I’ve been a developer since 1994 and I consistently see one thing that determines the outcome of large development projects and it’s not agile vs waterfall or any other methodology. It’s strong leadership. Strong leadership can guide, correct, encourage and maintain direction across a team. Without it, no amount of following processes will work.

Sometimes that leadership comes from unexpected places and not the project manager or “architect”.

The most successful projects I’ve been a part of were because one or a few people cared. Cared enough to build the right thing. Cared to make sure it was high quality. Cared about the stakeholders. When the leader is that person it is great but I found usually it’s one senior member on the team who ends up being that person.

My 26-year experience: the only methodology that works and that will ever work - hire the right people and get the F out of the way