From Waterfall to Agile: Karthik Marupeddi Highlights the Evolutions in Software Engineering

In software development, traditional models like Waterfall provided structure and predictability but struggled to keep pace with modern expectations. Agile emerged in response as a mindset that emphasizes adaptability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Over time, various frameworks such as Scrum and Kanban helped teams implement these values in various ways. 

Alongside new roles and practices, Agile brought a cultural shift that empowered teams to deliver in smaller, more frequent increments. As software development continues to evolve, Karthik Marupeddi notes that many teams now blend Agile with other processes and tools to meet the demands of complex circumstances.

How the Waterfall Model Shaped Early Software Development

The Waterfall model was one of the first structured approaches to software development. It followed a linear sequence, where each phase, starting with requirements and ending with maintenance, had to be completed before moving to the next. This made it easy to plan and document large projects with clearly defined stages. Projects like early banking systems or military software often relied on the Waterfall due to its predictability and documentation-heavy process.

Many early software projects used the Waterfall model because it mirrored processes in construction and manufacturing. In industries where changes are costly, this model made sense. However, as software needs grew, it became clear that locking in all requirements at the start often led to problems later on.

Teams found it difficult to adapt when stakeholders requested changes midway through a project. Since each step relied on the one before it, even small adjustments could delay delivery or require going back to previous phases. This rigidity led many developers to seek more flexible alternatives.

Why Software Development Needed to Change

As technology progressed, software development faced growing pressure to move faster and adapt more easily. Clients began expecting quicker turnaround times and more frequent updates. It became common for stakeholders to request changes after the initial planning phase, but traditional models struggled to accommodate them. 

Developers often found themselves revisiting earlier steps, which introduced delays and higher costs. This led to frustration among teams and clients alike, highlighting the need for a more responsive approach. In some cases, entire projects were scrapped or restarted, wasting resources and time.

User experience also became a bigger priority. Software could no longer be built in isolation from its users. Projects that ignored feedback until the end often missed the mark, resulting in products that failed to meet real-world needs. A new mindset was required—one that welcomed ongoing input and embraced change without derailing progress. The rise of mobile apps and cloud services made this shift even more urgent.

Agile’s Rise and Core Principles

Karthik Marupeddi explains that agile began gaining momentum in the early 2000s as a response to the rigid nature of traditional development. A group of software professionals came together to define a new set of values, which became known as the Agile Manifesto. It emphasized collaboration, quick feedback, and the ability to respond to change over following a fixed plan. These values created a foundation for more resilient and customer-focused development.

Unlike Waterfall’s step-by-step structure, Agile encouraged working in small, focused iterations. Teams delivered usable software in shorter cycles, allowing them to gather feedback early and adjust as needed. This shift in thinking helped reduce the risk of building something misaligned with the user’s goals. By regularly reviewing progress, teams were better equipped to pivot without losing momentum.

Common Agile Frameworks and Team Roles

Agile isn't a single method but rather a collection of several frameworks, each providing its own approach to the application of Agile principles. Scrum, the most popular of all, organizes the work into time-boxed sprints and holds regular ceremonies to keep the team aligned throughout the process. On the contrary, Kanban focuses on displaying the workflow and limiting work-in-progress to enhance efficiency. The teams select the frameworks depending on the characteristics of their project and on the collaboration style that fits them the best.

Roles within agile teams are organized in a way that they can help each other with flexibility and clarity. The Product Owner is the voice of the customer; he/she prioritizes features so that the most valuable ones are delivered first. The Scrum Master makes sure that the team adheres to Agile practices while at the same time clearing the way of obstacles. Developers, designers, and testers often work together from different areas, and the lines among roles become less defined so that the outcomes are shared by the whole team. The division of labor in this way tends to encourage better problem-solving and quicker iterations.

Daily stand-ups, retrospectives, and sprint reviews are the means through which teams receive feedback and stay close to it. These regular checkpoints give the teams a chance to not only think about and change the product and the process but also to practice the process of reflecting and improving.

What Teams Gain by Utilizing Agile

Agile offers the advantage of quicker delivery of smaller software layers to the teams, thus permitting users to start interacting with a product while the development is still going on. The constant interaction makes it simpler to identify errors earlier and change the course of the project without incurring heavy losses. Besides, it creates a trusting atmosphere among the teams and the stakeholders since the progress is evident and steady. If stakeholders can see constant improvements, they are more likely to keep their commitment.

Feedback is not a thing that has to wait for months; rather, the teams get to know the users’ opinions almost immediately. That degree of quickness or responsiveness not only helps to make the final product user-friendly but also to boost the team’s spirit. When the developers realize that their contribution is positively felt in no time, their motivation usually gets higher.

Adapting for the Future of Software Engineering

Transitioning to Agile is not always an easy process. Some companies consider it a mere checklist item instead of a fundamental change in their approach, which results in confusion and lack of commitment in implementation. Role or ceremony confusions can lead to misunderstandings, especially if management is not completely behind the change. If teams are not guided or trained in Agile methods, they may find it hard to cope and the results may be inconsistent.

Karthik Marupeddi notes mentions that to fulfill the demands of the market, some teams combine Agile with some Waterfall elements, thus developing hybrid strategies that provide a mix of structure and flexibility. In fact, this is the case in large companies or in industries with strict regulations where the need for documentation and predictability still prevails. The use of DevOps practices and automation tools can also facilitate Agile processes by lessening the manual workload and speeding up the deployment cycles. These integrations enable the teams to keep the pace up without compromising the quality.