🌊 Water-Scrum-Fall Guide
Hybrid implementation for large organizations combining waterfall governance with agile delivery
🔄 Water-Scrum-Fall Model
🌊 Waterfall Layer
Strategic planning, governance, and long-term coordination
🔄 Scrum Layer
Agile development sprints and iterative delivery
📉 Fall Layer
Operations, maintenance, and support
🌊 Waterfall Layer
Strategic planning, governance, and long-term coordination
Strategic Planning
🛠️ Activities
- •Long-term roadmap development
- •Budget allocation and approval
- •Resource planning across projects
- •Governance framework setup
- •Stakeholder alignment
📦 Deliverables
- •Multi-year roadmap
- •Budget approvals
- •Resource allocation plan
- •Governance structure
🔗 Integration Points
Waterfall Planning → Scrum Sprint Planning
Quarterly planning → Sprint planning
Strategic roadmap items feed into sprint backlogs
Key Artifacts:
Roadmap itemsBudget allocationsResource assignments
Scrum Sprint Review → Waterfall Integration
End of each sprint → Integration phase
Sprint increments feed into integration testing phase
Key Artifacts:
Working incrementsTest resultsIntegration requirements
Waterfall Deployment → Fall Operations
Post-deployment → Ongoing operations
Deployed systems transition to operations and support
Key Artifacts:
Deployment documentationOperations runbooksSupport procedures
Fall Support → Scrum Backlog
Ongoing → Next sprint planning
Production issues and enhancements feed back into development
Key Artifacts:
Bug reportsEnhancement requestsUser feedback
📋 Implementation Guide
✅ Best Practices
- • Establish clear boundaries between layers
- • Define integration points and handoff procedures
- • Maintain separate governance for each layer
- • Use different tools and processes per layer
- • Ensure clear communication channels
- • Balance structure with agility
- • Regular synchronization meetings
- • Document integration procedures
⚠️ Common Challenges
- • Conflicts between waterfall and agile mindsets
- • Handoff delays between layers
- • Unclear ownership and accountability
- • Over-bureaucratization of agile layer
- • Under-planning in waterfall layer
- • Communication gaps between layers
- • Tool and process misalignment
- • Resistance to hybrid approach
🎯 When to Use Water-Scrum-Fall
✅ Ideal Scenarios
- • Large organizations with complex governance needs
- • Regulated industries requiring documentation
- • Projects with both strategic and tactical components
- • Organizations transitioning from waterfall to agile
- • Multi-team projects requiring coordination
- • Long-term projects with evolving requirements
⚠️ Considerations
- • Requires strong coordination between layers
- • May slow down agile teams if not managed well
- • Needs experienced practitioners in both approaches
- • Can create confusion if boundaries unclear
- • Requires cultural acceptance of hybrid model
- • Needs clear governance and decision-making
Water-Scrum-Fall recognizes that different parts of an organization need different approaches. The key is making the boundaries explicit and ensuring smooth handoffs between layers. Don't try to force one methodology everywhere.
— Scott Ambler, Agile Methodologist
I've seen Water-Scrum-Fall work well in large financial institutions. The waterfall layer handles compliance and governance, while Scrum teams deliver value quickly. The challenge is preventing waterfall bureaucracy from slowing agile teams.
— Mark Lines, Disciplined Agile Expert