Waterfall Model Simulation: A Systematic Mapping Study

This paper systematically maps peer-reviewed research and graduate theses/dissertations that explicitly simulate the waterfall model. Following Petersen's mapping guidelines and Kitchenham's systematic literature review practices, major databases (ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Springer, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) were searched for studies published between 2000-2024 using the title query ("simulation" OR "simulating") AND "waterfall". A PRISMA workflow guided the screening process, and approximately 9% of retrieved records met the inclusion criteria. A repeated extraction process captured methods, tools, venues, geography, publication years, comparative scope, and fidelity to Royce's original model; findings were synthesized thematically. Discrete-event simulation dominates (80%) compared to system dynamics (20%). Reported tools center on Simphony.NET (40%) and SimPy (20%), while 40% of studies omit tool details, limiting reproducibility. Research is distributed across Italy, Lebanon, India, Japan, and the United States; publication venues include 60% journals and 40% conferences. Sixty percent of studies are comparative, while 40% model only the waterfall approach. No study reproduces Royce's original model; all employ adaptations. The paper concludes by presenting a consolidated view of waterfall simulation research and recommending clearer model reporting, fuller tool disclosure, and wider adoption of open-source platforms.