The Digital Press

This article challenges the common perception of the Waterfall software development life cycle (SDLC) as a rigid, linear process, arguing that the original Waterfall model described by Royce and others was more iterative, flexible, and context-driven than commonly believed.

Why it matters: Misunderstanding Waterfall leads to unfair criticism and missed opportunities to apply its planning strengths appropriately in software projects.

The big picture: Early Waterfall emphasized risk reduction, documentation, and iterative feedback, designed for large, complex projects with costly computing resources.

The stakes: The oversimplified "frozen" Waterfall myth may cause teams to reject useful planned methodologies or misapply Waterfall principles inappropriately.

Commenters say: Readers appreciate the deep historical context debunking myths, while some debate whether modern Agile entirely supersedes traditional Waterfall approaches.