incremental approach

An adaptive way of developing where the product is delivered in successive pieces, each adding new features, until the result has all the capabilities needed to be called complete.

Key Points

  • Delivers working slices that expand functionality over time.
  • Each increment is planned, built, tested, and potentially releasable.
  • Stakeholder feedback after each increment helps shape upcoming work and priorities.
  • Different from iterative: incremental adds new features; iterative refines what already exists; they are often combined.

Example

A team building a customer portal releases Version 1 with login and profile, Version 2 adds order history, Version 3 adds returns and refunds, and Version 4 adds loyalty points. Each release is usable and adds new capability until the portal meets the defined completion criteria.

PMP Example Question

A team delivers a usable product every few weeks, each release adding new features until the product has the full set of required capabilities. What approach is the team using?

  1. Iterative approach
  2. Incremental approach
  3. Predictive life cycle
  4. Rolling wave planning

Correct Answer: B — Incremental approach

Explanation: Incremental development focuses on delivering additional functionality in successive, usable releases until the product is complete.

Leadership for Project Managers Course

Lead with clarity, confidence, and real impact. This Leadership for Project Managers course turns day-to-day challenges—unclear priorities, tough stakeholders, and cross-functional friction—into opportunities to guide teams and deliver outcomes that matter.

You’ll learn practical leadership skills tailored to project realities: setting direction without overcontrol, creating alignment across functions, and building commitment even when authority is limited. We go beyond theory with tools you can use immediately—one-sentence visioning, stakeholder influence maps, decision framing, and feedback scripts that actually land.

Expect hands-on frameworks, real-world examples, and guided practice to prepare for tough moments—executive readouts, resistance from stakeholders, and high-stakes negotiations. Downloadable templates and checklists keep everything actionable when the pace gets intense.

Ready to influence without waiting for a bigger title? Join a community of ambitious PMs, sharpen your edge, and deliver with purpose—project after project.



Launch your career!

HK School of Management provides world-class training in Project Management with AI and Agile Methodologies. Just for the price of a lunch you can transform your career, and reach new heights. With 30 days money-back guarantee, there is no risk.

Learn More