Continuous Development

The Hidden Costs of Big Design Up Front (And How to Avoid Them)

When you're building a software system a single new requirement can result in a complete redesign of the solution. While Agile software development advocates for iterative design, this risk of rework leads a lot of companies to continue the Waterfall practice of completing a Big Design Up Front (BDUF) before beginning development. But it's not as straightforward as it seems. BDUF can be a double-edged sword because, while it can help you avoid rework, there are downsides to this approach as well.