Growth Oriented Development vs Waterfall Methodology

Developers should learn this methodology when working in startups, consumer-facing applications, or any environment where user acquisition and retention are critical business goals meets developers should learn and use the waterfall methodology in projects with well-defined, stable requirements and low uncertainty, such as government contracts, safety-critical systems, or large-scale infrastructure where changes are costly. Here's our take.

Growth Oriented Development

Nice Pick

Developers should learn this methodology when working in startups, consumer-facing applications, or any environment where user acquisition and retention are critical business goals

Pros

• It is particularly useful for product teams aiming to scale quickly, as it helps prioritize features that drive measurable growth, reduce wasted effort on low-impact work, and foster a culture of experimentation and data-informed decision-making
• Related to: a-b-testing, data-analytics

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Waterfall Methodology

Developers should learn and use the Waterfall Methodology in projects with well-defined, stable requirements and low uncertainty, such as government contracts, safety-critical systems, or large-scale infrastructure where changes are costly

Pros

• It is suitable when regulatory compliance, detailed documentation, and predictable timelines are priorities, as it provides a structured framework for managing complex, long-term projects
• Related to: software-development-life-cycle, project-management

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Growth Oriented Development if: You want it is particularly useful for product teams aiming to scale quickly, as it helps prioritize features that drive measurable growth, reduce wasted effort on low-impact work, and foster a culture of experimentation and data-informed decision-making and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Waterfall Methodology if: You prioritize it is suitable when regulatory compliance, detailed documentation, and predictable timelines are priorities, as it provides a structured framework for managing complex, long-term projects over what Growth Oriented Development offers.

The Bottom Line

Growth Oriented Development wins

Developers should learn this methodology when working in startups, consumer-facing applications, or any environment where user acquisition and retention are critical business goals