Predictive Life Cycle (Waterfall)
A predictive life cycle is a plan-driven approach where the project scope, schedule, and cost are determined early and changes are carefully managed.
Explanation
In a predictive life cycle — often called waterfall — the project team defines the full scope of the project and develops a detailed plan before execution begins. Work proceeds sequentially through well-defined phases such as requirements, design, build, test, and deploy. Each phase typically must be completed before the next one starts, creating a linear flow of work.
This approach works best when the product and deliverables are well understood, the requirements are stable, and the technology is mature. Industries like construction, manufacturing, and regulated environments often favor predictive life cycles because the cost of change is high and stakeholders need detailed upfront planning for budgeting and compliance.
The primary advantage of a predictive life cycle is predictability: stakeholders can see the full plan, understand the timeline, and budget accordingly. The primary disadvantage is inflexibility: if requirements change significantly after planning, the cost of rework can be substantial. Changes are managed through a formal change control process, and any approved change typically requires replanning.
Key Points
- •Scope, schedule, and cost are determined early in the project
- •Work flows sequentially through defined phases
- •Best suited for stable requirements and well-understood deliverables
- •Changes are managed through formal change control
Exam Tip
On the exam, predictive is synonymous with plan-driven and waterfall. If a scenario describes fully defined requirements upfront with sequential phases, the answer involves a predictive life cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
Project Life Cycle
The project life cycle is the series of phases that a project passes through from its start to its completion.
Adaptive Life Cycle
An adaptive life cycle is a change-driven approach that is both iterative and incremental, where the detailed scope is defined and approved before the start of each iteration.
Hybrid Life Cycle
A hybrid life cycle is a combination of predictive and adaptive approaches, using elements of both based on the nature of the work.
Baselines (Scope, Schedule, Cost)
A baseline is the approved version of a work product that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results.
Test your knowledge
Practice scenario-based questions on this topic with detailed explanations.