Waterfall model

The waterfall model is a sequential design process, used in [development processes], in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards (like a waterfall) through the phases of:

• Conception
• Initiation
• Analysis
• Design
• Construction
• Testing
• Production/implementation
• Maintenance.

The waterfall development model originates in the manufacturing and construction industries: highly structured physical environments in which after-the-fact changes are prohibitively costly, if not impossible.

Since no formal software development methodologies existed at the time, this hardware-oriented model was simply adapted for software development.

Agile software development is intended to improve upon the Waterfall model.

External Links

• Waterfall model @ Wikipedia