The phases every process shares
Requirements, design, build, test, deploy, maintain. Processes differ in whether those phases happen once in sequence or many times in small loops, and in how much is decided up front.
1. Waterfall
Each phase completes before the next begins. Everything is specified first, then built, then tested. For: fixed-scope projects with stable requirements and regulatory sign-off, such as a government portal. Not for: anything where the client will learn what they want by seeing it, which is most websites.
2. Agile (Scrum and Kanban)
Work in short cycles, usually two-week sprints, with a working product at the end of each and priorities re-set as you learn. For: products with evolving requirements and an engaged client. Not for: clients who need a fixed price and date before starting, unless scope is controlled carefully.
3. Iterative
Build a rough version of the whole thing, then refine it in passes. Close to how design works: sketch, wireframe, prototype, polish. For: projects where the shape is known but details are not. Not for: systems where a rough version is dangerous, such as payments.
4. Incremental
Build and ship complete pieces one at a time: the catalogue, then checkout, then accounts. Each increment is finished and usable. For: ecommerce and platforms that can launch partially. Not for: products that only make sense whole.
5. V-model
Waterfall with a test phase planned against every build phase: acceptance tests written against requirements, integration tests against design, unit tests against code. For: safety-critical or compliance-heavy systems. Not for: fast-moving web work; the overhead is not justified.
| Process | Change during project | Fixed price? | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfall | Hard | Yes | Fixed-scope, regulated |
| Agile | Easy | Per sprint | Products, apps |
| Iterative | Easy | Sometimes | Design-led builds |
| Incremental | Moderate | Per increment | Ecommerce, platforms |
| V-model | Hard | Yes | Safety-critical |
What GoDesign uses
A hybrid. Discovery and design are iterative: brief, wireframe, prototype, revise until approved. Build is incremental with a fixed price: agreed milestones, each delivered and reviewed before the next. Larger web applications such as the S-Line platform run in sprints after the first release. The company page describes the client-facing version.
Common questions
- Which software development process is best for a website?
- An iterative design phase followed by an incremental build against a fixed quote. Pure Waterfall produces sites clients do not like; pure Agile makes budgets hard to commit to.
- Can Agile work with a fixed budget?
- Yes, if scope is the variable: a fixed number of sprints with the client prioritising what goes in each. What cannot be fixed is scope, price and date all at once.
- What is the difference between iterative and incremental?
- Iterative refines the whole product in passes; incremental completes it in pieces. A painting done in layers is iterative; a house built room by room is incremental. Most real projects mix both.
