Real property (construction/real estate/building projects) is generally best suited to waterfall (predictive) management because the work is highly sequential, governed by physical dependencies, and often requires detailed upfront planning and permitting. For example, you typically must complete design, approvals, site preparation, foundation, framing, and inspections in a defined order. Changes later in construction can be expensive and disruptive, so strong baselining, stage gates, and formal change control align well with waterfall practices.
By contrast, research and data analytics often involve discovery and evolving understanding, making iterative/adaptive approaches more effective. Software development can be done in waterfall, but modern practice frequently benefits from Agile/iterative methods due to changing requirements, user feedback loops, and the ease of incremental delivery.
Project+ emphasizes selecting methodologies based on project characteristics (clarity of requirements, volatility, regulatory constraints, and deliverable nature). Real property projects commonly have well-defined deliverables, fixed constraints, and heavy reliance on documentation and approvals—conditions where waterfall’s structured phases and control points provide predictability and governance.
So, among the options, real property is the best candidate for waterfall management.
