12/31/2014

WaterfallMarketingvs.AgileMarketing|FloridaTech

WaterfallMarketingvs.AgileMarketing
TwoapproachestoprojectmanagementthathavebeenwellhonedintheITworldarenowdrivingmore
marketingprogramsaswell.TheWaterfallandAgilemarketingapproacheshavedevelopedintodistinct
methodologiesthataretypicallychosenaccordingtohowsuitedtheyaretothenatureoftheproject,the
natureofthebusiness,andthetimeframeinwhichcompletionisneeded,amongothermeasures.
WaterfallMarketingisamodelformarketingplanningandexecutionthatfollowsmoretraditionallines.
Linearandsequential,theprocessflowssteadilydownward,waterfallfashion,throughsetphases.These
phasesincludeconception,initiation,analysis,design,construction,testing,production/implementationand
maintenance.
Originallydescribedin1956asanapproachforsoftwareengineering,waterfallmarketingisconsideredideal
fororganizationswithhighlystructuredenvironmentsandsituations,wherechangesafterthefactwouldbe
costprohibitive.
AgileMarketing,ontheotherhand,involvesrespondingtochangemorethanfollowingaplan.Itisgeared
towardhelpingtheenterprisebetteraddressandrespondtofastchangingmarketingconditionswith
campaignsthatcanbeadaptedaccordingly.Itshortensplanningcyclestodaysorweeksfrommonthsand
years,promotinganiterativeandmoreresponsiveapproachtomarketing.
Theresbeenconsiderabledebateamongmarketingtechnologistsastotherelativemeritsofoneapproach
overtheother,particularlygiventhepaceofchangeaffectingthemarketplace.A2013reportbyForrester
Research,forexample,stated,Thetraditionalannualplanningroutineisripeforextinction,as69%ofour
B2Bmarketingleaderssaythatconditionschangetooquicklytokeepplanscurrent.Acceleratingthetest,
revise,andruncycleoncampaignscanhelpmarketingcompareplannedactivitywithactualresultsbetter.
Thereality,however,isthateachmethodologyhasitsownsetofadvantagesanddisadvantages,which
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12/31/2014

WaterfallMarketingvs.AgileMarketing|FloridaTech

marketersmustweighagainsttheircurrentcircumstances.
Prosandconsofeachapproacharedescribedbelow:

WaterfallMarketingPros
Asthesayinggoes,theresalottobesaidforathoroughplan.TheWaterfallsemphasisonthisconcept
resultsinaplanandavisionthatarecomprehensiveandclearinsteeringthecourse.Thatextensive,upfront
planningenablesfasterprogramlaunchesandahigherdegreeofaccuracyinestimatingtimetablesand
budgets,whichdefinitelyhelpspleaseclientsandseniormanagement.
AnotheradvantageoftheWaterfallplanningfocusishowitcanhelpfacilitatedepartmentalizationand
managerialcontrol.Further,itallowsschedulestobesetwithdeadlinesforeachstageofdevelopmentsothat
aproductcanproceedthroughthedevelopmentprocess.

WaterfallMarketingCons
TheorchestratednatureoftheWaterfallmethodologycreatesanapproachthatisrigidandinflexible.Itleaves
littleroomforrevisionintheeventthatrequirementsorneedswerenotwellthoughtoutoranticipatedduring
theconceptualizationstage.Thisdrawbackiscompoundedbythefactthatfeedbackandtestingaretypically
deferredtolaterstagesoftheproject.
Giventhefactthattheplanningphaseislongerwiththismethodology,itdoesntmakeWaterfallthebest
choiceforprojectswhereneedsarelikelytobeevolving.Norisitidealfordynamiccompaniesthatareadept
andnimbleatrespondingtoarapidpaceofchange.

AgileMarketingPros
TheAgileprocessislesssystematized,wherethepeopleandcollaboration,ratherthantheprocesses,drive
theprocess.Itisflexibleinitsapproach,emphasizingadaptiveplanningandevolutionarydevelopment.This
makesitidealforprojectswheretheendgoalsarenotclearlydefinedorareaworkinprogress.
Theagileteam,whichminimizeseffortsexpendedonunnecessarythings,suchasexcessivemeetingsand
superfluousdocumentation,concentratesonrefiningandexpandingiterationsofprograms,whichallowstheir
fasterproductionatalowercost.Itsidealfordynamicbusinesses.

AgileMarketingCons
TherearedrawbackstothelackofformalstructurethatcharacterizestheWaterfallprocess.Withoutthesame
structureinplace,projectsaremoredifficulttopredict.Theresalsotheriskofaneverendingloopoftesting
beingcreatedontheproject.Moreover,becauseofthelackofdefinitionandplanning,theendresultmayend
upbeingcompletelydifferentthanwhatwasoriginallyanticipated.Andbudgetscanrunoverifnotproperly
managed.
Intheend,whatshouldmattertomarketersastheyexaminethepossibilitieswiththeWaterfallandAgile
approachesshouldnotbewhichmethodologyisbetter,butinwhichsituationseachworksbetter.
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