I've been stuck between traditional waterfall processes and more flexible, progressively evolving approaches when starting new projects lately. Based on your experiences, what's the most efficient method you'd recommend? Do your preferences vary depending on project size, team dynamics, or customer expectations?
Which methodology do you prefer in the development process?
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I also go through this dilemma from time to time, to be honest. You think you need to use a waterfall approach for a project, but then the client keeps coming with requests like "we also want to add this," and you're torn.
For small to medium-sized projects, I usually lean toward flexible methodologies like Scrum. Having 2-week sprints, continuously updating requirements, and presenting a demo to the client at the end of each sprint is really beneficial. For example, last month when I was working with a client on a new smart home automation system, after the first sprint—where we only implemented light controls—we decided to add thermostat integration in the second sprint. The client feels more involved in the process, and there’s no unnecessary time wasted.
But of course, for large projects, a hybrid approach closer to waterfall might be necessary. For instance, after the infrastructure is fully set up, developing user-facing interfaces iteratively. Here, team size and client expectations play a big role. If the client has vague requests all the time, you should take advantage of Scrum’s ability to get continuous feedback. If the project is very standard with minimal uncertainties, waterfall might even be sufficient.