2. What are the differences between plan-based and agile development methods?

Discuss conditions
that favor each of these methods. (maximum 1 page)

Plan Based Method Agile Method

 Upfront Planning:
Focusses on upfront planning with documenting
steps & structures and the progress is captures
based on the devised plan. The project scope is
clear, and requirements are well understood
 Flexible Environment
Emphasis on flexible environment with little
upfront planning and more focusses on
incremental planning. The client requirements
are continuous/incremental during the project

 More Adaptability to changes  Limited Adaptability to changes

Not adaptive to late changes in project Flexible environment allows room for
requirements as a lot of planning is done based requirement changes without impacting the
on analyses of initial needs overall design

 Communication on milestones  Continuous Communication

Customers are contacted less frequently; more
time is devoted in understanding customer
needs initially and convert it into system
requirements. The aim is to be deliver the
business requirements based on the pre-planned
milestones after certain tasks are completed
Relies on continuous communication with
customers during the development period and
be more adaptive to customer needs. The aim
is to be responsive based on changes by the
customer and reduce the time required to
deliver the needs of the customers

 Developed Processes & Standardization  Less Structured and Rapid Development

Any task given must go through the developed Rapid deployment of the customer needs is
processes; rapid delivery is difficult to achieve. possible due to less processes. Less structured
Documents and communications are and relies more on self-individual and informal
standardized which helps this method to work internal communications within the team
well with multiple locations working on the project

 Less Ad-hoc costs/associated risks  Higher cost of changes & riskier

Costs involved to make changes is higher as the Cost required to make any changes is lower as
requirement passes through the entire designed immediate changes can be made. The risk
processes. The risks are mitigated by pre- identification is limited, and the management is
planned identification before the project starts ready to accept the associated risks

 Well-Informed team members  Team members not on same ground

Every member of the team is up to date with the Less standardization makes it difficult for
work done and is well informed with whoever is everyone at all the locations to be on the same
responsible for which aspect of development ground in terms of development

 Teams in different time zones  In-house team members

When the teams working on a project is located When the client’s requirements/needs are
at different time zones; standardizing work incremental throughout the scope of the project
plays a major role in such environment and continuous changes are needed