How do I survive in a Waterfall world? [duplicate]

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• How possible is it to estimate time for programming projects? [duplicate] 12 answers

I currently work in a company where the Waterfall model is deeply ingrained. We are pushing Agile principles but it's a long process. Meanwhile, I have to work in a Waterfall world with sequential projects phases.

My question is about the analysis phase. I must provide a list of task and how long they will take. What techniques can I use to improve the accuracy/precision of my estimates, while fulfilling the requirement of having a detailed estimate up front?

One example I know would be to use prototyping to get more knowledge before making the estimate.