Zero Sum Games Agile vs. Waterfall Project Management Methods
Last updated: May 11, 2024 Read in fullscreen view
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Agile software development is hitting the mainstream and is starting to displace the traditional project management method known as waterfall. It is useful to step back to see what we are gaining and what we are losing with each approach. We will show that picking one or the other approach may be a zero sum game and we will offer an alternative approach that is non-zero sum.
Let’s start with some definitions. In a zero sum game, each participant's gain or loss is balanced by the losses or gains of the other participants. If we assign a numeric score of 1 for winning and -1 for losing, the sum total will always be zero because there is always a winner and a loser. We can play the game a thousand times and the sum score will still be zero.
Read on: Zero Sum Games: Agile vs. Waterfall Project Management Methods
Key Takeaways
- Best practice infers the one best way to do any particular task. This is can be zero sum because it is all or nothing, right or wrong.
- There are often multiple ways to accomplish a task with equally good results. This simple way to get past zero sum is to focus on good practices rather than the one best practice.
- Good practices can be good enough to get the job done, allowing for individual creativity in finding a better way.
- It should be noted that waterfall and agile methodologies both have best practice advocates. Formal training is available for both methods.
- Many organizations are place great emphasis on doing one method the right way. The problem with this is that people get things done.
- Methodologies are just tools that people use. Common practices or good practices would be non-zero terms to describe what we can learn from a methodology, but the best method for a particular project can vary.
- Rules are a zero sum way to get compliance with best practices. Options are a non-zero sum path to blending human ingenuity with rock solid.
- The real goal is to get the job done. A blended approach makes room for people to focus on the end goal and find a path to success.
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