for large-scale projects |
| Flexibility | Very low | Very high |
| Risk Factor | High | Low |
| Cost | Relatively inexpensive compared to Spiral model | Testing begins only after the develop |
| Customer Involvement | Minimum | Maximum |
| Maintenance Requirements | Low | Low-Medium |
| Testing | Testing begins only after the development cycle has ended | Testing is done during the development cycle |
| Reusability | Highly unlikely | Reusable to a certain extent |
| Customer Control | Very limited | Customers have control over the administrators |
FAQ
Project timelines are generally more accurate in Waterfall due to its detailed planning.
Waterfall is often favored by startups and small teams due to its simplicity and structured approach.
V-Model can incorporate some Agile principles, but it’s not as flexible or iterative as pure Agile methodologies.
V-Model is better for minimizing the risk of incomplete testing due to its emphasis on testing at each stage.
It’s possible but challenging to switch from Waterfall to V-Model mid-project, as it requires a significant shift in approach.
