The agile methodology has been around for more than 16 years and has moved from relative obscurity to the mainstream. Still, for many insurance company executives, directors, and managers, agile may be confusing, obscure, and untrusted. Celent frequently receives questions such as:

“Is it possible to use agile in a legacy environment?”

“I am running a fixed cost project, is agile a good choice for the project?”

“What types of projects does agile best fit?”.

There is no “one size fits all” approach to project development. For web and mobile development, agile is usually a good choice. When facing a legacy project where it is crucial to know upfront what to expect, including size, cost, and timeline, waterfall may be the better choice. It depends on the project, the level of clarify around the requirements, and how flexible you can be.

Agile and Waterfall Methodologies Comparison