Assignment 1: Agile versus Waterfall

Assignment 1: Agile versus Waterfall Due Week 2 and worth 80 points The following resources may be helpful when completing this assignment. •Agile vs. waterfall methodology (http://agileintro.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/waterfall-vs-agile-methodology/). •Understanding the pros and cons of the waterfall model of software development. Retrieved from TechRepublic Website (http://www.techrepublic.com/article/understanding-the-pros-and-cons-of-the-waterfall-model-of-software-development/6118423). •Transitioning from waterfall to iterative development. Retrieved from IBM DeveloperWorks Website (http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/4243.html). Agile approach to project management has become more and more popular in recent years. Agile framework is different from traditional waterfall model. It has considerable impact on how projects are planned and executed. Imagine that you have been assigned as a project manager to manage your company’s e-Commerce Website where customers can browse the company’s products, place orders, and interact with the company’s customer service representatives. Your project must be completed in three (3) months and you have about twelve (12) people in the team. There are three (3) offshore developers in Ireland and two QA testers in Dallas, TX. The rest of the project team and the product owner are in San Diego, CA. Write a five to six (5-6) page paper in which you: 1.Compare and contrast agile and Waterfall models of managing a project in the context of building an e-Commerce Website. Include diagrams or tables through the use of graphical tools in Microsoft Word or Visio, or an open source alternative such as Dia to show the differences and similarities. Note: The graphically depicted solution is not included in the required page length. 2.Evaluate the pros and cons in agile and Waterfall project management in terms of planning and the execution of projects and collaboration among project team members. 3.Decide whether you would use an “Agile” or “Waterfall” model to manage the project for your company. Support your rationale. 4.Identify and analyze the pitfalls and misconceptions inherited in your chosen approach. Analyze how you, as a project manager, could mitigate the risks that are associated with those misconceptions. 5.Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. You may use the resources above or others of your choosing. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: •Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. •Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. •Include charts or diagrams created in Excel, Visio, MS Project, or one of their equivalents such as Open Project, Dia, and OpenOffice. The completed diagrams / charts must be imported into the Word document before the paper is submitted. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: •Compare and contrast agile project management methods with traditional project management. •Use technology and information resources to research issues in advanced agile project management topics. •Write clearly and concisely about advanced agile project management topics using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions. Click here to view the grading rubric for this assignment...