Waterfall Culture
Noun · Hacker Culture
Definitions
A workplace pattern shaped by sequential planning, handoffs, up-front requirements, and late-stage testing, often associated with traditional waterfall project methods. Teams invoke the phrase when process feels rigid and adaptation is slow.
In plain English: A work culture built around rigid sequential planning and handoffs.
Example: "The roadmap kept missing reality because waterfall culture pushed big commitments before the technical unknowns were explored."