Integrating Agile Practices in Waterfall Methodology During Construction Phase: A Hybrid Approach in Construction Project Management

The purpose of this study was to explore the hybrid approach in construction project management by integrating Agile practices into the Waterfall methodology that will address the inherent challenges faced during the construction phase. A mixed-methods approach was employed, gathering both quantitative and qualitative data from a purposive sample of 15 construction project managers. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions for categorical variables, while Fisher's Exact Test with Monte Carlo simulations was applied to assess the significance of relationships between variables. Findings revealed that common Waterfall-related challenges include delayed feedback (73%), lack of flexibility (54%), and poor collaboration (40%). While 60% of respondents were unfamiliar with Scrum, 53% had basic knowledge of Kanban, and 33% had intermediate knowledge. Agile practices such as Daily Scrum (100%), collaboration tools (80%), and Sprint Reviews were seen as effective strategies for enhancing communication, progress updates, and project alignment. The majority of respondents (93%) viewed the integration of Agile into Waterfall as feasible, with 67% interested in adopting a hybrid approach. Benefits included reduced delays (87%), increased flexibility (73%), and faster project delivery (60%), though challenges such as resistance to change (87%), lack of training (73%), and implementation complexity (60%) were noted. The study suggests that adopting a hybrid Agile-Waterfall approach can improve construction project management by addressing the limitations of Waterfall and enhancing flexibility, communication, and efficiency during the construction phase.