The iterative process is one of those words that, like Agile, automatically makes us think of engineering teams. But most teams iterate in one way or another, and using an iterative method can help you reduce risk, manage efficiency, and approach problems in a more flexible and dynamic way.
If you want to give the iterative process a try, this article is for you. We’ll walk you through how to define the iterative process, as well as how to implement this process on your own team.
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The iterative process is the practice of building, refining, and improving a project, product, or initiative. Teams that use the iterative development process create, test, and revise until they’re satisfied with the end result. You can think of an iterative process as a trial-and-error methodology that brings your project closer to its end goal.
Iterative processes are a fundamental part of lean methodologies and Agile project management—but these processes can be implemented by any team, not just Agile ones. During the iterative process, you will continually improve your design, product, or project until you and your team are satisfied with the final project deliverable.
Think of the iterative process like refining a recipe—you start with a basic version, test it out, gather feedback, and tweak it until it's just right. In iterative project management, this means breaking a project into step-by-step iterative cycles that improve with each round.
An iterative process begins with the first iteration, where the development team creates a simple version that meets the initial project requirements. Then, through user feedback from testers, stakeholders, or focus groups, the team fine-tunes the product—adding new features, improving functionality, and fixing any issues. This feedback loop continues until the final product meets the project goals.
In a non-iterative process, your team works toward a final product without making major changes along the way. More time is spent upfront in the conceptualization and creation phase to ensure everything works as intended in the testing phase.
The most common non-iterative methodology is Waterfall, where project phases are defined before work begins. Each phase must be completed before moving to the next, and project requirements are typically locked to avoid changes.
Example: if you're working with a design agency on an ebook, you’d first provide all the copy. The agency would then design it, and your team would copyedit the final version. Since each step depends on the previous step, you can’t edit the design until it’s finished—classic Waterfall methodology.
While non-iterative processes work well for structured projects, they can be challenging when unexpected issues arise. That’s why engineering teams—and many others—prefer iterative development, allowing for continuous improvement and adaptability.
Manage Agile teams with AsanaThrough trial and error, teams refine a project in an iterative process, continuously improving it based on user feedback and new insights. The focus is on making adjustments over multiple development cycles to enhance the final product.
Incremental design, or incremental development, focuses on gradually expanding a bare-bones deliverable by adding new features over time. Teams launch a first iteration quickly, then build on that foundation—similar to Facebook’s “Move fast and break things” approach.
Most teams combine both iterative development and incremental design. A strong iterative approach ensures incremental improvements, while good incremental development remains adaptive to customer feedback and evolving project goals.
Many engineering teams use the iterative process to develop new features, implement bug fixes, or A/B test new strategies. Often, an engineering team will create a few iterations that they think are equally promising, then test them with users. They’ll note pain points and successes and then continue building out the one that tested the best.
You might be surprised to realize that most product development is very iterative. Think of any personal technology you’ve ever purchased for yourself—there was likely a previous version before the one you bought, and maybe a version afterwards, as well. Think of the development of mobile phones throughout the years, how speakers have gotten smaller and more portable over time, or even the way refrigerators from the same brands have changed to adapt to new family needs. All of these are iterative processes.
Some marketing teams embrace iterative processes; others not so much. But to a certain extent, a lot of marketing is iterative. For example, some marketing teams might test different advertising copy to see which one gets better engagement or send out two versions of an email newsletter to compare click-through rates. Alternatively, a brand marketing team could use iterative design processes to identify the imagery that works best for their target audience.
Though most of a sales team’s customer-facing work isn’t iterative, some of their tasks can benefit from iterative processes. For example, a sales team might take an iterative approach to sending cold emails. They might have their reps send a few different email subject lines and analyze the results. Then, the team can implement the most successful subject lines moving forward.
The iterative process can help you during the lifecycle of a project. During the steps of the iterative process, your goals and requirements will serve as the project’s starting point. Then, your team will use testing, prototyping, and iteration to achieve the best possible result. Here’s how:
During this step in the iterative process, you will define your project plan and align on your overall project objectives. This is the stage where you will outline any hard requirements—things that must happen in order for your project to succeed. Without this step, you run the risk of iterating but not hitting your goals.
During this step, you and your team will focus on the business needs and technical requirements of your project. If step one was the process of outlining your goals, step two is when you brainstorm a design that will help you ultimately hit those goals.
Manage Agile teams with AsanaDuring the third step, your team will create the first iteration of your project deliverable. Your analysis and design will guide this iteration, aiming to achieve your ultimate project objective. The level of detail and time you spend on this iteration will depend on the project.
Now that you have an iteration, you will test it in whatever way makes the most sense. For instance, if you're working on improving a web page, you might consider conducting an A/B test to compare it with your current web page. If you’re creating a new product or feature, consider doing usability testing with a set of potential customers.
In addition to testing, you should also check in with your project stakeholders. Ask them to weigh in on the iteration and provide any feedback.
Read: What is the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle?After testing, your team will evaluate the success of the iteration and align on anything that needs to change. Does this iteration achieve your project objectives? Why, or why not? If something needs to change, you can restart the iterative process by going back to step two to create the next iteration. Keep in mind that your initial planning and goals should remain the same for all iterations. Continue building upon the previous iteration until you get to a deliverable you’re happy with.
If you restart the iterative process, make sure everyone is still aligned on your project goals. The iterative process can take weeks or months, depending on how many iterations you run through. Keeping your iteration focused on your project objectives each time you restart the iterative process can help you stay on course.
The iterative model isn’t right for every team—or every project. Here are the main pros and cons of the iterative process for your team.
Pros:
Increased efficiency. Because the iterative process embraces trial and error, it can often help you achieve your desired result faster than a non-iterative process.
Increased collaboration. Instead of working from predetermined plans and specs (which also takes a lot of time to create), your team is actively working together.
Increased adaptability. As you learn new things during the implementation and testing phases, you can tweak your iteration to best hit your goals—even if that means doing something you didn’t expect to be doing at the start of the iterative process.
More cost effective. If you need to change the scope of the project, you’ll only have invested the minimum time and effort into the process.
Ability to work in parallel. Unlike other, non-iterative methodologies like the waterfall method, iterations aren’t necessarily dependent on the work that comes before them. Team members can work on several elements of the project in parallel, which can shorten your overall timeline.
Reduced project-level risk. In the iterative process, risks are identified and addressed during each iteration. Instead of solving for large risks at the beginning and end of the project, you’re consistently working to resolve low-level risks.
More reliable user feedback. An iteration that users can interact with or see lets them give you incremental feedback on what works and doesn't.
Cons:
Increased risk of scope creep. Because of the trial-and-error nature of the iterative process, your project could develop in ways you didn’t expect and exceed your original project scope.
Inflexible planning and requirements. The first step of the iterative process is to define your project requirements. Changing these requirements during the iterative process can break the flow of your work and cause you to create iterations that don’t serve your project’s purpose.
Vague timelines. Because team members will create, test, and revise iterations until they get to a satisfying solution, the iterative timeline isn’t clearly defined. Additionally, testing for different increments can vary in length, which also impacts the overall iterative process timeline.
Ultimately, every team can learn something from the iterative process. When possible, approach work with a trial-and-error mentality. When in doubt, lean into flexibility and collaboration. And—whether or not you implement the iterative method—always strive for continuous improvement in your work.
For more tips, read our article on 25 essential project management skills.
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