definition of methodology in project management

Project Management Methodology: Definition, Types, Examples

What is a project management methodology ? How can it be defined? In simple terms, it is a must-have to avoid failure and reduce risks because it is one of the critical success factors as well as the core competency of the management team. It is the straightforward way to guide the team through the development and execution of the phases, processes and tasks throughout the project management life-cycle.

What is a Methodology? The Definition in Project Management

The term “ project management methodology ” was first defined in the early 1960s when various business organizations began to look for effective ways that could simplify the realization of business benefits and organize the work into a structured and unique entity (which was called “ project ” later on). Communication and collaboration were the key criteria for establishing productive work relationships between the teams and departments within one and the same organization.

Since that time, the term has been changed and modified many times, new definitions have been created, new elements and functions have been added. Today we consider a project management methodology as a set of broad principles and rules to manage a specific project that has a definite beginning and end. Below is the current definition of methodology .

Project Management Methodology is a strictly defined combination of logically related practices, methods and processes that determine how best to plan, develop, control and deliver a project throughout the continuous implementation process until successful completion and termination. It is a scientifically-proven, systematic and disciplined approach to project design, execution and completion.

The purpose of project methodology is to allow for controlling the entire management process through effective decision making and problem solving, while ensuring the success of specific processes, approaches, techniques, methods and technologies.

Typically, a project management methodology provides a skeleton for describing every step in depth, so that the project manager or program manager will know what to do in order to deliver and implement the work according to the schedule, budget and client specification.

Referring to the above mentioned definition, an appropriately chosen project management methodology paves the way for gaining the following achievements:

• The needs of stakeholders are defined
• A common “language” is established and understood by the team, so they know what’s expected of them
• Cost estimates are complete, accurate and credible
• Every task is done using a common methodological approach
• Most conflicts are spotted and resolved early
• Expected deliverables are produced and handed over
• Lessons are learned and solutions are quickly implemented

Methodology in Project Management Framework

Project management (the acronym “PM”) provides the framework of planning, doing and delivering projects of any kind, size, nature and type. PM framework focuses on the realization of desired change in line with a chosen methodological approach. Actually, change is the core aspect that should be managed. PM framework identifies and defines how to best manage change. And methodology serves as the “way” to systematically realize change in terms of time, cost and quality.

Managing projects means describing and performing the activities required to meet the specific objectives of making change.

For example, writing a book is a kind of project in which the objective is to write a book. This objective can be fulfilled by a series of activities, including defining the topic, collecting material, creating a draft, typing, proofreading, others. So in terms of project management, the author needs to define and then complete all the necessary activities in order to write a book (which means make change).

Here’s a simplified example of how a project methodology can be presented in the management hierarchical structure:

PM Framework precedes Methodology which in turn precedes Lifecycle Stages and determines the project management Processes, Tasks and Activities

Project Management Methodology Types

In project management there are a variety of approaches and methods that can be employed in managing different kinds of project. All the types of project methodology can be conditionally divided into traditional and modern approaches.

Traditional Approach

A traditional approach involves a series of consecutive stages in the project management process. It is a step-by-step sequence to design, develop and deliver a product or service. It entails achieving the succession in the implementation process and provides the benefits of milestone-based planning and team building. In IT and software development, this methodology type is called “ Waterfall ” – one portion of work follows after another in linear sequence.

The following stages are included the traditional project management methodology:

• Initiation (requirements specification)
• Planning and design
• Execution (construction and coding)
• Control and integration
• Validation (testing and debugging)
• Closure (installation and maintenance)

Modern Approaches

Modern methodologies do not focus on linear processes but they provide an alternative look at project management. Some of the methods are best for IT and software development, while others can be implemented in production, process improvement, product engineering, and so on. Modern PM approaches use different models of the management process.

Project Management Methodology Examples

It is the matter of a project’s type, size and nature to select the right methodology. Here are the most popular PM methodologies:

PMBOK® Guide

Although A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge IS NOT a PM methodology in its “ pure state “, many people regard it as the methodological approach to planning, executing, controlling and terminating various projects. Meanwhile, the PMBOK® Guide is a broad inventory of best practices and ideas on planning and implementing projects. Please note that it is just a guide but not a project management methodology.

PRojects IN Controlled Environments 2 ( PRINCE2 ) presents a suite of process-driven methods and documentation-oriented approaches that allow driving various projects in the private sector. It was developed the UK Government, and today this great example of project management methodology is used both in the UK and internationally.

Critical path method (CPM) explores the most important or critical tasks of a project by defining possible activity sequences and estimating the longest duration of each sequence. It helps figure out how long it will take to complete the work and what tasks will compose the scope.

Lean PM methodology intends to maximize customer value and minimize resource waste. Lean project management lets organizations create higher value for their customers with fewer resources. This approach achieves perfection in customer satisfaction and value generation through implementing an optimized process flow that eliminates waste in products, services, transportation, inventories, etc.

The method of Six Sigma was originally developed by Motorola to improve its production processes by eliminating defects (defined as “non-conformity of a product or service to its specifications”). Today Six Sigma is one of the most popular and worldwide trusted examples of project management methodology for ensuring the accuracy and speed of a process’s implementation through eliminating or minimizing waste.

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) is the way to plan, implement and review various kinds of work in single- and multi-project environments. This management methodology uses Theory of Constraints (TOC) and the concept of buffers to establish improved task durations and manage resource-dependent tasks and activities.

SCRUM is an example of Agile PM methodology that involves teams in producing a software product in 30-day “ sprints ” and monthly “ scrum sessions “. In a SCRUM-driven project, the deliverables are broken down into 30-day intervals. This methodology example is specific and applicable mainly to collaborative, 100%-dedicated teams, with no heavily constrained time and materials budget.

Project Management for Students

Project management for students is a vital part of the education and training process. Students can easily get a project management degree, but it does not mean that it comes as easy as taking the homework. Students need to take into account some important aspects if they want to manage a project properly.

For instance, choosing the best admission essay writing service is of great importance because if for some reason the student cannot deliver a high-quality essay in time, he will most likely fail the course or even worse he will be expelled from the college or university.

Students should prepare well for the project or the essay. They need to research on the topic beforehand, keep track of what is going on, write on time and work within the deadline.

This will allow them to catch up with their fellow students, focusing only on what they have to do and not worrying about what other people are doing.

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Project Management Methodologies & Frameworks You Should Know

Updated: Jul 23, 2024, 7:47pm

Table of Contents

What is a project management methodology, common project management methodologies, how to choose the right project management methodology, frequently asked questions (faqs).

A project management methodology is a set of guiding principles that help you manage a project successfully. There are many methodologies available, but some might be better for you than others. In this article, we take a close look at some of the most popular methodologies, including why they work and which ones you should choose.

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A project management methodology is a set of principles that project managers and team leaders use to plan, execute and manage a successful project. One of the most common is the Agile project management methodology, which focuses on flexibility and speed as its guiding principles. Others, such as the lean methodology preaches waste elimination as the primary principle.

Project management methodologies like these will often have an associated framework that gives project managers processes, procedures and tools based on the principle. For example, the Scrum project management framework is based on the Agile methodology. The Kanban framework is based on the lean project management methodology.

However, other project management methodologies, such as the waterfall method include all the principles, processes and tools without a separate framework. For this reason, when discussing the common methodologies and determining which is best for you, we’ll also discuss the relevant frameworks that help you best implement your chosen principles of management.

The best project management methodologies help you complete a project on time and under budget while exceeding quality standards. With that in mind, let’s look at the most common methodologies and their frameworks so you can choose the best one for you.

Arguably the most common project management methodologies are the waterfall, Agile and lean methods. However, there are many other helpful methodologies available, including the PRINCE2, critical path and Six Sigma methods. Let’s look at each of these methodologies and their related frameworks.

The waterfall model is a traditional, linear project management methodology developed in the 1950s. The model typically includes five or six dependent phases, with each phase relying on the deliverables of the previous one. For this reason, you need to complete each phase before moving onto the next. The six phases of the waterfall methodology include:

• Requirements: Gather information and create a detailed project plan that outlines each stage of the process, key dependencies, timelines and more.
• Design: Common in software development, this phase specifies things, including hardware, coding languages and user interface design.
• Implementation: Next it’s time to develop the product. Using the software example, this is where software development would take place.
• Verification: Test the software with a quality assurance (QA) team to discover and fix bugs and defects as well as identify additional risks.
• Deployment: At this stage, the software is deployed to the end-user or the final deliverable is given to the end customer.
• Maintenance: Maintain the software and make occasional modifications to fix defects, improve performance and add features.

The waterfall model offers a clear plan from start to finish and identifies requirements early in the process. An emphasis on documentation at every stage supports continuity no matter who works on the project.

However, this methodology is rigid and doesn’t account for factors that are unknown early but become relevant later. The linear process doesn’t leave room to iterate when new requirements or constraints become known. This could lead to an inefficient process with an ineffective outcome. For this reason, the waterfall methodology is only good if you’re managing a project with few unknowns.

Originally developed by Toyota for auto manufacturing, lean project management is focused on delivering value and eliminating waste, which it identifies in three categories by their Japanese names:

• Muda: wasted time, resources or effort that don’t add value for the end user.
• Mura: overproduction and excess inventory accumulated through an irregular workflow.
• Muri: overburdening of employees at any stage of a workflow.

The lean project management methodology specializes in creating a culture of continuous improvement by eliminating waste and empowering employees. It helps reduce costs, increase efficiencies and improve quality and employee morale. One of the primary frameworks for implementing its principles is the Kanban framework, which we discuss below

Kanban is a method of lean project management that gives a visual overview of the project process from start to finish. This helps you manage workflow by showing exactly who is working on what and the status of each project component.

People using the Kanban method rely on a Kanban board, which is a digital project management tool that offers columns for various steps in a project workflow and “cards” for each project component moving through that workflow. Cards are moved from one step to the next as they progress through the process.

Agile project management methodologies developed as a response to the rigidity of the waterfall model and were inspired by the speed and flexibility of lean methods. They’re intentionally iterative and collaborative, and they put emphasis on creating good products for customers.

Agile isn’t just a methodology but a set of principles that underlie several methodologies, which sprung from the need for adaptive project management. Core Agile principles, as laid out in the Agile Manifesto penned in 2001 by a group of renegade software developers, include:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

These principles allow for quick iterations that increase productivity and efficiency and can address changing requirements throughout the project lifecycle. However, eliminating documentation and relying on individual interaction can impede scalability and continuity across teams, especially within larger organizations. Therefore, Agile is best for small teams where developers and stakeholders are on the same page about business needs and constraints.

There are several Agile frameworks people use to implement this set of principles. The most common is the Scrum framework. Let’s look at the most popular Agile frameworks.

Designed for small teams, a Scrum framework guides a simple process of communication, planning, execution and feedback.

Scrum teams work in “sprints” of two to four weeks. The team first plans the goals of the sprint and agrees on deliverables to complete in that period. The team then meets daily for a 15-minute “scrum” or “stand up,” where each team member shares progress and impediments toward the goal.

At the end of each sprint, the team holds a longer meeting for sprint review to present completed work and get feedback and suggestions for future work.

Scrumban is a hybrid of Scrum and Kanban methods. It follows a scrum workflow and visualizes work on a Kanban board with three columns: To Do, Doing and Done. To avoid being overwhelmed, team members pull tasks from To Do as they have bandwidth, rather than committing to timeboxed sprints.

Practitioners of Scrumban keep a daily standup but don’t hold an end-of-sprint review. Instead, they conduct planning and review on an as-needed basis as tasks are completed.

Extreme Programming (XP)

Focused squarely on software development, XP project management emphasizes communication, simplicity, feedback and testing. It relies on “feedback loops,” where coding is happening continuously—without waiting for comprehensive design or planning upfront—and iterations follow feedback from testing.

The method is best suited for teams where programmers are in sync with stakeholders because the lack of formal management and documentation raises the risk for miscommunication and never-ending changes. However, this framework can create scope creep and it can become costly over time.

PRINCE2 stands for “projects in controlled environments” and was created by the United Kingdom government in 1996 as a version of the waterfall project management methodology. PRINCE2 is based on seven principles that start with a clear business case and include stakeholder management, initiation, planning, control, progress monitoring and acceptance criteria.

There are also seven process steps of PRINCE2, which include:

• Starting a project: Start the project by submitting a project plan that defines the business case.
• Directing a project: The project board reviews the plan and decides to move forward.
• Initiating a project: The board chooses a project manager who creates a more detailed project plan.
• Controlling a project: The project manager breaks down the project into more manageable stages.
• Managing product delivery: The project manager oversees the project’s progress and assesses quality standards.
• Managing stage boundaries: Project board holds a review at the end of each stage before moving forward.
• Closing a project: T he project manager completes the project and creates the final report.

PRINCE2 is a well-structured and proven methodology that’s widely used. It’s also considered more flexible than the traditional waterfall method. However, PRINCE2 can be time-consuming with a lot of processes that can slow down a small project. Therefore, it’s best for more complex projects where quality standards are high.

Six Sigma was developed by Motorola to improve business processes by eliminating any defects or errors in the process. It uses statistical models to continuously improve quality management so the project’s outcome is successful. Six Sigma uses the following process to eliminate defects and errors:

• Define: Outline the project goals with a project scope or business case.
• Measure: Collect data on the current state of the project.
• Analyze: Review the data to identify root causes of problems.
• Improve: Fix or improve the root cause in the process.
• Control: Create safeguards to ensure the issue doesn’t persist.

The Six Sigma framework helps improve quality, eliminate waste, increase efficiency and reduce costs. However, Six Sigma is complex and requires a knowledgeable manager to implement it. For this reason, it’s only right for larger organizations who are looking for efficiency gains in existing processes.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

The critical path method (CPM) is a methodology that identifies the critical tasks within a project, including the dependencies and timelines to completion. It then outlines the longest sequence of critical activities that must be completed to deliver the project on time.

Here’s how to find the critical path with the CPM:

• List activities: Break down your project into a series of activities or tasks.
• Identify dependencies: Identify the activities that are dependent on each other.
• Build a network diagram: Create a flow chart displaying all the activities.
• Estimate the duration: Estimate the duration of each activity.
• Determine the critical path: Calculate the critical path by determining the sequence of activities with the longest duration.
• Determine your slack: Calculate how much a task can be delayed without impacting the project.

The critical path method is great because it identifies a specific duration of time for each task. It even tells you how much allotted time you can go over for each task. This helps you manage project timelines and spot dependencies as you complete tasks. However, the methodology can be tough to manage and is therefore best for complex tasks with a lot of dependencies.

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)

Critical chain project management (CCPM) methodology is similar to the critical path method. However, CCPM focuses on the resources required to complete a project rather than time. It assumes that resources are the project’s limiting factor and therefore stresses efficient resource utilization.

CCPM typically follows this process:

• Identify the critical path: Identify the critical activities required to complete a project using the critical path method.
• Determine required resources: Estimate the resources you’ll need to complete the project by assigning resources to each task on the chain.
• Include buffers: Build time and resource buffers into your estimates to help avoid any bottlenecks.

CCPM bases its measure of success on how seldom you’re using your buffers. If you aren’t tapping into your buffer of resources, it’s a sign your process is running efficiently. CCPM can help you save time and money on a project by efficiently allocating resources. However, it can be complex to manage and should be used when resources are the limiting factor of a project.

With so many project management methodologies available, which one do you choose? The best way to decide is to assess factors, such as your budget, team, project complexity, required flexibility, timeline, risk and stakeholder collaboration.

Let’s take a brief look at each to help you make the best decision possible:

• Budget: The size of your budget will dictate how closely you have to manage it as well as how much you can afford to implement and manage a complex methodology.
• Team: Assess the size and skill set of your team. Do you have anyone schooled in Scrum? Leveraging the skill set of your team will increase your chances of success.
• Complexity: Some methodologies are good for simple projects while others are better for complex ones. Choose the methodology that best fits the complexity of your project.
• Flexibility: How flexible or rigid does your process have to be? More rigid processes, such as the waterfall method, are good when there are few unknowns, but flexible processes, such as Agile, are better when you have to make changes quickly.
• Timeline: Your project timeline will help determine which methodology to use. Is it more important to finish quickly or spend time on a high-quality result?
• Risk: Projects with higher risk often use a more rigid methodology, such as the waterfall method, while projects with less risk use a more flexible approach.
• Collaboration: How much feedback and communication do you need from stakeholders? If you want consistent collaboration, an Agile methodology is best for you.

As you can see, there are many factors to consider when choosing a project management methodology. It may be a good idea to test a few out or even blend a few together to find an approach that best suits your needs. Ultimately, use the one that best helps you manage projects successfully.

Bottom Line

Project management methodologies are the guiding principles that project managers and team leaders use to manage projects successfully. When combined with frameworks, they offer processes and tools to help plan, execute and manage a project. Choose the best methodology and framework for you to improve your project’s chance of success.

What are the best project management tools and software?

To determine the  best project management software , we ranked several tools based on ease of use, cost to your organization, each company’s customer support, as well as special features.

Our top choice is ClickUp, which is best for teams that use the Scrum framework to manage complex projects. Included are prebuilt project management templates with robust automation options available. ClickUp even offers over 1,000 integrations to seamlessly fit into your workflow.

Other highly ranked project management tools include Asana and monday.com.

What is project management methodology?

A project management methodology is a set of principles, values and processes that determine how a team will complete a project. It dictates factors such as level of planning, design and documentation; methods of communication within and outside of the project team; timelines; and modes of assessment.

What is the best project management methodology?

Which model and method will work best for you depends on the unique characteristics of your team and project. Consider typical methods in your industry, your team’s competencies and the project’s complexity to choose the best methodology.

What are project life cycle models?

A project’s lifecycle is the full span of a project through each phase of the process, from planning through delivery. Project lifecycle models are various project planning methodologies that dictate what happens in each phase and how a team moves through the process to complete the project.

What should every project manager know?

Project managers should be familiar with the common project management methods and tools, including agile and waterfall. You should also have necessary soft skills needed for leadership, communication, time management, adaptation and critical thinking on projects.

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6 popular project management methodologies and what they’re best suited for

You’re a project manager who has just been tasked with managing two very different, yet intertwined projects. It’s up to you to choose the best project management methodology for each project.

One project is with your development team. They need to overhaul your organization’s website to improve the clunky and somewhat confusing user experience—from the moment that a customer lands on the site to after they make a purchase. The development team is super flexible and open to breaking up into smaller teams in order to tackle specific aspects of the website overhaul faster.

The catch with this project? It’s on a time crunch.

The website has to be overhauled before the launch of your second and longer-term project: a large-scale marketing campaign around a new line of products that are launching next quarter.

First of all, you can do this! Breath in, breath out, read on, choose the best project management methodology for each task, and get to work doing what you do best!

How To Choose The Best Project Management Methodology

No two projects are alike.

Some may remind you of a past project (that you absolutely nailed, by the way!) but there’s always a catch, isn’t there? One project may have unlimited budgets, endless resources, and flexible timelines—a walk in the park for you—, while another may have high stakeholder expectations, limited budget, tight timelines, multiple teams, and dozens of dependencies.

Since every project is so different, there are many project management methodologies to choose from that support the various project and team needs. There are so many methodologies, in fact, that new ones may have emerged while you’re reading this!

What Is A Project Management Methodology?

Glad you asked. Methodologies are the systems (or simply, methods) used to do something.

The Project Management Institute defined it as “a system of practices, techniques, procedures, and rules used by those who work in a discipline.”

Choosing the right methodology , as well as project management tools and teams, will set you up for success before your project kicks off. For example, you wouldn’t pick a fast-paced, quick iteration project management methodology for a long-term, large-scale, inflexible, and stakeholder-heavy project. Pair like projects with like systems.

To do that, let’s look at your project factors or considerations, such as constraints and dependents.

What Project Factors Are You Working With?

As mentioned earlier, there are many considerations at play that make each project unique. Some factors to consider what you’re evaluating your project management methodologies include:

• Project budget: How much money is going to be spent on this project? How is it divided up?
• Timeline: When is your project due by?
• Goals: What are the project’s end goals and deliverables? Start there and work backward.
• Values: How do your organizational goals and values apply to this project? Knowing this will help set expectations (and help you hold team members accountable for their commitments ).
• Complexity and Scale: How complex or simple is this project?
• Flexibility: How flexible or rigid is this project and its end goals, timelines, deliverables, and team or stakeholder expectations?
• Project type and industry: Some methodologies work best for certain industries and project types, such as highly creative projects or product development sprints.
• Team: Consider the team size, diversity, flexibility, experience, and individual expertise or strengths and weaknesses, as well as their ability to collaborate and communicate when choosing a methodology.

6 Popular Project Management Methodologies And What They’re Best Suited For

It’s important to learn the similarities and differences of various methodologies available to you. For example, some project management methodologies work best if the end goal is fixed and clear, such as the Waterfall method, whereas others better suit those projects that aren’t, such as Agile and Scrum. Keep your project factors in mind while you read on—and then choose the best method for your team.

Let’s get to the methodologies.

1. Agile: Flexible, Fast, And Short Collaborative Sprint Projects

More than a methodology, agile is a set of principles that would be ideal to follow for your first (hypothetical) project.

Agile is made up of fundamental values that are ideal for small teams to work in short and fast project cycles or sprints without blockers. Blockers include too much documentation, work in progress, meetings, or processes to slow them down. The working team would need to be protected from these blockers so that they can stay focused on the tasks at hand.

Teams who work well together can collaborate on small tasks and adapt and respond to an ever-changing task list. Because agile is an iterative design and build process, teams must be flexible with the outcomes and the path they take to get there.

2. Scrum: Quick And Continuous Development Projects

If agile is a set of principles that teams follow to work quickly and respond adaptively to changes as they arise, then Scrum is a project management methodology and the most popular and simple framework that puts agile principles to use.

Scrum is an ideal methodology for your project with the development team to overhaul the website. It’s ideal for continuous improvement and rolling task lists. Something like improving the customer journey on a website may have a timeline, but will always have room for improvement—especially as customer expectations and the digital space change so quickly.

The goal of Scrum is to develop, build, deliver, and sustain complex products using small collaborative and highly accountable teams and iterative task lists. There are roles, events, and artifacts. Roles include a product owner, development team, and scrum master, while events include sprints, daily scrums, or standup meetings, and artifacts include product and sprint backlogs.

3. Kanban: Visualize Task Progress For Agile Teams

Like Scrum, Kanban is another product management methodology that follows agile principles. Kanban is ideal for projects that are done by small, flexible, and collaborative teams, like Scrum, but there is a highly visual aspect as well.

Tasks are visually displayed in-person on sticky notes or in software such as Trello using columns as they progress. This is called a Kanban board. Tasks move from a backlog through the board’s columns that represent various stages of the process from the backlog, start to finish.

Having a visual representation of backlogged work, work in progress, and completed tasks is a great project management tool for most projects.

This would also be helpful for your second project, in particular, to keep track of tasks’ status as they move throughout the creative process. For example, designing a webpage for the new line of products will have various steps and creative team members involved. Visually seeing how the project is progressing will help you and the team to see how it’s coming along and where blockers are.

4. Lean: Projects That Do More With Less

For those organizations that are looking to transform how they do business, the lean methodology may be one to consider. Lean aims to maximize customer value and minimize waste. This is a great way to put out quality work while increasing efficiencies that minimize unnecessary spending, resources, teams output, or time.

Lean was created in the Japanese manufacturing industry to improve quality control and remove redundancies that may increase the price or value for customers down the line.

Known as the three M’s, Lean methodology defines three types of project waste: muda, mura, and muri.

• Muda is about getting rid of the waste or anything that doesn’t add value.
• Mura streamlines processes, so if one aspect of the project takes too long, for instance, then something further down the task list will have to be completed faster.
• Muri is about removing blockers, such as too many stakeholder meetings.

5. Waterfall: Large-Scale, End-Goal Focused, And Fixed Projects

Tried, tested, and true, the Waterfall methodology has been around since the 1970s. Like a waterfall that cascades downhill, this method is sequential with ordered tasks following one after another as they are completed.

The Waterfall method requires a very solid understanding of the end goal and the necessary steps to get there. As such, it doesn’t leave much room for errors or flexibility. This is great for projects that you’ve done in the past where there is minimal need to adapt on the fly.

This could be something to consider for your large-scale marketing project if you’ve launched new product lines many times in the past and don’t expect any surprises.

With this method, collect and analyze any and all project requirements and deadlines. This requires a lot of up-front work and planning. Then design your approach to meet every stage and their deadline in sequence before reviewing it and putting it into action.

6. Hybrid: Flexible And Fast-Paced Projects With Structured Plans

If agile aims to move fast, adapt quickly, and be flexible, Waterfall is its polar opposite, with fixed deadlines, clear deliverables, and mapped-out categorized project plans.

Hybrid is a methodology that blends the two. Think of it as the best of both worlds. You get the structure and organization of planning milestones out and the flexibility and speed of agile workflows.

It takes the flexible and fast pace of agile principles and blends them with the structured goals and mapped out plans of Waterfall. Take a look at your project requirements, task list, deadlines, and goals. The hybrid methodology uses those as your guidelines, but when it comes to getting the work done, teams should work with some flexibility on rapid iterations.

May The Best Methodology Help You Deliver On Your Projects

There are many more methodologies to name and discuss—and picking the right one for your project can be tricky! In the end, however, it’s all about picking a system that works for you, your project, and your team.

Project management methodologies were created to help you deliver the best possible outcomes based on your project’s circumstances. Take your time to find what works best, try them out, and do a debrief with your team on what worked and what didn’t. If it wasn’t the right methodology for one project, it may be ideal for another—and now you’re armed with that much more knowledge and expertise.

Happy project planning!

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12 Project Management Methodologies: Types, Tools, Techniques, And How to Choose

Written By : Bakkah

10 Jun 2024

Table of Content

Definition of Project Management Methodologies:

Types of project management methodologies, project management methodologies tools , project management methodologies techniques, how to choose a project management methodology, explore bakkah's leading courses to boost your skills in project management and business analysis:, popular articles.

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Project management methodologies are systematic frameworks and guidelines utilized by organizations to efficiently plan, execute, and complete projects. They offer structured approaches to project management, ensuring adherence to timelines , budgets , and objectives . These methodologies encompass diverse principles, practices, and tools designed to facilitate effective communication and coordination among project-implementing teams. 

Project management methodologies vary in their approach, with some emphasizing flexibility and adaptability (e.g., Agile) while others focus on sequential and structured processes (e.g., Waterfall). The appropriate methodology must be selected according to the type of project and its unique circumstances. The goal is to enhance project efficiency, minimize risks, and deliver high-quality results, ultimately contributing to achieving the specified goals and objectives of the project.

Project management methodologies refer to the systematic frameworks, processes, and guidelines organizations follow to plan, execute, monitor, and complete projects. These methodologies provide a structured approach to managing projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and meet the specified goals and objectives.

Project management methodologies encompass diverse principles, practices, and tools designed to facilitate effective communication and coordination among project-implementing teams.

They can vary in their approach, with some methodologies emphasizing flexibility and adaptability (e.g., Agile ), while others focus on sequential and structured processes (e.g., Waterfall ). The appropriate methodology must be selected according to the type of project and its unique circumstances.

The goal of Project Management Methodologies is to enhance project efficiency, minimize risks, and deliver high-quality results, ultimately contributing to achieving the specified goals and objectives of the project.

Various tools support their implementation, enhancing collaboration and communication, while diverse techniques facilitate effective project planning, execution, and control.

There are diverse project management methodologies, each with different principles, processes, and approaches. Here are some common types:

1. Waterfall Methodology

Waterfall project management is a traditional approach to project management where tasks are completed sequentially and linearly. 

The methodology is called "waterfall" because progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards through phases, like a waterfall. Each phase must be completed before moving on to the next one, and changes to the project are generally not allowed once a phase is closed.

Here are the main phases in the waterfall project management methodology:

• Requirements: Define project scope , objectives, and deliverables.
• Design: Create a detailed plan for how the solution meets requirements.
• Implementation (or Construction): Include coding or construction of the project.
• Testing: Ensure the project meets specified requirements through various testing phases.
• Deployment (or Implementation): Implement the project in the production environment after the success of testing.
• Maintenance and Support: Address issues and user concerns and make updates as needed.

The waterfall methodology is best suited for projects where the requirements are well-understood and unlikely to change significantly during the development process.

It is often used in industries like construction and manufacturing. However, one of its main drawbacks is its inflexibility to adapt to changes once the project has started, as it does not easily accommodate changes in requirements.

2. Agile Methodology

Agile methodology is an iterative and flexible approach to project management that focuses on collaboration, adaptability, and customer satisfaction.

Unlike the linear nature of the waterfall model, agile divides a project into small increments with minimal planning and delivers functional pieces of the project in short time frames, known as iterations or sprints.

Primary principles and practices of agile include:

• Projects are divided into small manageable iterations, delivering potentially shippable product increments.
• Collaboration and communication between team members, stakeholders , and customers are crucial for quick adaptation to changes and alignment with goals.
• Continuous customer feedback allows for adjustments based on changing requirements.
• Agile is flexible and adaptable to changes in requirements or priorities at any stage.
• Continuous delivery aims for a potentially shippable product at the end of each iteration, allowing for early and regular value delivery to the customer.
• Prioritization and timeboxing based on value and importance ensure focus and urgency in delivering value.
• Agile encourages self-organizing, cross-functional team formation that collectively possess the necessary skills to deliver a complete product.

Popular agile frameworks include Scrum , Kanban , and Extreme Programming (XP), each with specific practices and roles. 

Agile is widely used in software development and various industries for its adaptability and customer-centric approach.

3. Scrum Framework

Scrum is one of the most widely used agile frameworks for managing complex software development projects. It provides a structured yet flexible approach to product development.

Key elements of the Scrum framework include:

• Roles: Include Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team.
• Artifacts: Comprise the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment.
• Events: Include Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-up, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective.

Scrum's iterative and incremental approach, along with its emphasis on collaboration and adaptability, makes it particularly effective for projects where requirements may change or evolve during development.

4. Kanban Methodology

Kanban is a project management methodology that visualizes workflow using boards, cards, and columns. It also limits tasks that are in progress simultaneously to prevent overloading the team and ensure a steady flow of work.

Emphasizing continuous improvement, Kanban employs feedback loops and a pull system, adapting work based on demand. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are often used in Kanban to define the expected time frames.

Known for flexibility and adaptability, Kanban suits various industries like architecture, construction, marketing, education, software development, design, and law. Kanban fosters collaboration and shared responsibility and allows incremental process improvements based on specific needs and context.

5. Lean Project Management

Lean Project Management (LPM) is an approach to project management that draws inspiration from Lean principles. The Lean philosophy focuses on minimizing waste, optimizing efficiency, and continuously improving processes.

Lean principles are applied to enhance project delivery, reduce unnecessary activities, and deliver value more effectively. 

Principal aspects of Lean Project Management methodology include eliminating waste, using value stream mapping, continuous improvement (Kaizen) , customer focus, pull scheduling, visual management, batch size reduction, flexible planning, and cross-functional team use. LPM is suitable for industries like manufacturing, construction, and software development.

Its focus on efficiency and customer value makes it a valuable approach for organizations seeking to optimize their project delivery processes.

6. PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments)

PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a widely adopted project management methodology developed by the UK government. It provides a structured and process-driven approach to project management, emphasizing flexibility and adaptability.

PRINCE2 divides projects into manageable stages, with defined roles and responsibilities, ensuring organized and controlled project execution.

The methodology consists of seven processes:

• Starting Up a Project (SU): Ensures project prerequisites are in place.
• Initiating a Project (IP): Defines project scope, objectives, and plans.
• Directing a Project (DP): Provides senior management with chief controls.
• Controlling a Stage (CS): Manages day-to-day project activities.
• Managing Product Delivery (MP): Ensures efficient product work.
• Managing a Stage Boundary (SB): Focuses on transitioning between stages.
• Closing a Project (CP): Formally closes the project and ties up loose ends.

PRINCE2 is known for its focus on continuous improvement and adaptability, making it a valuable tool for delivering successful projects within time, cost, and quality constraints.

Boost your career with Bakkah’s PRINCE2 courses:

• PRINCE2® Training Course Online
• PRINCE2® Agile Foundation & Practitioner Online Course and Certification

7. Critical Path Method (CPM)

Critical Path Method (CPM) is a project management technique that identifies the critical path of activities, potential risks, team roles, and the sequence of tasks determining the shortest project duration. Key steps:

• Task Breakdown: Identify and sequence project tasks. 
• Duration Estimation: Assign time estimates to tasks.
• Network Diagram: Create a visual representation of task dependencies.
• Critical Path Identification: Find the path critical for project completion.
• Float/Slack Calculation: Determine non-critical task flexibility.
• Resource Allocation: Efficiently allocate resources.
• Monitoring and Control: Monitor progress continuously, update schedules, and take corrective actions., update schedules, and take corrective actions.

CPM is an essential tool for effective project planning and control. It aids in prioritizing critical tasks, managing time constraints, and optimizing project schedules. CMP can be used in several projects, such as engineering, manufacturing, construction, and science.

8. Six Sigma ( Continuous Improvement Methodology)

Six Sigma is a data-driven project management methodology focused on improving process efficiency continuously and reducing defects or errors. Developed by Motorola in the 1980s, Six Sigma seeks to minimize variations and achieve higher levels of quality in processes. It is often applied in manufacturing and process improvement projects. Here is a concise overview of the Six Sigma project management methodology:

• Define (D): Clearly articulate the problem, project goals , scope, and customer requirements.
• Measure (M): Establish metrics, collect data, and measure baseline performance.
• Analyze (A): Use statistical tools to identify root causes of defects or inefficiencies.
• Improve (I): Develop and implement solutions, testing and refining as needed.
• Control (C): Establish measures to sustain improvements and prevent the recurrence of defects or issues.

The Six Sigma methodology is often represented by the acronym DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control). Additionally, for more complex or considerable process changes, there is another phase known as DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify).

Bakkah provides certification levels such as Six Sigma Green Belt and Six Sigma Black Belt are available for individuals to demonstrate proficiency in applying Six Sigma principles and methodologies. Organizations implementing Six Sigma often experience enhanced efficiency, reduced defects, and improved customer satisfaction.

9. RAD (Rapid Application Development)

Rapid Application Development (RAD) is a project development methodology that prioritizes quick iterations and prototypes over extensive planning.

It involves user participation throughout the process, parallel development of system components, and a flexible, adaptive approach. Prototyping is a key feature, allowing for continuous refinement based on user feedback. RAD aims to deliver a functional product rapidly, focusing on time and cost efficiency.

Popular RAD tools include Microsoft Visual Basic, PowerBuilder, and OutSystems. The methodology suits projects with changing requirements but may not be ideal for highly structured endeavors.

10. Incremental and Iterative Methodologies

Incremental development involves dividing the project into small increments, each delivering a part of the final product's functionality linearly. User feedback is integrated after each increment, providing ongoing adaptability and the ability to identify and correct issues early. This approach enables early delivery and reduced project risk.

On the other hand, iterative development goes through cycles or iterations, refining the entire system with each iteration. It is highly flexible and accommodates changing requirements throughout the development process.

11. Hybrid Methodologies

Hybrid methodologies in project development involve blending elements from different traditional and agile approaches to create a flexible and tailored solution. That allows teams to adapt practices based on the project's unique requirements, leveraging both structured planning and iterative development. 

In a hybrid methodology, the most appropriate elements from each methodology are identified and combined harmoniously. Examples include combining Waterfall and Scrum or integrating lean principles with agile practices.

The goal is to manage risks effectively, enhance flexibility, and address the project-specific needs. Effective communication is crucial to mitigate potential challenges introduced by diverse practices integration.

12. Extreme Programming (XP)

XP is an Agile methodology that emphasizes collaboration, adaptability, and delivering high-quality software through practices such as continuous testing and frequent releases.

Extreme Programming methodology is one of the famous methodologies for managing and developing software and other technical projects. It is based on diverse principles and practices, focusing on increasing software quality and improving team productivity.

A team needs to follow this method if the project is fast-paced or subject to regular change and thus has a dynamic rather than static nature.

The Extreme methodology also aims to achieve productive cooperation between team members and increase the quality of the final product and its flexibility in the face of changes.

Here are the main principles and practices of Extreme Programming:

• XP is built on a set of core values, including communication, simplicity, feedback, and courage.
• Developers work in pairs, one writing code and the other reviewing it in real-time. That promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and code quality.
• Developers write tests before writing the actual code. That ensures that the code meets specifications and facilitates maintenance and updates.
• Code is integrated frequently to identify and address integration issues early in the development process.
• XP improves code design regularly without changing its functionality.
• XP keeps the design as simple as possible, making it easier to understand, modify, and maintain.
• Frequent and direct interaction with the customer allows for quick adjustments to changing requirements and priorities.
• XP emphasizes continuous improvement through regular reflection on the development process and changes in implementation to enhance efficiency and quality.

Bakkah provides a variety of accredited project management Courses for all professional certificates in project management, risk management, and others.

In brief, choosing the most suitable project management methodology depends on factors such as project size, complexity, industry, and organizational culture. Project managers often customize or combine methodologies to best fit the unique requirements of their projects.

Project management methodologies are often supported and implemented using various tools to enhance efficiency, collaboration, and communication throughout the project lifecycle. Here are some commonly used tools associated with project management methodologies:

1. Project Management Software

Tools like Microsoft Project, Asana, Jira, Trello, and Monday.com provide features for project planning , scheduling , task assignment, and progress tracking.

2. Version Control Systems

Git, SVN (Subversion), and Mercurial help manage changes to source code and documentation, ensuring version control and collaboration in software development projects.

3. Communication and Collaboration Tools

Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord facilitate real-time communication, file sharing, and collaboration among team members, supporting Agile and remote work environments.

4. Gantt Charts

Tools like GanttPRO and SmartDraw help create visual representations of project timelines, tasks, and dependencies, commonly used in Waterfall and traditional project management methodologies.

5. Kanban Boards

Trello, KanbanFlow, and LeanKit enable teams to visualize work and optimize workflow, particularly in Agile and Lean methodologies.

6. Scrum Tools

Jira, VersionOne, and Targetprocess support the Scrum framework with features for sprint planning, backlog management, and burndown charts.

7. Resource Management Tools

Workfront, Mavenlink, and TeamGantt assist in resource allocation, workload tracking, and managing team capacity in project management.

8. Risk Management Tools

RiskWatch, RiskyProject, and ProjectManager.com help identify, assess, and manage risks throughout the project lifecycle.

9. Collaborative Document Management

Tools like SharePoint, Google Workspace, and Dropbox Business enable teams to collaborate on documents, share project-related files, and ensure version control.

10. Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD) Tools

Jenkins, Travis CI, and GitLab CI/CD automate integration code changes process and deploying software, commonly used in Agile and DevOps methodologies.

11. Time Tracking and Timesheet Tools

Harvest, Toggl, and Clockify assist in tracking project-related activities, allowing for accurate time management and resource allocation.

12. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Tools

Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM support customer-centric projects. That helps teams manage client interactions, feedback, and requirements.

Project managers and teams should carefully select tools that align with their chosen methodologies and project requirements. Integrating these tools can significantly improve project management efficiency and contribute to successful project outcomes.

Project management methodologies involve various techniques to plan, execute, and control projects effectively. Here are some commonly used techniques associated with project management methodologies:

1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Break a project into smaller, manageable tasks and create a hierarchical structure to define clearly the scope and deliverables.

2. PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) and CPM (Critical Path Method)

Techniques for scheduling and managing tasks by identifying critical paths and dependencies and estimating project duration.

2. SWOT Analysis

Evaluate the project's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to make informed decisions and develop effective strategies.

3. Risk Management

Identify, assess, mitigate, and monitor risks throughout the project lifecycle to minimize potential negative impacts.

4. Stakeholder Analysis

Identify and analyze stakeholders to understand their interests, influence, and expectations and ensure effective communication and engagement.

5. PERT Charts (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)

Graphical representations of project tasks and their dependencies, helping visualize the project schedule and critical path.

6. Scrum Meetings

Daily Standups, Sprint Planning, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective are regular Scrum meetings that facilitate communication and collaboration in Agile projects.

7. Earned Value Management (EVM)

Analyze project performance by measuring the planned value, earned value, and actual cost to assess progress and forecast future performance.

8. Quality Management

Implement techniques such as quality audits, inspections, and control charts to ensure project deliverables meet predefined quality standards.

9. Mind Mapping

Visualize project ideas, requirements, and tasks using mind maps to stimulate creative thinking and organize information in a structured way.

10. Critical Chain Method

Identify and manage resource dependencies to optimize project schedules and improve overall performance.

11. Prototyping

Creating a working model or prototype of a product or system to gather feedback early in the development process is common in Agile and iterative methodologies.

12. Benchmarking

Compare project performance metrics and processes against industry standards or best practices to identify areas for improvement.

13. Dependency Mapping

Identify and visualize dependencies between different tasks or project activities to understand their interrelationships and potential impacts.

14. Agile Estimation Techniques

Use techniques like Planning Poker, Relative Sizing, and Story Points to estimate the effort required for Agile project tasks.

15. Change Management

Implement strategies and techniques to manage and communicate changes effectively, ensuring minimal disruptions to project progress.

16. Communication Plans

Developing plans outlines how project information will be communicated to stakeholders, ensuring clear and consistent communication.

These techniques are often applied based on the specific requirements, characteristics, and principles of the chosen project management methodology. Project managers may tailor and combine these techniques to suit the needs of their projects.

Choosing a suitable project management methodology is crucial for the success of a project. The decision should be based on the project's characteristics, team dynamics, organizational culture, and the nature of the work to be performed. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to choose a project management methodology:

1. Understand Project Requirements

Clearly define the project scope, objectives, and deliverables. Consider the size, complexity, and nature of the project work.

2. Assess Team Skills and Experience

Evaluate the skills and experience of the project team. Consider their familiarity with different methodologies and their adaptability to new approaches.

3. Consider Project Flexibility

Assess the level of flexibility required throughout the project. Some projects may benefit from a more adaptive and iterative approach, while others may require a more structured and sequential process.

4. Examine Project Constraints

Identify any constraints such as budget limitations, time constraints, regulatory requirements, or client preferences that may influence the choice of methodology.

5. Evaluate Organizational Culture

Consider the existing organizational culture and whether it aligns with the principles of certain project management methodologies. Some organizations may prefer traditional, plan-driven approaches, while others may be more receptive to Agile or iterative methods.

6. Define Stakeholder Involvement

Determine the level of involvement and collaboration required from project stakeholders. Some methodologies, like Agile, emphasize continuous stakeholder engagement and feedback.

7. Analyze Project Risks

Evaluate the potential risks associated with the project. Some methodologies, such as Agile, are well-suited for projects with high uncertainty and evolving requirements.

8. Review Industry Standards

Consider industry standards and best practices. Certain industries or project types may have specific guidelines or regulations that align with particular methodologies.

9. Explore Hybrid Approaches

Assess the possibility of combining elements from different methodologies to create a hybrid approach tailored to the project's specific needs.

10. Pilot or Prototype

If feasible, consider running a pilot or prototype using a small-scale version of the project to test how well a methodology fits the team and project requirements.

11. Consult with Stakeholders

Seek input from key stakeholders, including team members, clients, and sponsors. Understand their preferences, expectations, and concerns regarding project management approaches.

12. Training and Transition Plan

Evaluate the readiness of the team to adopt a new methodology. Plan for necessary training and establish a transition plan to smoothly implement the chosen methodology.

13. Continuous Improvement

Be open to evaluating and adjusting the chosen methodology throughout the project. Continuous improvement is essential to address evolving project needs and improve overall project management processes.

Elevate your project management skills with Bakkah Learning's expert-led courses. From PMP to Prince2, Six Sigma to Agile, we offer tailored programs to suit your career goals. With interactive learning, flexible access, and certification preparation, we're your partner for professional growth. Start your journey to mastery today with Bakkah Learning!

Here are some Project Management Courses :

• Certified Associate in Project Management CAPM Course
• PMI-ACP® certification
• PgMP certification
• PMI Scheduling Professional - PMI-SP certification

Risk Management Courses And Certifications:

• Risk Management Professional - PMI-RMP Course
• MoR Certification and course

PRINCE2 Courses

• PRINCE2 Certification
• PRINCE2 Agile.

Project Management Tools:

• Primavera P6 Course
• MSP Course - Managing Successful Programmes
• Microsoft Project training course  

Portfolio Management

• P3O Foundation certification
• Management of Portfolios MoP
• The Portfolio Management Professional – PfMP certificate
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Course
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Course
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Course

Ultimately, the choice of a project management methodology should be a thoughtful and informed decision that aligns with the unique characteristics of the project and the organization. Regularly reassess the chosen methodology to ensure its continued effectiveness and make adjustments as needed.

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Project Management Methodologies and Frameworks Every Project Manager Should Know

You might find yourself drowning in information, tools, and processes as a project manager. To stay afloat and thrive, you must choose the right project management methodologies and frameworks that suit your team and project needs.

Many different project management methodologies are available and deciding which one is right for you can be challenging. This article provides an overview of the most popular frameworks to get you started.

What is a Project Management Methodology?

A project management methodology is a set of principles, processes, guidelines, and tools that help to plan, manage, and control a project. The methodology helps to ensure that a project is on schedule, within budget, and that the project goals are met.

A project team or an organization uses a management framework to execute a project. The information generated is usually documented and shared with others. Recording the information is essential as it will help others understand the project requirements and responsibilities.

While most project management methodologies take a standardized approach, some are for specific purposes, i.e., manufacturing or software development.

Project Management Framework vs. Methodology

The terms framework and methodology are often used interchangeably in project management. However, there is a slight yet distinguishable difference between the two approaches.

A framework provides more flexibility and freedom. You can adopt new rules and change or remove existing ones as necessary. As such, a framework provides the structure and direction needed for a project without being too rigid or detailed.

On the other hand, a methodology is a set of principles and processes that guides the management of a project. It is a formal approach that is strictly defined and generally adheres to a strict code complete with steps and rules.

Another way to understand the two approaches is that most of the time, methodologies are for implementing ideas and values, while a framework provides a step-by-step guide to attain that idea or manage that project.

Project Life Cycle Processes

A project management framework includes the whole project management life cycle, which will guide you from the beginning to the end. In a project management life cycle , there are five steps:

• Initiation : The beginning stage of the project, where the main focus is to narrow down the required key components to kickstart the project. Teams get together to research, brainstorm and conduct analysis and stakeholder mapping/interviews to gather information.
• Planning : Here, the teams and members working on the project are identified along with activities, milestones, risks, management structure, and success benchmarks.
• Execution : During this stage, the project kickstarts and is implemented.
• Management/Monitoring : At each milestone, the progress will be monitored, documented, and reported. Key progress and outputs will be shared with stakeholders as well.
• Review/Closing : This stage marks the end of the project. Project leaders and team members will review and analyze how the project progressed and setbacks to identify future improvements. Updates or replacements will be scheduled if necessary before wrapping up.

5 Key Project Management Methodologies and Frameworks

1. waterfall framework.

The Waterfall Framework is a linear approach that first gathers stakeholder and customer requirements before creating a sequential project plan to address the identified requirements. Consisting of five main stages, each stage is completed before progressing to the next–similar to a cascading waterfall.

The main stages of the waterfall framework are:

• Requirements : needs and requirements of the business/project are identified, analyzed, and documented.
• Design : possible solutions are explored before a detailed plan is made to achieve the goals.
• Implementation : the project plan and activities are set in motion along with progress measurements.
• Verification/Control : the product is reviewed, and the project plan is compared with the performance to address issues.
• Maintenance/Closure : the end result is shared with clients for feedback and final fixes. Approval is obtained before the project is closed.
• As project and client requirements are identified and agreed in the very first stage, it sets clear client expectations that are easier to plan.
• Extensive documentation ensures that each activity and task is well documented and that no knowledge is lost.
• The project schedule is laid out at the beginning stages. As such, project costs, deadlines, and other resources can be estimated accurately.
• Easier to measure and understand as you progress through each milestone one after the other.

Disadvantages

• Identifying all client/customer requirements at the very beginning is difficult.
• Changes to the product at the end stages are costly and difficult if the customer is unsatisfied.
• Lack of flexibility due to the linear nature of the framework, which provides minimal room for change and adaptation in case of unexpected events.

2. Lean Methodology

Lean methodology originated in the 1950s in Toyota and currently focuses on eliminating waste, maximizing value, and improving efficiencies. Many organizations have opted to adopt the Lean Framework as it can be applied to any business, regardless of size, to achieve objectives in a sustainable manner.

The two main guiding concepts in Lean are respect for people and continuous improvement. Accordingly, necessary training and tools are provided, constant improvement is encouraged, and management takes on a more active role in understanding and meeting the needs of employees to initiate better work performance.

Besides the above two concepts, lean has five core principles that support the methodology:

• Value : customer defines the value of the product offered.
• Value stream : a clear and in-depth understanding of the product’s life cycle from research to development. Each step of the value chain is analyzed to identify waste areas and improvements.
• Flow : every process should be in sync with one another, and the value stream should flow seamlessly.
• Pull : ensures that products are made only when required, leading to shorter delivery cycles and increased flexibility.
• Perfection : always strive for perfection by uncovering quality or waste issues and applying strict measures to address inefficiencies.
• The quality of products is high due to the constant attention to value.
• Reduced costs and increased profits as Lean focuses on providing value and minimizing waste.
• Improved customer relations as the focus is to deliver what the customer requires.
• Regular communications among employees, stakeholders and management pave the way for better decision-making.
• Emphasis on constant improvement leads to continuous learning opportunities.
• Organizations may focus too much on Lean principles that they lose sight of the bigger picture leading to a lack of strategy.
• If there are bottlenecks or resource issues, delivery can be delayed leading to unsatisfied customers.

3. Agile Methodology

Agile is often used in the software industry, though it has spilled into others recently due to its adaptability. It is an iterative approach that promotes collaboration among team members, emphasizing adaptive planning and early delivery of functional products. In an Agile project, development work is carried out in short-term periods called sprints, and the management focuses on continuous improvement throughout the project’s life cycle.

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Popular frameowkrs such as Scrum and Kanban stem from Agile, which acts as an umbrella term that encompasses several different frameworks. To learn more about Scrum and Kanban, check out The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Scrum and How to Better Manage Your Projects with Kanban Boards .

The Agile Manifesto highlights four core principles that are the building blocks of any agile approach. They are:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan
• Agile promotes smaller teams, making it easier to keep up the pace and quickly adapt to necessary changes, leading to faster response times and ample flexibility.
• Faster turnaround times due to the ability to quickly detect and provide solutions to issues.
• Low wastage and costs as tasks are always up-to-date with constant feedback and follow-ups, allowing developers to experiment and test ideas.
• Agile is practiced by many and has a considerable following. Therefore, you can always reach out for help and share knowledge with others if you run into trouble.
• Difficult to measure the progress as it is estimated across several cycles, which may take time.
• Documentation is not given prominence, leading to misunderstandings and difficulty for newer members to be up-to-date.
• At times, there is no clear end date; therefore, the overall project may seem to go on forever. This can also lead to scope changes beyond what was initially agreed (scope creep).
• Due to the short cycle times, the design thinking process may be stinted, leading to a lack of cohesion and fragmentation.
• Teams may tend to avoid key features that may take too long to deliver.
• The need for constant communication can take a toll on team members who have to spend extra energy and time.

4. Critical Chain Project Management Framework

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) is a project management framework that helps the planning and managing of projects by monitoring the resources required to execute the project tasks. The framework helps project managers to deliver projects in a cost-effective and timely manner.

Buffers are safety margins that ensure all tasks are completed within schedule. CCPM identifies strategic points in the project and inserts buffers to ensure that project milestones are met on time, regardless of constraints or uncertainties. There are several types of buffers used in CCPM.

• Project buffers : this is positioned between the completion date of the project and the last task allowing team members to catch up on any outstanding tasks or delays.
• Feeding buffers : this is positioned between the non-critical chain and the critical chain to prevent delays.
• Resource buffers : resources that are kept aside in case of extra support in terms of resources are required.
• Team members tend to be more efficient and pace themselves rather than working more as the deadline approaches.
• Work is scheduled around resource availability, thereby optimizing resource utilization.
• The insertion of various buffers to address issues on time.
• The minimum time required to finish the project is taken into consideration.
• Major planning packages do not often support the framework.
• If the team does not understand the endpoint, many losses and setbacks could occur.

5. PRINCE2 Framework

PRINCE stands for “Projects In Controlled Environments” and is a process-based framework focused on organization and control. The framework started as PRINCE with a particular focus on the IT industry before expanding into others.

PRINCE2 details what each step of the project should look like, deliverables, roles, and responsibilities, and also structure each stage of the project with no loose ends at the point of completion.

• PRINCE2 is a good beginner framework to start project management as it has a defined process with clear steps.
• Due to the detailed and step-by-step guide provided, PRINCE2 is relatively easy to understand and follow. Furthermore, the ability to divide the project into manageable stages is helpful in managing the project.
• PRINCE2 is flexible in nature and can be easily adapted to suit different projects.
• Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, which improves accountability.
• Lessons learned can be tracked and updated for future reference and improvements.
• PRINCE2 is not ideal for projects in fast-changing environments (i.e., technology-driven) due to the extensive documentation required.
• Requires the buy-in of the senior management for success.
• Requires experience to be managed and delivered successfully.

Key Steps to Follow when Selecting a Methodology or Framework

1. assess the project in terms of size and scope.

Size and scope play a significant role when selecting a suitable project methodology or framework. Some projects may be small, requiring a team of no more than 3-4 people and a short period. In contrast, others would be large, with multiple teams working together for several years.

Larger projects with several cross-functional teams and extended time frames would benefit from adaptive project management frameworks such as agile. In comparison, smaller projects that are less complex would do well with methodologies such as waterfall.

2. Look into the available project management methodologies and frameworks

Once the project scope and size are determined, look into the available methodologies and frameworks. Compare notes, and weigh the pros and cons as to which one would suit your requirements the best while minimizing risks.

3. Obtaining the acceptance and buy-in of your team

Reach out to your team to see their reaction and input. Make sure you listen to their viewpoints and present your side accordingly to obtain their buy-in. Otherwise, conflicts and challenges may hinder the project’s smooth progress.

4. Confirm the selection

Before starting the project, re-confirm the feasibility of your selection by comparing and assessing the success rate of projects delivered using the same framework.

5. Obtain feedback and conduct self-assessments

As the project progresses, ask for feedback from your colleagues regarding the processes followed. Furthermore, make sure to conduct self-assessments to see if the methodology or framework is proceeding according to your expectations and whether it allows you to manage your team successfully.

Tools and Techniques for Project Management Methodologies and Frameworks

There are several tools and techniques relevant to project management methodologies and frameworks. While some specific tools and techniques are similar across multiple frameworks, there are some that may differ. Below are a few commonly used tools and techniques.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Work breakdown structure Software can be used to break down the larger deliverables of your project into manageable smaller tasks. This is a productivity technique that uses a step-by-step approach to project management.

Gantt Chart

Gantt chart maker is ideal for tracking tasks' start and end dates and milestones. It helps teams to plan their work and jobs to meet deadlines and allocate resources accordingly.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. For each project, the SWOT identifies the internal (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external (Opportunities and Threats) drivers affecting your ability to meet the goal. For example, suppose your organization is well known for its expertise in customer service. In that case, improving customer service will be a competitive advantage and a meaningful driver for meeting your goals.

RACI Matrix

RACI stands for responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed. RACI matrix template is used to describe the roles and responsibilities of team members in a project.

Stakeholder Map

The stakeholder map is a tool to help you understand who your stakeholders are and their needs. Using this tool, you can map stakeholders according to their importance and potential impact on the project.

Decision Tree

A decision tree is used for effective decision-making and predicting potential outcomes when multiple courses of action exist. It allows the team to explore options and outcomes to understand the risks and rewards associated with each possible course of action. Use decision tree diagram maker to create effective decision trees faster.

Creately for Project Management

Creately has many tools to make your journey effortless and successful regardless of the type of project methodology or framework you decide to follow.

• Powerful documentation capabilities include doc blocks and attachments and image attachments to create reports and presentations.
• Built-in project management tools including Kanban boards, timelines, multi-role workflows, visual prioritization tools to enable any kind of workflow.
• Whiteboard and freehand drawing capabilities to brainstorm and discuss with colleagues and peers.
• Multiple templates and shapes to prepare project plans and schedules, Gantt charts, roadmaps, and other formats necessary for project management documentation and tracking.
• Multiple access and role levels to manage, share, edit and review, along with multiplayer editing capabilities to collaborate in real-time.
• Comment on anything, with context. Full comment threads and discussions for async collaboration.
• Data, note, and task panels to house information, assign roles and responsibilities, feed in information, and track the progress of activities.
• Integration with other platforms with 2-way syncing to manage data efficiently.
• Spotlight and presentation mode to conduct interactive and dynamic presentations right on the canvas.

Start your project management journey with Creately today!

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

More Related Articles

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

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The definitive guide to project management methodologies.

• Types of project management methodologies
• How to pick the right methodology

Browse more blogs

Originally published July 14, 2019. Updated with current & new info on April 25, 2022.

What are project management methodologies? A project management methodology is essentially a set of guiding principles and processes for managing a project. Your choice of methodology defines how you work and communicate.

So, how do you choose a project management methodology?

What methodology you choose will depend on your team, project type, and project scope . Choosing project management methodologies (PMM) is one of the first decisions you’ll have to make as a project manager.

What methodology you pick will have a profound and ongoing impact on how you and your teamwork. Different project management methodologies have their own pros and cons for different project types. Some are geared for speed, and some for comprehensiveness. 

In this article, we’ll give you a complete overview of different PMMs and how to choose them.

Types of Project Management Methodologies

On paper, PM methodologies are tool agnostic, i.e. you should be able to use any methodology regardless of what PM tool you use.

In reality, most project management tools are specialized to use a handful of methodologies. This will be a factor in what methodology you eventually choose to use.

The question now is: What are the different types of project management methodologies? What are their advantages and disadvantages? What kind of projects are they best suited for?

Below, we’ll take a look at and explore 13 of the most popular project management methodologies.

1. waterfall methodology

What is the waterfall methodology.

The Waterfall methodology is the oldest methodology on this list. It was first outlined by Dr. Winston Royce in 1970 as a response to managing the increasingly complex nature of software development. Since then, it has become widely adopted, most prominently in the software industry.

The Waterfall methodology is sequential. It is also heavily requirements-focused. You need to have a crystal clear idea of what the project demands before proceeding further. There is no scope for a correction once the project is underway.

The Waterfall method is divided into discrete stages. You start by collecting and analyzing requirements, designing the solution (and your approach), implementing the solution, and fixing issues if any.

Each stage in this process is self-contained; you wrap up one stage before moving on to another.

Graphically, you can represent it as follows:

The above is from a software development perspective. Individual stages would be different for creative project management, but the approach remains the same.

Advantages of the Waterfall methodology

As Mike Wang, our Director of Training and Support, mentioned earlier :

“One of the driving factors behind waterfall management is that by investing time in the early stages of a project, managers ensure design needs and other requirements have been met—thus saving the time and effort generally associated with retroactively correcting problems”

Thus, the Waterfall method has several advantages, such as:

Ease of use:

Documentation:, disadvantages of the waterfall methodology, higher risk:, front-heavy:.

The Waterfall methodology is most commonly used in software development. It works best for the following project types:

• Short, simple projects
• Projects with clear and fixed requirements
• Projects with changing resources that depend on in-depth documentation
• For further reading on Waterfall methodology, see this post. 

2. Agile methodology

What is the agile methodology.

Agile , another software development-focused PM methodology, emerged as a response to the failure of the Waterfall method for managing complex projects. Although Agile PM ideas had been in use in the software industry for quite a while, it formally came into being in 2001 when several IT representatives released the " Agile Manifesto "

Graphically, it can be represented as follows:

Advantages of the Agile methodology

Flexibility and freedom:, lower risk:, disadvantages of the agile methodology, no fixed plan:, collaboration-heavy:.

The flexibility of the Agile approach means that you can adapt it to different types of projects.

That said, this methodology works best for:

• When you don't have a fixed end in mind but have a general idea of a product.
• When the project needs to accommodate quick changes.
• If collaboration and communication are your key strengths (and planning isn't)

3. Hybrid methodology

The Hybrid methodology focuses on gathering and analyzing requirements initially - a nod to the Waterfall method. From thereon, it takes the flexibility of the Agile approach with an emphasis on rapid iterations.

By combining attributes of Waterfall and Agile, the Hybrid method (sometimes called "Structured Agile") gives you the best of both worlds.

Advantages of the Hybrid Methodology

Increased flexibility:, more structured:, disadvantages of the hybrid methodology, requires compromise:, the "best of both worlds".

The Hybrid approach is best suited for projects that have middling requirements when compared to Agile and Waterfall, i.e. they require structure as well as flexibility.

Mostly, these would be medium-sized projects with moderately high complexity but fixed budgets. You would likely have an idea of the end product but you are also open to experimentation. You will need close collaboration, especially past the planning stage.

4. lean project management

Lean project management focuses on maximizing efficiency by minimizing waste. It is inspired by the 1980s Lean manufacturing philosophy which holds that waste (the expenditure of resources on anything other than the creation of value for the end customer) should be eliminated.

LPM groups tasks into three types:

Value-Added: Tasks that advance the completion of the project and generate value for the customer (e.g., adding a roof to a hotel).

Enabler: Tasks that the customer isn’t paying for, but which are necessary for the project to be completed (e.g., project planning or quality testing).

Waste: Tasks that are unnecessary and which do not add value by advancing the completion of a deliverable (e.g., a team member attending a meeting at which they are not required).

Applying Lean principles to project management boils down to reducing the time required to complete projects. This is because the longer a project takes, the more money it will cost. Plus, missing the project deadline can cause a loss of benefits and attract financial penalties. 

By eliminating wasteful activities so that more time can be spent on value-added tasks, LPM reduces the amount of time it takes to complete the project. 

Advantages :

• Faster project completion times: Realizing the project earlier means that the customer will receive more value at a lower cost. 
• Boost in quality : Attention is paid to details with the goal of minimizing mistakes and the need to make amendments. Processes become optimized and the quality of the work improves.  
• An improvement culture: Project Managers practicing PLM are always communicating with their team about ways to cut waste and work smarter. Teams feel empowered and open to making and suggesting improvements.

Disadvantages :

• Inventory could be at risk: To decrease carrying costs, lean companies keep stock amounts low, leaving them vulnerable to supply chain issues. 
• Expensive start-up: Updating legacy systems and introducing more efficient equipment, software and processes can be expensive and time-consuming.
• Requires culture change : Teams may be resistant to training and unwilling to adopt lean practices.   

LPM is best for engaging team members and reducing staff turnover as everyone is encouraged to take the initiative and make continuous improvements. Using this method can give an organization a competitive advantage as it drives up quality and profits. 

5. Scrum Project Management

Scrum isn't a fully-featured project management methodology. Rather, it describes an approach to Agile management with a focus on project teams, short "sprints" and daily stand-up meetings.

While it borrows the principles and processes from Agile, Scrum has its own specific methods and tactics for dealing with project management. As Mike put it earlier:

"Agile is the philosophy, and Scrum the methodology. While scrum is agile, agile isn’t scrum." 

The Scrum approach places the project team front and center of the project. Often, there is no project manager. Instead, the team is expected to be self-organizing and self-managing. This makes it ideal for highly focused and skilled teams, but not so much for others.

• Scrum "sprints" : The Scrum approach is heavily focused on 30-day "sprints". This is where the project team breaks down a wishlist of end goals into small chunks, then works on them in 30-day sessions with daily stand-up meetings. This makes it easy to manage large and complex projects.
• Fast-paced: The "sprint" approach with its 30-day limit and daily stand-up meetings promotes rapid iteration and development.
• Team-focused: Since the project team is expected to manage itself, Scrum teams have clear visibility into the project. It also means that project leaders can set their own priorities as per their own knowledge of their capabilities.

Besides these, it has all the benefits of Agile - rapid iteration and regular stakeholder feedback.

Disadvantages

• Scope creep : Since there is no fixed end date, nor a project manager for scheduling and budgeting, Scrum can easily lead to scope creep.
• Higher risk: Since the project team is self-managing, there is a higher risk of failure unless the team is highly disciplined and motivated. If the team doesn't have enough experience, Scrum has a very high chance of failure.
• Lack of flexibility: The project-team focus means that any resource leaving the team in-between will hugely impact the net results. This approach is also not flexible enough for large teams.

The Scrum approach is best for highly experienced, disciplined, and motivated project teams who can set their own priorities and understand project requirements clearly. It has all the flaws of Agile along with all its benefits. It works for large projects but fails if the project team itself is very large.

In short: use Scrum if you're developing complex software and have an experienced team at your disposal.

6. Kanban Project Management

Kanban is a visual agile project management framework developed by Japanese auto giant Toyota in the 1950s. At its core is a physical or digital Kanban (signboard), divided into three columns representing three stages of completion:

•     Work that hasn’t begun (backlog)
•     Work in progress (WIP)
•     Work that has been completed

Project tasks, listed on real or virtual Kanban cards, are added to the board and moved from one column to the next as their status changes. The more urgent a task is, the higher its position will be in the first and second columns.  

• Maintains a smooth flow of production: By limiting the number of tasks in progress at any one time, Kanban protects the project team from becoming overburdened by work. This approach can maximize efficiency and speed up delivery times. 
• Visible and transparent workflow: Kanban shows the status of each task and the overall progress of the project in a way that is immediately intuitive to most people.  
• Not designed for a dynamic environment: Kanban assumes that a project will be executed according to a pre-arranged plan. This makes Kanban unsuitable for creative agencies where changes can be transformative rather than evolutionary. 
• Lack of timeline: In Kanban, no timeframes are associated with each work stage. This makes it difficult to schedule deliveries and estimate things like project costs.

Best for:  

Kanban is best for teams who want to visualize a project from start to finish. This method will help you avoid workflow bottlenecks and prevent too many tasks from being in progress at the same time, which can overwhelm teams and cause morale to plummet.

7. Scrumban Project Management

Despite its name, Scrumban isn’t simply an amalgamation of the Scrum and Kanban project management methods. Though it was created with the intention of helping teams transition from Scrum to a flow method such as Kanban, today Scrumban exists as a standalone agile method based on Lean.

Like Scrum, Scrumban involves planning out chunks of work (sprints). These iterations must be completed within a set timeframe (typically two weeks). 

Deploying the same visual methodology and task-focused work organization as Kanban, tasks are represented as cards that move through different stages across a board. 

Instead of tasks being assigned, team members choose what they want to work on. Scrumban places a hard limit on how many tasks can be in progress simultaneously. 

• Good for large-scale or long-term projects : Scrumban simplifies complex projects by splitting them into smaller, manageable pieces. As an iterative Agile method, it allows small changes to be made over large stretches of time, making it a great framework for long-term projects.
• Prevents overwhelming workload: With Scrumban, the project is broken up into smaller tasks and teams focus only on what they have the capacity to complete. This helps to reduce the risk of scope creep.

Disadvantages:

Lack of management :.

Scrumban has no team hierarchy and no clear group leader. While this gives every person on the team the same opportunity to make decisions, it can cause confusion.

Troublesome tracking:

Best for: 

Scrumban is best for teams who need structure and flexibility. By limiting WIP, it cuts down on multi-tasking, helping teams to maintain productivity. Scrumban projects don’t necessarily need to have a deadline which makes this method a good choice for very long-term projects or projects with an ambiguous goal. 

8. Critical Path Method (CPM)

The above four project management methodologies emerged from software development. While you can certainly use them for non-software projects, there are better alternatives at your disposal.

One of the more popular alternatives is the Critical Path Method (CPM).

In the Critical Path Method, you categorize all activities needed to complete the project within a work breakdown structure . Then you map the projected duration of each activity and the dependencies between them.

This helps you map out activities that can be completed simultaneously, and what activities should be completed before others can start.

Better scheduling:

Prioritization:, scheduling requires experience:, no flexibility:.

The Critical Path Method is best suited for projects with interdependent parts. If you require tasks to be completed simultaneously, or for one task to end before another can begin, you'll want to use this methodology.

CPM finds a lot of application in complex, but repetitive activities such as industrial projects. It is less suited for a dynamic area such as creative project management.

9. Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)

Critical Chain PM is one of the newer project management methodologies out there. It was developed as an alternative to the Critical Path method with a focus on resource management.

With CCPM, you work backward from the end goal. You recognize the deliverables, then use past experience to map out the tasks required to complete the project. You also map out the interdependencies between resources and allocate them accordingly to each task.

This graph from TrackerSuite shows the difference between a traditional vs. a CCPM project schedule.

CCPM emphasizes resource utilization and minimizing lost productivity. It is heavily reliant on "monotasking", i.e. focusing on the task at hand and avoiding multitasking.

For resource-strapped project teams, CCPM can be a powerful methodology.

Resource-efficient:

Focused on the end goal:, not appropriate for multi-project environments:, delays common:.

CCPM works best in environments where resources are devoted to a single project. If you have a dedicated team for a project, it works great. If your team is spread across several projects, you'll struggle with resource planning.

The resource-focused approach of CCPM is also ideal for resource-strapped project teams. If you find yourself constantly overworked or missing deadlines, the CCPM methodology might be for you.

10. Integrated Project Management (IPM)

Integrated Project Management (IPM) - sometimes also called "Integrated Project Delivery" - is a common project management methodology in creative industries. This methodology emphasizes the sharing and standardization of processes across the organization. 

The IPM approach came about as a response to the increasingly integrated nature of creative campaigns. You don't just produce a single ad; you integrate the ad with microsites, digital content, etc.  Most creative projects are a piece of a larger campaign. 

An integrated project has the following components:

By integrating processes across the organization, IPM gives project managers better insight into the project and access to the right resources.

This makes IPM particularly appropriate for creative agencies.

Transparency:

Accountability:.

Requires extensive planning: With the IPM approach, you will have to plan extensively upfront and ensure that all processes are well-integrated. This increases your burden significantly and can lead to delays.

Large agencies with diverse teams and processes benefit the most from Integrated Project Management. It works best for complex creative projects where you need resources from multiple teams and departments to interface with each other.

PRiSM (Projects Integration Sustainable Methods) is a project management methodology developed by Green Project Management (GPM) Global.

As hinted by the creator's name, the PRiSM approach focuses on accounting for and minimizing adverse environmental impacts of the project. It is different from traditional methodologies in that it extends beyond the end of the project. Instead, it factors in the entire lifecycle of the project post-delivery to maximize sustainability.

Here's an overview of how activities are organized in PRiSM :

The PRiSM approach is very pertinent for modern projects where environmental costs and sustainability are key success criteria. For large projects where reducing energy consumption, managing waste, and minimizing environmental impact is critical, PRiSM offers a viable project management ideology.

PRiSM is unsuitable for projects where environmental impact is not a concern (such as software or creative projects).

Success with the PRiSM approach also requires every part of the project team - including outside contractors and stakeholders - to be on board with the sustainability principle - a hard ask in most organizations.

PRiSM is mostly suited for large and complex real estate and industrial projects where sustainability is a key concern.

12. PRINCE2

PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is the official project management methodology of the UK government (which means that most UK government projects use it). You can even get a PRINCE2 certification to make working as a project manager in the UK easier.

PRINCE2 is based on 7 principles, 7 themes and 7 processes. The 7 PRINCE2 principles, for instance, are:

• Continued business justification
• Learn from experience
• Defined roles and responsibilities
• Manage by stages
• Manage by Exception
• Focus on products
• Tailor to suit the project environment

Wikipedia has a great introductory article on this methodology. I suggest you start there if you're interested in PRINCE2.

Running a PRINCE2 project requires extensive documentation. Additionally, one of the guiding principles of PRINCE2 is to "Learn from experience". This focus on documentation and past experience can help reduce risk.

The disadvantage of PRINCE2's extensive documentation is that changes can be hard to accommodate. If the requirements change, you have to redo the documentation and re-allocate resources, which can hamper the project pace.

This methodology is best suited for large and complex projects with fixed requirements. If you're in the UK, you'll likely want to know the PRINCE2 methodology. It is widely used in the country and is a requirement for government projects.

13. What is Six Sigma Project Management? 

Developed in the 1980s by Motorola, Six Sigma is a data-driven quality-control management method focused on understanding customers’ requirements and eliminating waste and defects (anything that doesn’t meet customers’ expectations).

Statistical analysis is used to identify problems and determine their cause, and processes are improved through decisions based on data.   

This quality management process is monitored by a team with Six Sigma expertise. Inspired by martial arts, Six Sigma uses belts to designate different levels of methodological mastery. 

Within Six Sigma are two five-step methodologies: DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) which focuses on incrementally improving existing processes, and DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify) which focuses on optimizing new products or processes to Six Sigma standards.

Advantages:

Proactive approach:, informed decision-making:, increased efficiency:, data deluge:, training requirements : companies must find certified six sigma institutes to train all their employees or conduct in-house training without formal certification., no framework:.

While Six Sigma can be a useful tool for small to medium-sized businesses seeking to reduce waste, it brings the greatest benefit to large-scale companies that continuously produce the same products or deliver the same services.

There are several other PMMs besides these, such as Crystal , Feature Driven Development (FDD), Dynamic Systems Development (DSDM), and Rational Unified Process (RUP).

For the most part, however, you’ll choose from one of the methodologies described above.

choosing the Right Methodology

From the above section, it is clear that different PM methodologies are better suited for different projects. You wouldn’t want to use PRiSM for a software project, just as you wouldn’t want to use Agile for big real-estate development.

When you’re picking PM methodologies, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Evaluate the Project

Focus on gathering initial requirements. If the requirements suggest that you need a large and diverse team, pick a methodology that supports flexibility.

Similarly, if you have a clear idea of the end result, pick a more structured methodology such as Waterfall. If the end result is vague (common in the case of in-house projects), pick an iterative methodology like Agile.

Some other things to consider when evaluating the project are:

• Project budget
• Size and complexity
• Stakeholder expectations
• Project type and industry

2. Evaluate Your Team

Your project management methodology is essentially a blueprint for the project. It tells your team what to create and when to create it.

For this to happen, however, your team should be able to read the blueprint itself.

In other words, if your team isn't familiar with the project management methodology of your choice, you will struggle to get results. You will have to devote time to learning the methodology (which some of your team members might be resistant to), leading to delays.

Here are a few things to consider when evaluating your team:

• Team experience
• Self-organization capabilities
• Team preparedness
• Team location (remote, on-site, etc.)

Essentially, pick a methodology that fits your team, instead of forcing your team to fit the methodology.

3. Evaluate Your Organization

How your company is organized, its culture, and its past records will have a big impact on your choice of project management methodology. Some methodologies only work with large organizations with established hierarchies. Others are more suitable for smaller, leaner outfits.

For instance, if your past records show that all your Agile projects have been delayed AND poorly received, it's a good idea to avoid this methodology in the future.

A few things you should consider when evaluating your organization are:

• Past records and experience with different methodologies
• Organization hierarchy
• Level of flexibility
• Organization maturity level
• Organization size
• Available resources, including external resources such as freelancers and contractors.
• Your industry

4. Evaluate Your Stakeholders

When choosing a PM methodology, factor in:

• Stakeholder involvement: Some methodologies demand that stakeholders be regularly involved at every stage of the project. With Agile, for instance, you need stakeholders to be regularly available for feedback. If the stakeholders are busy, pick a methodology that requires lower stakeholder involvement.
• Stakeholder requirements: How do your stakeholders work? What do they require from the project manager? If the stakeholders are known to change project scope frequently, pick a more flexible methodology. Similarly, if the stakeholders require daily updates, pick a methodology that can accommodate this demand.

Given the importance of stakeholders in the project’s success, keeping their requirements in mind will make for happier stakeholders and more successful projects.

5. Evaluate Your Tools

Project management tools are seldom methodology-agnostic. They are usually designed to work well with a specific methodology.

Hence, the software tools you have existing access to and expertise in will impact your choice.

To do this:

• Make a list of all software tools you currently use
• List their limitations and capabilities
• Compare their capabilities against the requirements for a specific PM methodology.

Ideally, the methodology you choose should work with your existing toolset. If you have to buy new tools, you will not only have to spend more but will also lose critical time in retraining your team.

Doing this in-depth evaluation will help you choose a methodology that aligns with your goals, your team’s capabilities, and your stakeholder’s requirements perfectly.

As a project manager, you have several project management methodologies to choose from. Each of these methodologies has its own strengths and weaknesses. Picking the right one will make running your project faster, smoother, and more efficient.

Pick from one of the several methodologies listed above. Then evaluate your project, team, organization, stakeholders, and existing tools to pick a methodology that aligns with your strengths and requirements.

Related Posts

Hybrid Project Management- Agile Waterfall Methodology Combined

Kanban vs. Scrum vs. Agile: Which Is the Best Methodology for Your Project?

Pros & Cons Of The Kanban Method In Project Management

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Project Management Methodologies

Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, Kanban and more. If you’re wondering which methodology you should choose, then you need to read this guide to project management methodologies.

Table of Contents

What is a project management methodology, why are there so many different types of project management methodologies, the project management process: how to choose the right project management methodology, 17 project management methodology examples and frameworks, choosing the right project management methodology.

Once you’ve decided you want to  become a project manager , the next step is to figure out which project management methodologies are right for you and your team.

The landscape of project management methodologies can seem a bit overwhelming.

Whether you have a formal project management certification or you’re learning to become a project manager from experience, there’s an absolute smorgasbord of project methodologies to choose from. And they often come with their own rules, lists, principles, and endless acronyms.

We believe that finding the right project management methodology to manage your work shouldn’t be rocket science. So we’ve compiled this list of different project management methodologies to help you figure out which methods, principles and approaches you can use for each team and project.

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A project management methodology is a set of principles and practices that guide you in organizing your projects to ensure their optimum performance.

Basically, it’s a framework that helps you to manage your project in the best way possible.

Project management is so important  to organizations and teams, but in order for it to be really effective, you need to make sure you’re correctly mapping your project management methodology to your team type, project, organization, and goals.

No two projects are exactly the same (even when you’re using handy features like project templates to replicate your past successes).

And when you factor in the different goals, KPIs and production methods of not only different types of teams but also different types of  industries , it makes sense that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to managing a project.

What works best for one type of team could be an absolute nightmare for another.

For example, many software developers started to find that traditional project management methods were hindering — rather than helping — their workflows and negatively affecting their performance and results.

As a result, software teams began to develop a new type of project management methodology, which was designed to address their particular concerns.

Before long, other teams and industries started to adapt those new project management methods to fit  their  unique needs and concerns. And on and on, with different project management methodologies being repurposed and adapted for different industries and tweaked to fit specific use cases.

What we’re left with is a ton of different project management methodologies to choose from. So how do you know which project management method (or methods, plural) is right for you and your team?

There are lots of factors that will impact which project management methodology is right for your project, team, and organization. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the key considerations that can help you decide:

Cost and budget: On a scale of $ to $$$, what sort of budget are you working with? Is there room for that to change if necessary, or is it essential that it stays within these predetermined limits?

Team size: How many people are involved? How many stakeholders? Is your team relatively compact and self-organizing, or more sprawling, with a need for more rigorous delegation?

Ability to take risks: Is this a huge project with a big impact that needs to be carefully managed in order to deliver Very Serious Results? Or is it a smaller-scale project with a bit more room to play around?

Flexibility: Is there room for the scope of the project to change during the process? What about the finished product?

Timeline: How much time is allotted to deliver on the brief? Do you need a quick turnaround, or is it more important that you have a beautifully finished result, no matter how long it takes?

Client/stakeholder collaboration: How involved does the client/stakeholder need — or want — to be in the process? How involved do you need — or want — them to be?

Waterfall methodology

Agile methodology

Scrum methodology

Kanban methodology

Scrumban methodology

eXtreme programming (XP) methodology

Adaptive project framework (APF) methodology

Lean methodology

Critical path method

Critical chain project management

New product introduction (NPI)

Package enabled reengineering (PER)

Outcome mapping

PMI’s PMBOK

PRINCE2 methodology

Rapid application development (RAD) methodology

We’ve compiled a list of 17 effective project management methodologies to help you get to grips with the basics. Let’s dive right in.

1. Waterfall methodology

The Waterfall method is a traditional approach to project management. In it, tasks and phases are completed in a linear, sequential manner, and each stage of the project must be completed before the next begins.

The stages of Waterfall project management generally follow this sequence:

Requirements

Construction

Deployment & maintenance

Progress flows in one direction, like a real waterfall.

Also like a real waterfall, though, this can quickly get dangerous. Since everything is mapped out at the beginning, there’s a lot of room for error if expectations don’t match up with reality. And there’s no going back to a previous stage once it’s completed (just imagine trying to swim against a waterfall — not fun).

Try this project management methodology if:

The end goal of your project is clearly defined — and isn’t going to change.

The stakeholders know exactly what they want (and it isn’t going to change).

Your project is consistent and predictable (i.e. isn’t going to change).

You’re working in a regulated industry that needs extensive project tracking or documentation.

You might need to bring new people into the project midway through and get them up to speed quickly.

This project management methodology might not be for you if:

Your project is liable to change.

You don’t have a full picture of all the requirements before you start.

You need to do continuous testing or adapt to feedback during the process.

2. Agile methodology

Agile project leaders help their team balance at the edge of chaos - some structure, but not too much; adequate documentation, but not too much; some up-front architecture work, but not too much. Finding these balance points is the art of agile leadership." ~ Jim Highsmith, author and software engineer

The agile project management methodology came from a growing dissatisfaction with the linear approach of traditional project management methodologies.

Frustrated with the limitations of project management methods that couldn’t adapt with a project as it progressed, the focus began to shift to more iterative models that allowed teams to revise their project as needed during the process instead of having to wait until the end to review and amend.

The concept of agile project management has gone on to spark several specific sub-frameworks and methodologies, such as scrum, kanban, and lean. But what do they all have in common? The key principles of agile project management methodologies are:

It’s collaborative.

It’s quick.

It’s open to data-driven change.

As such, agile project management methodologies usually involve short phases of work with frequent testing, reassessment, and adaptation throughout.

In many agile methods, all of the work to be done is added to a backlog that teams can work through in each phase or cycle, with project managers or product owners prioritizing the backlog so teams know what to focus on first.

You’re not sure at the outset what the solution will look like.

You need to work quickly, and it’s more important that you see speedy progress than perfect results.

Your stakeholders or client needs (or wants) to be involved at every stage.

This project management methodology isn’t for you if:

You need a lot of documentation (for example, if you’ll be bringing new people on-board during the project).

You need a predictable deliverable, and you need to be crystal clear about what that looks like from the outset.

Your project can’t afford to change during its course.

You don’t have self-motivated people.

You have strict deadlines or deliverables that you need to stay on top of.

The Best Agile Project Management Tools To Use In 2023 & Beyond

It does little good to adopt the Agile method while still using a software that bogs down or complicates your projects. The best agile project management software should go hand-in-hand with the Agile method and make these adaptations smooth, fast, and easy.

3. Scrum methodology

Scrum is a form of agile project management. You can think of it more like a framework than as a project management methodology in itself.

With Scrum, work is split into short cycles known as “sprints”, which usually last about 1-2 weeks. Work is taken from the backlog (see: Agile project management, above) for each sprint iteration,

Small teams are led by a Scrum Master (who is not the same as the  project manager ) for the duration of the sprint, after which they review their performance in a “sprint retrospective” and make any necessary changes before starting the next sprint.

You’re striving for continuous improvement.

You don’t have the full commitment from the team needed to make it work.

4. Kanban methodology

"Kanban is not a software development lifecycle methodology or an approach to project management. It requires that some process is already in place so that Kanban can be applied to incrementally change the underlying process." ~ David J. Anderson, Author and pioneer of the Kanban method

Kanban is another method within agile project management.

Originating from the manufacturing industry, the term “kanban” has evolved to denote a framework in which tasks are visually represented as they progress through columns on a  kanban board . Work is pulled from the predefined backlog on a continuous basis as the team has capacity and moved through the columns on the board, with each column representing a stage of the process.

Kanban is great for giving everyone an immediate visual overview of where each piece of work stands at any given time. (You can use kanban boards for everything from your  content marketing process  to  hiring and recruitment .)

It also helps you to see where bottlenecks are at risk of forming — if you notice one of your columns getting clogged, for example, you’ll know that that’s a stage of your process that needs to be examined.

When used as part of an agile project management methodology, it’s also common to implement work in progress (WIP) limits. Work in progress limits restrict the amount of tasks in play at any given time, meaning that you can only have a certain number of tasks in each column (or on the board overall).

This prevents your team from spreading their energy across too many tasks, and instead ensures that they can work more productively by focusing on each task individually.

You’re looking for a visual representation of your project’s progress.

You want at-a-glance status updates.

You want to encourage using WIP limits so your team can stay focused.

You prefer to work on a continuous “pull” basis.

Your process is super complex or has tons of stages.

You want a push system instead of a pull system.

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5. Scrumban methodology

It’s the answer to the age-old question: what if scrum and kanban had a baby?

Scrumban is a hybrid agile project management methodology that has scrum’s nose and kanban’s eyes.

The main benefit of scrumban as a method is that instead of deciding which task from the backlog to work on in each sprint at the outset (like you would in a “traditional” scrum framework), scrumban allows teams to continuously “pull” from the backlog based on their capacity (like they would in a kanban framework).

And using work in progress limits (from kanban) during your sprint cycle (from scrum), you can keep a continuous flow while still incorporating project planning , reviews and retrospectives as needed.

You’ve ever looked at scrum and kanban and thought “I wish those two crazy kids would get together”.

You’ve ever looked wistfully out the window and thought, “Oh, scrum is scrum, and kanban is kanban, and never the twain shall meet”.

6. eXtreme programming (XP) methodology

The eXtreme Programming (XP) methodology is another form of agile project management that was designed for software developmen t.

It emphasizes teamwork and collaboration across managers, customers, and developers, with teams self-organizing. It has a  defined set of rules  that teams should follow, which are based on its five values: simplicity, communication (face to face is preferred), feedback, respect, and courage.

You want to foster teamwork and collaboration.

You have a small, co-located team.

You’re a rulebreaker.

Your team is spread across different places and time zones.

7. Adaptive project framework (APF) methodology

The adaptive project framework (APF) methodology, also known as adaptive project management (APM), is a type of agile project management methodology that was designed with the inevitability of change in mind.

The adaptive project framework knows that, as John Steinbeck might say, even the best-laid projects of mice and men often go awry. So the fundamental attribute of APF is that teams need to be able to adaptively respond to change.

That means that using adaptive project framework methods, teams must try to anticipate the risks and prepare for the unexpected in their project. They need to understand that key components are constantly in flux, and be able to constantly re-evaluate results and decisions with these moving parts in mind.

This requires lots of communication with all stakeholders and — like other agile project management methodologies — be able to work collaboratively.

You know your ultimate goals (in project management terms, you’ve outlined your Conditions of Satisfaction; or, in Beastie Boys terms, you’re clear about you’re clear about whatcha whatcha whatcha want).

You need predictability.

You don’t have the resources to handle the potential negatives of adaptability (e.g. scope creep, rework, misuse of time).

8. Lean methodology

Lean is another project management methodology that has its origins in manufacturing (and specifically the Toyota Production System). It’s all about applying lean principles to your project management methods to maximize value and minimize waste.

While this originally referred to reducing physical waste in the manufacturing process, it now refers to other wasteful practices in the project management process. These are known as the 3Ms: muda, mura, and muri.

Muda  (wastefulness) consumes resources without adding value for the customer.

Mura  (unevenness) occurs when you have overproduction in one area that throws all of your other areas out of whack, leaving you with too much inventory (wasteful!) or inefficient processes (also wasteful!).

Muri  (overburden) occurs when there is too much strain on resources such as equipment and people, which can often lead to breakdowns — in both machines and humans.

Using the key principles of lean, a project manager can reduce these types of waste to create more efficient workflows.

You’re looking for a set of principles that will help you cut the fat and optimize your flow.

You’re always trying to improve and add value for the customer.

You want to ultimately decrease costs.

You can’t afford to run into supply problems (e.g. you don’t have enough inventory in stock) or lose room for error (e.g. in the case of essential equipment failure).

You don’t have the budget to invest in it (while lean project management aims to reduce costs overall, it can be costly to implement).

You’re a raccoon and you love waste, actually.

9. Critical path method

A project without a critical path is like a ship without a rudder." ~ D. Meyer, Illinois Construction Law

The critical path method (also known as critical path analysis) is a way of identifying and scheduling all of the critical tasks that comprise your project, as well as their dependencies.

That means that you need to:

Identify all of the essential tasks you need to do to achieve your project goal

Estimate how much time each of those tasks will take (bearing in mind that certain tasks will need to be completed before others can be started)

Use all of that information to schedule the “critical path” you’ll need to take in order to get the project done as quickly as possible without missing any crucial steps.

The longest sequence of critical tasks becomes your critical path, and will define the timeframe for your project.

Along the path, you’ll have  milestones  to meet that will signal when one set of tasks (or phase) is over and you can move on to the next one.

There are lots of ways to visualize the critical path, depending on the complexity of your project, from flow graphs to Gantt charts .

Your project is large-scale and complex.

Your project has a lot of dependencies.

You’re looking for a visual way to map out the sequence of tasks.

You need to identify which tasks are the most important so you can better allocate your resources.

You have a strict plan and deadlines, with no room for silly business.

You love algorithms. Love ‘em!

You don’t need something with a lot of complexity.

You’re unsure about deadlines, timings, or durations.

Your project needs wiggle room to change.

10. Critical chain project management

Critical chain project management (or CCPM) takes the critical path method (CPM) one step further.

While the critical path method defines the length of time needed to get each critical activity done from the beginning of the project to the end, it can often be, well, unrealistic when the time comes to actually put it into practice.

Critical chain project management addresses those issues by allowing a bit more time for the human elements of your project — like delays and resourcing issues.

In critical chain project management, you have a few buffers built in that your critical chain can use without derailing everything else, so that your entire project doesn’t have to go off track just because life happens.

You like the sound of the critical path method, but you want something a little more realistic.

You were already overestimating task durations in CPM to allow for a buffer and you want more accurate data on how long the work is actually taking compared to your projections.

You think buffers are just a safety net for people who didn’t plan it right the first time.

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

11. New product introduction (NPI)

New product introduction is a great project management methodology for when you want to, well, introduce a new product.

Also known as new product development (NPD), the new product introduction process covers everything you need to define, develop and launch a new (or improved) product.

The project follows a single product through the entire development process. This process involves multiple phases or a stage-gate process, which can vary from organization to organization, but usually include things like:

Defining the product spec and project scope

Evaluating the feasibility

Developing the prototype

Validating the prototype via testing and analysis

Manufacturing the product on a larger scale

Evaluating the product’s success in the market after launch

As the requirements for a successful new product introduction span a number of departments across an organization, from leadership to product managers to marketing and more, it requires a lot of cross-functional collaboration and communication.

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You’re bringing a new or improved product to market.

You’re focusing on a single product.

You want to foster key stakeholder and cross-functional alignment right from the beginning.

You’re not bringing a new or improved product to market.

You’re looking for a more agile approach to product development (as NPI is usually sequential rather than iterative).

12. Package enabled reengineering (PER)

Package enabled reengineering (PER) is a project management methodology that aims to help organizations redesign products or processes with fresh eyes. It focuses on facilitating business transformations quickly and strategically, whether through redesign of processes or realignment of people.

Your organization needs an overhaul.

You need a fresh perspective on your products or processes.

You’re not trying to improve an existing system.

13. Outcome mapping

Outcome mapping is a project progress measurement system that was designed by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). It differs from the other project management methodologies on this list in that it doesn’t focus on measurable deliverables; instead, it focuses on creating lasting behavioural change.

It’s a common project management methodology used in charitable projects in developing countries. As a project management methodology, it’s less about the project itself than the long-term impact of the project and its ability to effect change in the community. As a result, it measures influence rather than other (perhaps more “typical”) measures of project progress.

Outcome mapping consists of a lengthy design phase followed by a record-keeping phase to track the results.

Your project is aimed at changing behaviour rather than producing deliverables.

Your project is related to change and social transformation (e.g. in the fields of international development, charity, communications, research).

Your project is all about finished products rather than behavioural outcomes.

14. Six Sigma

"Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. If you can't measure something, you can't understand it. If you can't understand it, you can't control it. If you can't control it, you can't improve it." ~ H. James Harrington, author and management mentor

Six Sigma is a method for improving processes with an emphasis on ensuring consistency in output and impeccable quality. (And if it’s  good enough for Jack Donaghy… )

There are a few different flavors available, such as Lean Six Sigma and Agile Sigma, but ultimately Six Sigma is a business methodology that aims to eliminate defects and reduce variation by using its defined methodologies.

Six Sigma methods can be used to optimize and improve existing processes or create new ones.

To improve business processes, you can use the Six Sigma DMAIC process, which stands for the phases in the project methodology:  D efine,  M easure,  A nalyze,  I mprove,  C ontrol.

To create new processes or products, you can use the Six Sigma DMADV process:  D efine,  M easure,  A nalyze,  D esign,  V erify.

As a set of principles and techniques (sometimes it’s even described as a “philosophy”) rather than a project management methodology in itself, Six Sigma methods can be applied alongside many other project management methodologies, like Lean and Agile.

You’re looking for a set of principles and philosophies you can bring with you to almost every project and organization.

You don’t have a lot of budget to invest in training — it can be expensive to get trained and certified.

You’re looking for a defined process for a particular project rather than a set of guiding rules.

15. PMI’s PMBOK

The Project Management Institute’s Project Management Book of Knowledge (AKA the PMI’s PMBOK) isn’t a project management methodology in and of itself. However, it is a best practices guide — and it forms the basis of the PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, one of the leading project management qualifications.

As such, the PMBOK is an industry-standard set of guiding principles that you can use to ensure that your projects across multiple types of teams and organizations meet the PMI’s high standards and comply with best practices.

You have (or want to get) a PMP.

You want to stay up-to-date with industry standards and best practices.

You live and work in a place where the PMP is the standard project management qualification (such as the US).

You need a solid project management methodology to map your project, rather than general (albeit helpful) project management knowledge.

16. PRINCE2 methodology

PRINCE2 ( PR ojects  IN   C ontrolled  E nvironments) is a project management methodology and certification that aims to equip project managers with knowledge of best practices and processes.

Unlike the PMP certification, it doesn’t require a number of prerequisites, making it a good choice for project managers looking to get both a methodological grounding and a qualification.

Also unlike the PMP, PRINCE2 is a methodology in itself. It’s guided by seven principles, which in turn dictate the seven processes a project manager needs to use in each project when using PRINCE2.

You’re looking for a certification to give you an edge.

You live and work in a place where PRINCE2 is the standard project management qualification (such as the UK).

You don’t want to commit to full certification.

The seven-step process doesn’t map to your projects.

You find yourself tailoring (or outright ignoring) the process stages so much that it becomes PINO — “PRINCE in name only”.

17. Rapid application development (RAD) methodology

Rapid application development (RAD) is a type of agile project management methodology that aims to facilitate faster software development .

It uses rapid prototype releases and iterations to gather feedback in a short period of time, and values that user feedback over strict planning and requirements recording.

You want to be able to give customers/clients/stakeholders a working model much sooner (even if it’s not perfect).

You want to create multiple prototypes and work with stakeholders to choose the best one.

Speed is of the essence.

You want to encourage code reuse.

You don’t have an experienced team.

Your clients or stakeholders don’t have the time to commit to such a collaborative process or can’t give feedback within the necessary timeframes.

You have a large team.

You prefer to have a detailed spec that outlines all functional and non-functional requirements.

The right project management methodology can elevate your project and help the project manager to get the best out of each team.

Whether you prefer the agile methods favored in IT project management or the more traditional waterfall project management and critical path methodology used in construction and manufacturing, there’s a project management methodology for every team.

But no matter which methodology you go for, you need a collaborative, flexible, and easy-to-use project management tool to support you every step of the way.

Choosing a team management software that supports multiple methodologies — i.e. that doesn’t lock you into one methodology or way of using it — like Teamwork.com means that every team in your organization has the freedom to work the way that works for them without sacrificing on features or complexity.

No matter how you like to work, Teamwork.com helps your team to replicate their best practices, ensure compliance and consistency, and constantly improve their processes.

What project management methodology allows some of the phases and tasks to overlap?

The project management methodology that allows some of the phases and tasks to overlap is known as "Agile" or "Agile Project Management." Agile is a flexible and iterative approach to project management that tends to be divided into "Sprints", which are time-boxed periods of work. Within each Sprint, cross-functional teams work on various tasks and features, allowing for a degree of overlap between different project phases.

What project management methodology requires the team to complete the previous phase before the next phase starts?

The project management methodology that typically requires the team to complete the previous phase before the next phase starts is the "Waterfall" methodology. Waterfall is a traditional, linear, and sequential approach to project management. In a Waterfall project, each phase must be completed in its entirety before the next phase can begin.

Why do project managers use project management methodologies?

Project managers use project management methodologies to bring structure and organization to their projects, ensuring consistency, risk management, resource allocation, and quality assurance. These methodologies promote effective communication, change management, and scope control, leading to increased efficiency, client and stakeholder satisfaction, and overall project success. They also foster a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability, allowing project managers to navigate changing requirements and uncertainties effectively.

How many project management methodologies are there?

There are numerous project management methodologies, with dozens of well-known approaches like Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, PRINCE2, Kanban, Lean, and Six Sigma, among others. Custom methodologies are also created by organizations to meet specific needs.

What is the difference between agile and scrum?

Agile is a broader project management philosophy that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer feedback, while Scrum is a specific Agile framework. Scrum introduces roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner, Development Team), fixed-time sprints, and defined ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Daily Standup, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective) to guide project teams. It also includes key artifacts like the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment.

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1 Project management methodologies: overview and definitions

Learning Outcomes

• Assess what constitutes project management methodologies.
• Determine the importance of methodologies in project management.
• Contextualise the various types of methodologies.

What exactly are methodologies in project management?

Methodologies for project management are a series of distinct processes that have been developed to offer assistance to project managers and team members. There are various definitions of a project management methodology but they all have the same grounding: it is a set of procedures, concepts, and regulations for managing a project to a successful end.

We would like to define it as: a collection of guiding principles and procedures for managing a project .

Project management methodologies describe the way we operate and communicate while managing projects. Methodologies are collections of guiding ideas and procedures that can be used to plan, manage, and execute projects. These methods of managing work are focused entirely on determining the most effective way to begin, plan, and carry out tasks. However, as a project manager, remember that your choice of approach for managing projects will impact how work is prioritised and how it is carried out.

When it comes to project management, using these methodologies serves 2 purposes: first, it expedites the completion of the duties associated with the project, and second, it provides solutions for dealing with problems as they appear. In addressing these two main purposes, the methodologies also guide the team through the entire project and provide them with steps to take and goals to work towards, while aiming to achieve the successful completion of the project.

Why use a project management methodology?

One of the most important objectives of a methodology is to standardise, structure, and organise the many methods within which the work is performed. This helps us to integrate all initiatives in the same way while offering us the capacity to reproduce successful components of the project. Well-adopted methodologies will also help us to learn from our previous errors, and ultimately lead us into a process of continuous improvement. Therefore, using a methodology can be a very helpful tool for developing project efficiency.

• Using a methodology in project management offers the opportunity for project managers to:
• better organise project life cycles
• adopt specific tools that allow for a precise time and cost estimation
• oversee and mitigate risks associated with the project
• improve the cost-benefit analysis of the project resources in a pragmatic way
• develop the team capabilities and competencies

In terms of resources, a methodology may help to speed up the learning curve of the project team, as it provides a well-established framework and structure for executing the project. When it is used in complex projects, methodologies can be adjusted and updated to be more in line with the individual working style of the team members as well as the strategic direction of the organisation. If a project manager selects a methodology that is acceptable and standardised, it is quite possible to improve the work performance while simultaneously lowering the need for extra resources to accommodate any changes triggered by the complexities of the project.

There is no doubt that the project team benefits from having access to a set of standards – a methodology that assists them to initiate and manage specific projects to a successful closure. Consequently, an effective methodology should have clear and transparent definitions, guidelines, and sample processes for the numerous project management activities that must be accomplished to execute successful projects. A project management methodology establishes a common basis for all the organisation’s activities. But most importantly, it establishes the grounds for success.

Project management methodologies offer the perfect planning framework to support the project throughout its life cycle. However, before attempting to implement a certain methodology style, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of its benefits. Different project types require different management approaches. As a project manager, if you do not have a complete understanding of the benefits, you will be unable to maximise these effectively. Every methodology can be thought of as a reference framework, some of which are better suited to specific circumstances than others. Having the right methodology is critical. The right methodology adoption and implementation will assist project managers to lower or mitigate potential risks, prevent unnecessary duplication of tasks and activities, and eventually boost the overall outcome of the project. A methodology is a form of control mechanism that will enable and potentially ensure that the project closure is reached in the most efficient and effective way. Organisations that use a methodology in a disciplined, well-managed, and consistent manner will gain a competitive advantage and achieve consistent project success.

Figure 1. Project management methodologies support areas, by Carmen Reaiche and Samantha Papavasiliou, licensed under CC BY (Attribution) 4.0

Some of the benefits of having a project management methodology are shown above in Figure 1. But there are five significant advantages to using a project management methodology that we would like to focus on.

Advantage 1: Communication flow

When the project team members adhere to the same method, the communication channels and inclusive language become standardised. Because organisations often have many projects going at once, communication might become quite challenging. Having clear communication channels enables interaction and integration between various projects managers, allows team members and stakeholders to integrate their views, and helps sponsors to make decisions that are consistently sound and based on accessible information. Organisations should prioritise communication as an important goal and having a good methodology can support this goal.

Advantage 2: Control management

When project managers implement and run the right methodology, they are better equipped to monitor how the project and their management initiatives are progressing. A methodology provides a control system that enables project managers to monitor what is working well and what isn’t and determine whether objectives are meeting their maximum potential.

Methodologies are control management systems. When applied correctly, these systems act as governance tools that can guarantee that everything that is going on in the project life cycle can be easily identified, and that governance decisions are transparent and on time. In fact, project governance and monitoring make up a considerable portion of the components that comprise a project management methodology. They pave the way for project activities to progress in a manner that is not only organised but also easy to comprehend and communicate.

Advantage 3: Global competence

Tendering can be a complex process and in the globalised arena in which we live today it can be especially challenging for businesses to win contractual projects. The tendering process asks an organisation to respond to a formal request for the supply of goods, services and/or projects. Adhering to a consistent process can help an organisation win external contracts. In project management, there are a lot of bids that demand the use of specific methodologies. For example, in the engineering field there are many bids that list PRINCE2 as a prerequisite. In the public sector, tendering will require the application of Agile tools. Even if your role as project manager doesn’t require you to be involved in tendering or to participate in the bidding process of a contractual project, adopting a methodology (of any kind) is an essential component of good project management. It serves as a safeguard against everything that could possibly go wrong with projects and helps us to get back on track.

Advantage 4: Providing support during uncertain times

Methodologies can also assist project managers with overcoming the unknowns and uncertainties that are an inherent part of project management. With the support of procedures such as end-of-phase and gate reviews, it is possible for projects to transition from one stage to the next in a controlled and effective way. Without the proper control tools and methodology, many project managers would find it difficult to manage a project and access the information they need.

According to the literature (see, for example, Betts and Landsley 1995; Charvat 2003; Bondarenko 2017), the methodology capability of assisting with organising and structuring information is one of the main reasons why methodologies are important, particularly to project managers new to the trade. They provide supportive mechanisms that ensure that a project manager sticks to all the set protocols, follows the relevant processes, and obtains the required authorisations when required. These mechanisms are particularly useful and relevant in the face of uncertain events, ensuring that project managers do all the required tasks at the appropriate times. If project managers don’t have access to a set structure or guide, or lack instructions that might assist them, then they may be forced to access more management support to avoid managing their projects to failure.

Advantage 5: Mapping processes to success

Project managers with any level of expertise may benefit from methodologies that display a degree of flexibility as they provide the required level of support to aid efficiency and facilitate the project manager’s work. Methodologies can be very regimented, which means that they do not provide a great deal of room for deviations. To some project managers, this could be a disadvantage as it can restrict creativity. However, a well-structured methodology is more likely to guarantee successful project completion. Distinctions between the steps of the process can enable users to divide tasks more quickly and minimise errors that would otherwise be impossible to manage. Because of a methodology’s rigidity, project managers are required to pay meticulous attention to each stage, which in turn results in an automatically improved, controlled approach to the final outcome of the project.

Disadvantages

From a practitioner’s perspective we could extend the list of advantages presented above; however, it is also important to highlight some of the disadvantages that are prevalent when a project management methodology is adopted. The advantages of having a methodology are very encouraging, but there is some research that suggests that methodologies provide no value to projects (see, for example, Bondarenko et al. 2018; Perrin 2018). The lack of value is seen in scenarios where project managers are experts in the field of the project, have extensive expertise in managing complex large projects, and have a clear understanding of the organisation’s strategy. Methodologies have been proven to be effective in situations where they replace and/or complement project managers who lack the necessary expertise and skills, and this has generated a misconception that it is the only value they bring to projects. However, we should acknowledge that, when it comes to mid-level, experienced project managers who have an average amount of experience and accountability, there is also a point in the middle of managing a project, where the benefits of using a methodology begin to diminish.

Another disadvantage that we have seen is the disconnection that sometimes exists between what project managers believe to be of value for the project and what the organisation believes to be beneficial on a strategic level. Therefore, it is critical to establish a good communication system between all stakeholders and have everyone on the same level of understanding when implementing a methodology.

Methods aren’t flawless, but they do offer a lot of benefits to the individual project manager as well as the organisation. There are many different routes that can be taken to successfully implement a methodology and complete a project. The best and most popular approaches, strategies, and frameworks are always evolving so we cannot suggest a single example for you to adopt. Behind any successfully completed project is a plethora of different strategies, methodologies, and procedures. In fact, you will most likely have the opportunity to make use of more than one of them during your project management career.

In this book, we will discuss some of the key methodologies, as well as specific components of these methodologies, that you may apply in practice in order to successfully deliver projects to completion. Table 1 lists some of these key project management methodologies and provides a brief explanation of the techniques that will be covered in the next modules.

Table 1. Project management methodologies groups, by Carmen Reaiche and Samantha Papavasiliou, licensed under CC BY (Attribution) 4.0

In sum, the various methodologies, strategies, and frameworks available to project managers are also useful to others. Figure 2 below shows a few guidelines for adopting a new methodology, but keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all framework. As discussed earlier, the whole team working on the project will benefit from these as they will need a tool to help them gain a solid grasp of the project objectives and maximise the project’s and organisation’s resources. The right methodology will help the team achieve these. Irrespective of the methodology option you select, the processes embedded under each methodology will ensure that the rest of the project requirements and procedures are carried out without a glitch. Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a standard organisation strategy, typical project or team members – each of these are unique to the environment in which they and the project operates and resides. Therefore, each methodology must be understood and applied accordingly. Keep in mind that it is also possible that you will not find success using a methodology or an approach that has been successful for someone else. Because of this, we highly recommend that you try multiple methodologies and forecast in which way you might use these effectively for each of your unique projects.

Figure 2. A project management methodology roadmap adoption, by Carmen Reaiche and Samantha Papavasiliou, licensed under CC BY (Attribution) 4.0

Test your knowledge

Key Takeaways

• As a project manager, aim to establish a productive culture for project management which will enable you and your team to employ a project management methodology in an efficient manner.
• Enhance the abilities of your project team members and provide them with a comprehensive understanding as well as a stable basis so that they may effectively manage their projects.
• A methodology should facilitate the clarification of goals and the scope of the project by integrating the organisation’s strategy and best practices of all project management group processes.

Betts M and Lansley P (1995) ‘ International Journal of Project Management : a review of the first ten years’, International Journal of Project Management , 13(4):207–217.

Bondarenko S (2017) ‘Synergetic management as a management technology of enterprise innovative development’, Journal of Applied Management and Investments , 6(4): 223–230.

Bondarenko S, Lagodienko V, Sedikova I and Kalaman O (2018) ‘Application of project analysis software in project management in the pre-investment phase’, Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology , 9(13):676–684.

Charvat J (2003) Project management methodologies: selecting, implementing and supporting methodologies and processes for projects , John Wiley & Sons.

Perrin JM (2018) ‘The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry: the disadvantages of project management’,  Project Management in the Library Workplace  ( Advances in Library Administration and Organization, Vol. 38 ), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, 71–88.

Management Methods for Complex Projects Copyright © 2022 by Carmen Reaiche and Samantha Papavasiliou is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

What Is a Project Management Methodology?

• 1.  Project Management Basics
• 2.  Project Management Methodologies
• 3.  Project Management Life Cycle
• 4.  Best Project Management Software
• 5.  Team Collaboration Tips
• 6.  Agile Methodology Basics
• 7.  Agile Project Management Tools & Techniques
• 8.  Project Management Frameworks
• 9.  Resources
• 10.  Glossary
• Advanced Terminology
• Methodologies
• PM Software Features
• Basic Terminology
• Professional Development
• Agile Project Management
• Project Management Guide

If you're wondering, "What are project management methodologies?" you're probably looking to bring some structure and cohesiveness to your workflow. Project management methodologies provide an infrastructure for accomplishing projects. They're a blueprint for how tasks and projects are planned, managed, and executed.

What are the most commonly used project management methodologies?

Questions you should ask yourself before deciding on a project management methodology include: What is your project approach in project management?  How many of your requests are ad hoc? It's important to make sure your project’s parameters fit within the rules and processes of your chosen methodology.

For further reading:

• The 3-Step Guide to Choosing the Right Project Management Methodology
• 23 Project Management Books for All Experience Levels
• Don’t Forget These 10 Project Management Best Practices (Infographic)

Project Management Methodologies

Basic Project Management

• Project Charter
• Project Management Stakeholders
• What is a Project?
• Work Breakdown Structure
• Project Objectives
• Project Baseline
• Project Management Scheduling
• Project Management Work Packages
• Project Management Scope
• Scope Creep

Advanced Project Management

• What is PERT?
• Network Diagram
• Risk Management
• Cost Estimation
• Feasibility Study
• Monte Carlo Analysis
• Project Integration
• Cost Management
• PMI Project Management
• What To Do With Certification
• Certification
• Become Certified
• PMP Certification
• Best Certification

Software Features

• Critical Success Factors
• Capacity Planning
• User Role Access Permissions
• Time Tracking
• Budget Tracking
• Request Forms
• Work Assignments
• Version Control
• Dependency Managements
• Project management Milestones
• Project Management Software
• Project Management Tools
• Project Management System
• Gantt Charts

• Demo Videos
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What is Project Management Methodologies?

Methodologies contain guiding processes for those who are doing project management . The true definition is that methodologies are not tool specific, however in today's software-reliant world the reality is that the methodology and the organization's project management software tool are often heavily intertwined.

Why Project Management Methodologies?

Project management plays a crucial role in accomplishing goals and following through with plans and expectations. However, getting your team organized around a project is often easier said than done. Following a project management methodology can help you organize your project into a structured, streamlined process. It makes team collaboration more efficient and projects become better organized.

But not every project management methodology will work for every type of projects. In order to recognize which method will work best for your project, you need to be familiar with these common project methodologies and their differences.

Introduction of Project Management Methodologies

While there are dozens of project management methods available, an appropriate project management methods can help you team to manage your project much more efficiently. A business can vary according to type, size, industry, and many other factors. Rather than looking for a methodology that is best, businesses should learn these methodologies, how they are used, and how they can be applied.

Let's go through the widely used methods below briefly:

Agile Methodologies were originating resulted from the use of the waterfall model were seen as bureaucratic, inflexible, slow, and inconsistent with the ways that software developers actually perform effective work. Agile method is people-focused and commnuication-oriented, flexible (ready to adapt to expected change at any time), speedy (encourage rapid and iterative development of the product in small releases), lean (focuses on shortening timeframe and cost and on improved quality), responsive (reacts appropriately to expected and unexpected changes), and learning (focuses on improvement during and after product development)

Agile processes generally encourages frequent inspection and adaptation, a leadership philosophy that encourages teamwork, self-organization and accountability, a set of engineering best practices intended to allow for rapid delivery of high-quality software, and a business approach that aligns development with customer needs and company goals. The Agile method tries to provide rapid, continuous delivery of product to the customer. Whereas traditional methodologies such as the Waterfall method or other linear processes require detailed upfront requirements defined in the initial stage of a project.

Waterfall methodology is the one that is the most used across all industries, and it is very common in software development and construction. The waterfall model is a sequential (non-iterative) design process, used in software development processes, in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards (like a waterfall) through the phases of conception, initiation, analysis, design, construction, testing, production/implementation and maintenance. There are many versions of the waterfall method, but the original one included these high-level phases:

• Requirements specification
• Construction (coding)
• Integration
• Testing and debugging (Validation)
• Installation
• Maintenance

Adaptive project management does exactly what the title suggests: it adapts. With adaptive project management the scope of a given project can vary. While the time needed to complete the project and the cost of the project are constants, the project scope can be adjusted as it is being executed. Businesses commonly do this to get maximum value out of each project, such as when new ideas or opportunities are unlocked during the development of a project.

Scrum is an agile framework for completing complex projects. Scrum originally was formalized for software development projects, but it works well for any complex, innovative scope of work. The possibilities are endless. The Scrum framework is deceptively simple.

The Scrum tries to deal with the fact that the requirements are likely to change quickly or are not completely known at the start of the project. The low-level requirements are only defined at the time when they are going to be really implemented. In Scrum, changes and optimizations of product, requirements and processes are an integral part of the whole engineering cycle. Thus, scrum development process is a type of agile methodology that focuses around short sprints cycle and monthly scrum sessions where project deliverables are broken down into 2 to 4 weeks intervals.

Scrum is applicable only in certain types of environments - mainly those with co-located, 100% dedicated team members (not easily working well with multiple projects), with dedicate support for the project team members.

RAD (rapid applications development)

Rapid application development (RAD) describes a method of software development which heavily emphasizes rapid prototyping and iterative delivery. It was born out of frustration with the waterfall approach which often resulted in products that had already out of date by the time they were actually released. RAD is a type of incremental model, which the components or functions are developed in parallel as mini projects. The developments are time boxed, delivered and then assembled into a working prototype. This can quickly give the customer something to see and use and to provide feedback regarding the delivery and their requirements.

PMBOK ® is not exactly a methodology but rather a broad collection of good practices for project management, which has been rapidly grown and spread around the world, and is now seen globally as a recognized and strategic competency, a career path and a subject for training and education. PMBOK is short for Project Management Body of Knowledge. The PMBOK framework consists of five process groups, ten knowledge areas and 47 project management processes. The knowledge areas group the PM processes by project management content.

The PMBOK is the broadest and most widely used standard reference of industry best practices for PM. It sets out good practices and guidelines that are applicable to a wide range of industries and markets and cross multiple departments, from IT to production. Different industries can leverage different aspects of the PMBOK to suit their specific needs.

Process groups

The five process groups are:

• Initiating: processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase.
• Planning: Those processes required to establish the scope of the project, refine the objectives, and define the course of action required to attain the objectives that the project was undertaken to achieve.
• Executing: Those processes performed to complete the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the project specifications
• Monitoring and Controlling: Those processes required to track, review, and regulate the progress and performance of the project; identify any areas in which changes to the plan are required; and initiate the corresponding changes.
• Closing: Those processes performed to finalize all activities across all Process Groups to formally close the project or phase.

Knowledge areas

The ten knowledge areas, each of which contains some or all of the project management processes, are:

• Project Integration Management : the processes and activities needed to identify, define, combine, unify, and coordinate the various processes and project management activities within the project management process groups.
• Project Scope management : the processes required to ensure that the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully.
• Project Time Management : the processes required to manage the timely completion of the project.
• Project Cost Management : the processes involved in planning, estimating, budgeting, financing, funding, managing, and controlling costs so that the project can be completed within the approved budget.
• Project Quality Management : the processes and activities of the performing organization that determine quality policies, objectives, and responsibilities so that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken.
• Project Human Resource Management : the processes that organize, manage, and lead the project team.
• Project Communications Management : the processes that are required to ensure timely and appropriate planning, collection, creation, distribution, storage, retrieval, management, control, monitoring, and the ultimate disposition of project information.
• Project Risk Management : the processes of conducting risk management planning, identification, analysis, response planning, and controlling risk on a project.
• Project Procurement Management : the processes necessary to purchase or acquire products, services, or results needed from outside the project team. Processes in this area include Procurement Planning, Solicitation Planning, Solicitation, Source Selection, Contract Administration, and Contract Closeout.
• Project Stakeholder Management : the processes required to identify all people or organizations impacted by the project, analyzing stakeholder expectations and impact on the project, and developing appropriate management strategies for effectively engaging stakeholders in project decisions and execution.

Each of the ten knowledge areas contains the processes that need to be accomplished within its discipline in order to achieve effective project management. Each of these processes also falls into one of the five process groups, creating a matrix structure such that every process can be related to one knowledge area and one process group.

PRINCE2 (an acronym for PR ojects IN C ontrolled E nvironments) is a de facto process-based method for effective project management. It is both a methodology and a de facto standard used extensively by the UK Government and is widely recognized and used in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally. It provides consistency of process, approach and language which can therefore be applied to pretty much any type of project. PRINCE2 is a principles-driven project management methodology, which is based on seven principles, seven themes and seven processes.

The seven principles are:

• Continued Business Justification
• Learn from Experience
• Defined Roles and Responsibilities
• Manage by Stages
• Manage by Exception
• Focus on Products
• Tailor to Suit the Project Environment

The seven themes are:

• Business case
• Organization

PRINCE2 is not a "waterfall" methodology or a "silver bullet" solution or a 'one size fits all' solution; it is a project management framework that can readily be tailored to any size or type of project. Thus, it is both a perfect off the shelf method for complex projects, and as well as a great basis for tailoring to less complex project environments.

In Kanban , project progress is displayed on a board. Notes (also called stickers) are very common in this regard which moves from left to right generally. They are categorized as tasks in progress, recently completed and in queue. Kanban makes it easy to visualize what work is being going on and what's next. Kanban methodology works best for a small team. Also individuals consider the use of personal Kanban boards as effective use of methodology.

Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven product and process-improvement methodology that was originally developed by Motorola. The idea was to improve processes by eliminating defects, which are defined as "nonconformity of a product or service to its specifications." Those of us in project management generally do not think of it as a project management methodology.

The process steps go by the acronym DMAIC, which stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control, and when it is done to Synergize through the organization.

DMAIC is part of the Six Sigma methodology, but it also is often used as a stand-alone method. DMAIC (an abbreviation for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) refers to a data-driven improvement cycle used for improving, optimizing and stabilizing business processes and designs. It and can be used as the framework for improvement projects outside of Six Sigma.

The framework is described briefly here:

• Define - who are the customers and what are their needs. Define the project purpose and scope. Define the current process and what customer wants from it.
• Measure - how is the process performing and how is it measured. Gather data on how well the current process performs in meeting customer needs
• Analyze - what are the most important causes of problems. Identify root causes of performance gaps and confirm with data.
• Improve- how do we remove the causes of problems? Plan, test, and implement solutions that eliminate root causes (use data to evaluate both the solutions and plans used to carry them out).
• Control - how can we maintain the improvements? Maintain the gains by standardizing work methods or processes. Anticipate future improvements and preserve the lessons from this effort.

Adaptive versus predictive

The two most popular project management solutions being implemented today are adaptive and predictive. Adaptive is widely known as agile, and predictive is also referred to as the waterfall or traditional methodology.

To avoid the limitations of the waterfall approach, agile method targets to be a flexible and iterative project management technique for dealing with rapidly change of customer requirements. One the other hand, the waterfall project management methodology details planning and upfront requirement before a project starts rolling. Steps and dependencies are explicitly mapped, and the project moves on to the next phase only when the previous one has already been completed. This solution works well for projects with defined tasks and sequences, and when you know exactly what the final deliverable should be.

Adaptive or predictive?

Based on these rough guidelines, you can see that both agile and waterfall have their uses, so that saying agile is better than waterfall - or the other way around, for that matter - is completely inaccurate. It all boils down to understanding which approach better jives with the needs of your project and the team you're working with.

Choose the right project management methodology

Since all projects vary and have differing requirements, there can be no project management method that is "best" and which applies to all businesses. Thus, project Management Methodologies are definitely not one-size-fits all, even within the same company, project type or industry. In one situation a specific methodology may work best, and in others it may be more suitable to have another one, or even a hybrid methodology. The same methodology is unlikely to work in the same organization on all projects. We can consider some of these factors for determining which methodology might be right for you:

• Organizational goals
• Core values
• Project constraints
• Project stakeholders
• Project size
• Cost of the project
• Ability to take risks
• Need for flexibility

Project management methodology is an essential for today's businesses. By adopting an appropriate method for your project, you can transform the way your project team communicates, works on tasks, and accomplishes project milestones on time and within budget.

Getting organized with Visual Paradigm

Whether you fully adopt one project management method of the above, or need to customize a particular method for fitting your specific need, using Visual Paradigm's Just-in-Time PMBOK process , will significantly increase your team's productivity and efficiency.

Businesses that utilize a project management method described above are far more likely to be successful with Visual Paradigm. Visual Paradigm enable your team work collaboratively and manage, assign and delegate tasks, share files, other resources automatically, and much more. Plus, Visual Paradigm is flexible enough to be customized by adding or removing works or deliverables from any project management methods in just-in-time and just-enough manner!

Visual Paradigm Process Maps

In Visual Paradigm, we provide the following method templates and the new templates will expect to be introduced in the coming few releases.

• With project selection phase, best fit for PMO
• With four levels of complexity
• TOGAF step-by-step guide-through process
• TOGAF customizable Just-in-Time Process Map
• PMBOK Customizable just-in-time Process Map
• Business Motivation Model (BMM) for Strategic Planning

What is Visual Paradigm Just-in-Time Process?

One-size-fits-all solution is not always applicable for nowadays complex and fast changing world. Process like Rational unified process (RUP) is considered to be heavy weight and lack agility to deal with dynamic situations and thus, not suitable for agile team development. The upfront requirements elicitation doesn't anticipate changes and might result in a lot wastes in time, effort and cost in the initial development stage.

Visual Paradigm's Just-in-Time (JIT) Process Map allows developers to define and configure process in just-in-time and just-enough manner to cope with the fast changing business environment, minimizing wastes for the entire process. You can customize a process like PMBOK, PRINCE2 or even invent your own process for your enterprise in an agile way.

Visual Paradigm provides you with a huge collection of templates and forms, with inline instructions and samples for you to create custom processes that fit your specific needs. Besides, there are some out-of-the box Work Items for you to add into your processes. These Work Items ranging from basic analysis and summary table, to a series of steps to create meaningful study on various aspects for enterprise architecture, project management, or ITSM activities such as meeting templates, review logs and etc.

Ready-to-use Just-in-Time Templates

In Visual Paradigm, a set of ready-to-use JIT process templates are included for project management and enterprise architecture. For project management templates, there are 4 different levels of complexity for different types of projects to adopt with. In addition, a PMBOK-like project management process template together with the forms and instructions are also provided. In terms of enterprise architecture, a TOGAF ADM project template is incorporated with ArchiMate for the diagram models in the deliverables. You can adopt these templates straight way, or customize the process a bit by adding your own forms and etc. to fit your specific project needs.

Just-In-time Process Map

Just-in-Time Process Map allows you to design a wide variety of development and management processes, such as, TOGAF ADM, PMBOK , PRINCE2 and many more. In addition, you can use it to model many different aspects of process activities ranging from event and task management (member view, project view, or deliverable view), to product development or agile process management by configuring the column headers as phases, members, projects, deliverables and etc. For instance, you can present process like PMBOK by having development phases as columns and knowledge areas as rows.

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Project Management: What Is Project Management?

This guide is brought to you by projectmanager, online project management software used by 35,000+ users worldwide..

What Is a Project?

What is project management, project management history, why is project management important, what are the areas of project management, what are the 5 steps in the project management process, what types of project management exist, what tools are used in project management, project management templates, what are the key project management roles, how to start a project management career, which are the best project management certifications, what is project management software.

A project can be simply defined as an endeavor that involves completing tasks to achieve an objective with a limited set of resources and a finite timeline . Based on this definition, it’s clear that most businesses, nonprofits, governments and other types of organizations execute projects of some sort and therefore, need to implement a project management process.

Project management is a process that allows project managers to plan, execute, track and complete projects with the help of a project team. To do so, they must use project management principles, skills, methodologies and tools to lead team members through each of the project management steps which are known as the project lifecycle.

However, project management can’t be defined in one paragraph. In this guide, we’ll cover the basic concepts you need to know to understand what project management is, the stages of the project management process, different types of project management approaches and the tools you can use for managing projects.

In addition, you’ll need project management software to plan, execute and track projects. ProjectManager , for example, has the project planning, scheduling and tracking features you need to manage timelines, resources, costs and teams in one online tool. Use our Gantt charts, kanban boards, and calendars to create project schedules and assign work with real-time resource availability. Get started for free today.

Project management is closely related to other disciplines including program management and portfolio management. However, while they’re similar, they’re not exactly the same. Here’s how they differ.

What Is the Difference Between Project Management and Program Management?

Program management uses the same principles and techniques as project management, but as its name suggests, it consists of managing programs instead of projects . Programs are a group of related projects that are executed simultaneously to make the most out of an organization’s available resources which presents unique challenges for project management professionals.

What Is the Difference Between Project Management and Project Portfolio Management?

The main difference between project management and project portfolio management is that the latter focuses on prioritizing projects based on the business objectives and strategic goals of an organization.

Now, let’s review the history of project management and explain its importance for organizations in any industry.

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• Project Plan Template

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Project management as we know it today began taking shape roughly in the 1950s when foundational tools and techniques of project management such as the critical path method (CPM), work breakdown structure (WBS) and the program evaluation and review technique (PERT) were created.

However, the origins of project management can be traced back to 1896 when Karol Adamiecki created the harmonogram, which was the inspiration for the Gantt chart , which was later created in 1910 by Henry Gantt and remains one of the most important project management tools today. The origins of project management are closely related to construction, engineering, scientific management and even military research.

Now that we’ve defined what project management is and where it came from, let’s review how it can be implemented by organizations by reviewing the project management steps.

Related: 25 Free Project Management Templates for Excel

In a nutshell, project management is important because it helps organizations control all the moving parts of projects to bring them to successful completion. These moving parts are known as project management areas, which are key project aspects that must be overseen as projects progress.

Here’s a quick definition of each of the 10 project management knowledge areas, first defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI) in its Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).

• Scope management : Managing the scope of a project, which refers to the tasks, deliverables and milestones that should be delivered.
• Schedule management : Creating a project schedule and setting guidelines for how it’ll be tracked and maintained.
• Cost management : Estimating project costs to create a budget which is then tracked throughout the project.
• Quality management : Ensuring project deliverables meet quality standards.
• Resource management : Acquiring, allocating and tracking project resources like labor, materials and equipment.
• Communication management : Defining communication guidelines for project teams and stakeholders.
• Risk management : Identifying, evaluating and preventing or mitigating risks in your project.
• Procurement Management : Acquiring project resources and maintaining relationships with vendors and suppliers.
• Stakeholder management : Identifying project stakeholders, and managing them based on their expectations and influence over projects.
• Integration management : Creating a framework that helps project teams work better together.

These project management knowledge areas need to be managed during each step of the project management process.

The project management process consists of five steps or phases that all projects must go through: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control and closure. These project management phases are also known as process groups, the project management cycle or the project lifecycle . Let’s review each of these steps.

1. Project Initiation

This is the starting phase where the project manager must prove that the project has value and is feasible through a series of project management documents . Here are the most important ones:

• Business case : A business case justifies the need for the project, project objectives and return on investment.
• Feasibility study : A feasibility study proves that the project can be executed within a reasonable time and cost.
• Project charter : A project charter conveys what the project is going to deliver.

Once the project gets approved, the project manager must assemble a project team and set up a project management office. The project initiation phase ends with a kickoff meeting, which is when project goals and scope are defined.

2. Project Planning

The goal of the project planning phase is the creation of the project plan, a comprehensive project document that explains in great detail how the project will be executed. Here’s a quick overview of the most important sections of a project plan.

• Project schedule : The project schedule defines a timeline for the execution of tasks and resource allocation.
• Project budget : A project budget is the sum of all the estimated project costs.
• Scope management plan : Explains how your project scope will be tracked throughout the project.
• Risk management plan : Explains the risks that might affect the project, along with strategies to mitigate them.
• Resource management plan : Describes how your resources will be obtained, allocated and managed during the project.
• Stakeholder management plan : Identifies all project stakeholders  and the guidelines to manage them.

Project managers often lay out their project plan using Gantt chart software , which provides a visual representation of the entire project schedule and project scope. Some Gantt charts automatically identify critical path activities.

3. Project Execution

The third project management phase is project execution, which is when the project plan is executed to meet the project goals and objectives.

The project execution phase is when project managers need to oversee the project management knowledge areas as their project progresses toward the monitoring and control phase.

Along the way, the project manager will reallocate resources or adjust time and scope as needed to keep the team working. In addition, they’ll identify and mitigate risks, deal with problems and incorporate any changes.

4. Project Monitoring and Control

The fourth project management phase, project monitoring and control, takes place concurrently with the execution phase of the project. It involves monitoring the progress of the project execution activities to ensure the project team stays on schedule and within budget. Quality control procedures are applied to guarantee quality assurance.

Reporting is also a critical part of this project management phase. First, it allows project managers to track progress, and second, it provides data for stakeholders during presentations to keep them in the loop. There are many project management reports such as project status, timesheets, workload, allocation and expense reports.

5. Project Closure

The fifth project management phase is project closure, in which the final project deliverables are presented to the stakeholders. Once approved, resources are released, documentation is completed and everything is signed off on.

Now that we’ve learned about the project management life cycle, let’s look at some project management approaches.

Through the years, many project management methodologies have been developed to adjust to the needs of different industries. Some of these project management types or approaches also work best for projects of certain sizes and complexity levels.

Here’s a list of the main project management methodologies . Click the links for an in-depth explanation of each.

Waterfall Project Management

A linear project management approach, in which stakeholder requirements are gathered at the beginning of the project, and then a sequential project plan is created.

Agile Project Management

An iterative project management approach that doesn’t follow a rigid project plan, but instead short sprints of work called agile sprints.

Scrum Project Management

An agile framework that’s very popular for product and software development.

Lean Project Management (or Lean Manufacturing)

This technique was invented to improve manufacturing processes and became a very important project management methodology through the years.

Kanban Method

Kanban is a widely used project management approach that consists of managing work through visual boards and cards. Kanban boards are used by agile and scrum teams.

Just like kanban or lean, six sigma is a set of tools and techniques that were developed to improve production processes and later became a project management approach.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

The critical path method is a project scheduling technique that allows project managers to estimate the duration of a project, identify task dependencies, float and critical activities.

Critical Chain Project Management

A project management approach that’s based on the theory of constraints and uses resource management as the primary way to execute projects effectively.

PRINCE2 is the most popular project management methodology in the UK, Australia, and European countries. PRINCE2 is very similar to the Project Management Body of Knowledge from the PMI because it provides definitions and best practices for project managers.

There is a wide range of project management tools, both online and mobile, available to manage projects. These are the most essential tools for a project manager:

Project Dashboard

A project dashboard is a project-tracking tool that allows you to monitor your costs, tasks and progress. It’s a very useful tool during project execution because it helps project managers quickly determine whether their projects are on track.

Gantt Charts

A Gantt chart is a visual representation of a project timeline that shows all the project tasks in one graph. Gantt charts are used for project planning, project scheduling, task management and resource management. They work best on waterfall projects.

The Gantt chart is the preferred method used by project managers to schedule their projects. Some tasks are dependent on others before they can start or end, and these task dependencies can create bottlenecks later in the project.

By linking them on a Gantt chart, task dependencies help avoid slowing down the schedule. Projects can be divided by milestones  and diamond symbols, which indicate the end of one phase and the beginning of the next.

Kanban Boards

A kanban board is a task management tool that allows project managers and team members to visualize tasks. Kanban boards are used by agile and scrum teams who work in iterative sprints. They’re easy to use and foster team collaboration.

There are many project management charts and diagrams that project managers use to plan, schedule and track their projects. Here are some of the most commonly used ones.

• Gantt Chart Template
• Work Breakdown Structure Template
• Project Budget Template
• Project Timeline Template

These are just some examples of project management charts. We have a library of project management templates you can use to manage every project phase.

However, while these templates can be very useful, they’re still static documents that can’t match the features that you’d get from project management software such as ProjectManager.

A project works best when project management roles are well-defined. While there are project management methods that require different types of project teams, these are the main project management roles:

• Project manager: As we’ve mentioned above, the project manager is responsible for managing the project management knowledge areas throughout the project.
• Project sponsor: The project sponsor represents the customer of the project. Depending on the organization, there can be different levels of project sponsors.
• Project team members: Team members are skilled professionals who work to contribute to the process of producing deliverables, managing risks and achieving project goals.
• Project stakeholders: This is a person or a group who has a vested interest or “stake” in the project. The project manager must communicate project progress to stakeholders throughout the project life cycle.
• Clients: This is a group or a person for whom the project or a key component of the project is delivered.

Ready to become a project management professional? You’ll need to work on your project management skills and a certification program to become a professional project manager.

Project managers are leaders. They need to motivate their teams as well as plan, monitor and report on their progress. It’s a job requiring many hats. They must have strong project management skills and be able to clearly connect with both stakeholders and the project team.

Additionally, formal project managers are typically certified through agencies like the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the U.S. or PRINCE2 in the U.K. After certification, they’re required to maintain their certifications by acquiring additional project management training to gather a targeted number of Professional Development Units (PDU).

How Much Does a Project Manager Make?

In terms of salary, a project manager can earn anywhere from under $100,000 to close to $200,000 a year. This is dependent on a number of factors, including location, education, years of experience, performance and more.

There are several organizations over the world that provide project management certifications and training. Here are the most popular ones.

• Google project management certificate : Google recently developed this training program in association with Coursera, which teaches all the project management basics.
• PMI certifications : PMI offers numerous project management certifications. Most project managers obtain the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification which is an industry standard.
• Agile certifications: There are plenty of agile project management certifications and training courses. These are a requirement for agile and scrum project managers.
• PRINCE2 certifications: PRINCE2 is the project management framework used in the UK, Australia and Europe. You’ll need specific certifications to participate in a PRINCE2 project.

What Skills Are Needed to Succeed In Project Management?

In addition to certifications, project management positions require a set of soft and hard skills to lead project teams. Project management skills are grouped under two main categories: hard skills and soft skills.

Hard skills are skills that can be acquired by individuals through formal training, such as becoming knowledgeable about project management methodologies, learning how to use project management software or implementing project management techniques.

Soft skills, on the other hand, are skills that people develop over the course of their lives, such as communication skills, problem-solving, time management or work ethic.

Project management software is a platform for managers to plan, monitor and report on projects; it lets teams manage their work and collaborate, too. Watch the video below to see project management software in action:

Choosing the best project management software for your organization isn’t easy as there are many alternatives to choose from. But not all project management software has the same features and, as a project manager, it’s your responsibility to decide which tool works best for your organization.

ProjectManager offers a suite of all the project management tools you need to take your project every step of the way—from initiation through closure. We have the best project planning, scheduling and tracking features.

Project Management Resources

• Work Breakdown Structure
• Project Management Trends (2022)
• Guide to Gantt Charts
• Guide to Project Plans
• Guide to Construction Project Management
• Guide to Program Management

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• What is Agile methodology? (A beginner’ ...

What is Agile methodology? (A beginner’s guide)

Agile methodology is a project management framework that breaks projects down into several dynamic phases, commonly known as sprints. In this article, get a high-level overview of Agile project management, plus a few common frameworks to choose the right one for your team.

Scrum, Kanban, waterfall, Agile. 

Agile project management isn’t just useful for software project management—all types of teams have been successful with this dynamic methodology. If you’re looking to get started with Agile, you’ve come to the right place.

What is the Agile methodology?

Agile methodology is a project management framework that breaks projects down into several dynamic phases, commonly known as sprints. 

The Agile framework is an iterative methodology . After every sprint, teams reflect and look back to see if there was anything that could be improved so they can adjust their strategy for the next sprint.

What is the Agile Manifesto?

The Agile Manifesto is a document that focuses on four values and 12 principles for Agile software development. It was published in February 2001 by 17 software developers who needed an alternative to the more linear product development process .  

What are the 4 pillars of Agile?

As outlined in the Agile Manifesto, there are four main values of Agile project management:

Individuals over processes and tools: Agile teams value team collaboration and teamwork over working independently and doing things "by the book.”

Working software over comprehensive documentation: The software that Agile teams develop should work. Additional work, like documentation, is not as important as developing good software.

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation: Customers are extremely important within the Agile methodology. Agile teams allow customers to guide where the software should go. Therefore, customer collaboration is more important than the finer details of contract negotiation.

Responding to change over following a plan: One of the major benefits of Agile project management is that it allows teams to be flexible. This framework allows for teams to quickly shift strategies and workflows without derailing an entire project.

What are the 12 Agile principles?

The four values of Agile are the pillars of Agile methodology. From those values, the team developed 12 principles. 

If the four values of Agile are the weight-bearing pillars of a house, then these 12 principles are the rooms you can build within that house. These principles can be easily adapted to fit the needs of your team. 

The 12 principles used in Agile methodology are:

Satisfy customers through early, continuous improvement and delivery. When customers receive new updates regularly, they're more likely to see the changes they want within the product. This leads to happier, more satisfied customers—and more recurring revenue.

Welcome changing requirements, even late in the project. The Agile framework is all about adaptability. In iterative processes like Agile, being inflexible causes more harm than good. 

Deliver value frequently. Similar to principle #1, delivering value to your customers or stakeholders frequently makes it less likely for them to churn. 

Break the silos of your projects. Collaboration is key in the Agile framework. The goal is for people to break out of their own individual projects and collaborate together more frequently . 

Build projects around motivated individuals. Agile works best when teams are committed and actively working to achieve a goal. 

The most effective way to communicate is face-to-face. If you’re working on a distributed team, spend time communicating in ways that involve face-to-face communication like Zoom calls. 

Working software is the primary measure of progress. The most important thing that teams should strive for with the Agile framework is the product. The goal here is to prioritize functional software over everything else.

Maintain a sustainable working pace. Some aspects of Agile can be fast-paced, but it shouldn't be so fast that team members burn out . The goal is to maintain sustainability throughout the project.

Continuous excellence enhances agility . If the team develops excellent code in one sprint, they can continue to build off of it the next. Continually creating great work allows teams to move faster in the future. 

Simplicity is essential. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best solution. Agile aims to not overcomplicate things and find simple answers to complex problems. 

Self-organizing teams generate the most value. Similar to principle #5, proactive teams become valuable assets to the company as they strive to deliver value.

Regularly reflect and adjust your way of work to boost effectiveness . Retrospective meetings are a common Agile practice. It's a dedicated time for teams to look back and reflect on their performance and adapt their behaviors for the future.

What are the benefits of the Agile development methodology?

You commonly find Agile project management used in application development or other types of software development. This is because software is constantly changing, and the needs of the product have to change with it. 

Because of this, linear project management methods like the waterfall model are less effective. Here are a few other reasons why teams use Agile:

Agile methods are adaptable

There's a reason why they call it the Agile methodology. One of the main benefits of using Agile processes in software development is the ability to shift strategies quickly, without disrupting the flow of a project. 

Because phases in the traditional waterfall method flow into one another, shifting strategies is challenging and can disrupt the rest of the project roadmap . Since software development is a much more adaptable field, project managing rapid changes in the traditional sense can be challenging. This is part of the reason why Agile project management is favored in software development.

Agile fosters collaborative teamwork

One of the Agile principles states that the most effective way to communicate with your team is face-to-face. Combine this with the principle that encourages teams to break project silos and you have a recipe for collaborative teamwork. 

While technology has changed since Agile’s inception and work has shifted to welcome more remote-friendly policies, the idea of working face-to-face still hasn't changed.

Agile methods focus on customer needs

One of the unique aspects of software development is that teams can focus on customer needs much more closely than other industries. With the rise of cloud-based software, teams can get feedback from their actual customers quickly. 

Since customer satisfaction is a key driver for software development, it’s easy to see why it was included in the Agile process. By collaborating with customers, Agile teams can prioritize features that focus on customer needs. When those needs change, teams can take an Agile approach and shift to a different project. 

Agile methodologies

The Agile framework is an umbrella for several different variations. Here are a few of the most common Agile methodologies. 

Kanban is a visual approach to Agile. Teams use online Kanban board tools to represent where certain tasks are in the development process. Tasks are represented by cards on a board, and stages are represented in columns. As team members work on tasks, they move cards from the backlog column to the column that represents the stage the task is in.

This method is a good way for teams to identify roadblocks and to visualize the amount of work that’s getting done. 

Scrum is a common Agile methodology for small teams and also involves sprints. The team is led by a Scrum master whose main job is to clear all obstacles for others executing the day-to-day work. 

Scrum teams meet daily to discuss active tasks, roadblocks, and anything else that may affect the development team.  

Sprint planning: This event kicks off the sprint. Sprint planning outlines what can be delivered in a sprint (and how).

Sprint retrospective : This recurring meeting acts as a sprint review—to iterate on learnings from a previous sprint that will improve and streamline the next one. 

Extreme Programming (XP)

Typically used in software development, Extreme Programming (XP) is an Agile framework that outlines values that will allow your team to work together more effectively.  

The five values of XP include:

Communication

Similar to daily Scrum standups, there are regular releases and iterations, yet XP is much more technical in its approach. If your dev team needs to quickly release and respond to customer requests, XP focuses on the “how” it will get done. 

Adaptive Project Framework (APF)

The Adaptive Project Framework, also known as Adaptive Project Management (APM) grew from the idea that unknown factors can show up at any time during a project. This technique is mainly used for IT projects where more traditional project management techniques don’t apply.

This framework is based on the idea that project resources can change at any time. For example, budgets can change, timelines can shift, or team members working on the project may transition to different teams. APF focuses on the resources that a project has, as opposed to the resources a project needs. 

Extreme Project Management (XPM)

This type of project management is often used for very complex projects with a high level of uncertainty. This approach involves constantly adapting processes until they lead to the desired result. This type of project involves many spontaneous changes and it’s normal for teams to switch strategies from one week to the next. 

XPM requires a lot of flexibility. This is one of the reasons why each sprint is short—only a few weeks maximum. This methodology allows for frequent changes, trial-and-error approaches to problems, and many iterations of self-correction.

Adaptive Software Development (ASD)

This Agile methodology enables teams to quickly adapt to changing requirements. The main focus of this process is continuous adaptation. The phases of this project type —speculate, collaborate, and learn—allow for continuous learning as the project progresses. 

It’s not uncommon for teams running ASD to be in all three phases of ASD at once. Because of its non-linear structure, it’s common for the phases to overlap. Because of the fluidity of this type of management, there’s a higher likelihood that the constant repetition of the three phases helps team members identify and solve problems much quicker than standard project management methods.

Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM)

The Dynamic Systems Development Method is an Agile method that focuses on a full project lifecycle. Because of this, DSDM has a more rigorous structure and foundation, unlike other Agile methods. 

There are four main phases of DSDM:

Feasibility and business study

Functional mode or prototype iteration

Design and build iteration

Implementation

Feature Driven Development (FDD)

Feature Driven Development blends different Agile best practices. While still an iterative method of project management, this model focuses more on the exact features of a software that the team is working to develop. Feature-driven development relies heavily on customer input, as the features the team prioritizes are the features that the customers need. 

This model also allows teams to update projects frequently. If there is an error, it's quick to cycle through and implement a fix as the phases of this framework are constantly moving. 

Organize Agile processes with Asana

You’ll often hear software development teams refer to the Agile process—but any team can run Agile. If you’re looking for a more flexible project management framework, try Agile. 

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The Definitive Guide to Risk Management in Software Development

• August 15, 2024

Alex Kugell

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If you want to be successful in any business or project, including  software development , risk management is of the utmost importance.

Without risk management, any unexpected issue may completely derail your progress. Whether that be a delay in development, change in project requirements, finding a critical bug, or having a team member leave their position.

Risk management in software development can ensure that your project keeps moving forward even after unexpected occurrences. Let’s look at what it is in more detail, and how you can implement it effectively.

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What is Risk Management in Software Development?

Definition and importance of risk management.

Risk management in software development refers to an extensive process.

In this process, you start by identifying potential risks, assessing them, and then prioritizing these risks so you can control their probability.

Risk management and risk mitigation are important parts of the software development process due to their direct impacts on project timelines, budgets, and general success.

Without a robust risk management strategy, your project might be susceptible to unforeseen challenges that can lead to delays, cost overruns, and even complete failure.

Risk Management Process in Software Engineering

There are six main steps for project risk management: identification, analysis, prioritization, mitigation, monitoring, and communication.

For risk identification, you need to consider the scope of your entire project and recognize potential risks and issues that might affect you.

Once you have done that, you can move on to risk analysis, where you evaluate how likely you are to be impacted by those identified risks.

Based on this, risk prioritization can be done by ranking the risks based on their probability and the severity of their consequences.

Now that your risks are ranked, develop risk mitigation strategies that can help you eliminate the risks or even just reduce their likelihood.

Many people think that this is all it takes to manage risks, but it is important that you do not forget the last two steps.

Risk monitoring is a continuous process where you track the risks you have already identified and keep an eye out for new risks.

Risk communication is also of utmost importance. You need to ensure that all stakeholders and those managing the project are aware of the risks, and the appropriate risk mitigation strategies that you have come up with.

Common Risks in Software Development Projects

Software engineering projects are quite risky. This is because they are quite complex, and technology is evolving at a very rapid rate.

For effective risk management in software engineering,  you need to take several different categories into consideration.

Of course, there are technical risks . These include issues with software performance, scalability, and integration . Then, there are project management risks .

These are things like poor planning, inadequate resource allocation, and setting unrealistic timelines.

There are also stakeholder risks. If miscommunication takes place, requirements are changed, and there are conflicts of interest, there might be some issues.

The last, and sometimes the most difficult to identify, are external risks. These include things like market changes, regulatory updates and issues with suppliers.

Why is Risk Management Important in Software Development?

Ensuring project success with effective risk management.

To ensure that your development team is able to carry out the project successfully, you need to integrate risk management into every phase of the software development life cycle.

As already discussed, this involves continuous risk assessments throughout the project.

You also need to make sure that your project manager is aware of the risks and constantly adapting to new information, which will let them pivot when it may be required.

If you are unsure about how to hire developers or create a project team that can adjust to changes, we can help you out.

Here at Trio, we specialize in providing experienced developers for your software development outsourcing and staff augmentation. Our developers all have several years of experience and can adapt to the potential risks that may arise.

Risk Identification and Mitigation in Software Projects

Proactive risk management, which involves identifying and mitigating certain issues early in the project lifecycle, can save you a significant amount of time and resources.

You can start by brainstorming by yourself or getting an expert opinion. A helpful technique is to use historical data analysis to see where things went wrong before and identify if there are any common scenarios.

Once you have identified the issues, you can manage and mitigate risks by creating contingency plans, figuring out alternative approaches, and deciding on resource reallocation strategies, for example.

Types of Risks in Software Development

Technical risks in software engineering.

Technical risks are really anything to do with the code that has been written. You may encounter a variety of technical risks in the software engineering and development process.

Some of the most common technical risks that you might encounter include issues with software performance, security vulnerabilities, and integration.

The only way to mitigate these risks efficiently, or at least minimize the overall risk impact, is to make sure that you are thoroughly testing, conducting code reviews, and adopting general best practices to ensure the quality of your digital product.

Stakeholder Risks in Software Projects

Stakeholder risks are more related to general business risks rather than technical risks.

Usually, stakeholder risks arise from misaligned expectations , changing requirements to the project scope, and a general lack of engagement and communication between stakeholders and those in project management.

The only way to solve this is to make sure that you are communicating effectively and that there are regular updates on both sides throughout the entire software development process.

It may be a good idea to set up a communication plan, such as scheduled meetings or specific dates and milestones at which updates will occur.

The implementation of such a plan can help all parties remain on the same page.

Impact of Risks on Software Development Lifecycle

Risks can have a massive impact on your software development lifecycle.

Risks can lead to delays, increased costs and budget overruns, and even issues with compromised quality that can lead to project failure.

However, appropriate risk management can help you address risks throughout the project lifecycle and ensure the success of the project.

How to Mitigate Risks in Software Engineering?

Risk management plan and implementation.

Mitigating risks in software engineering requires a proactive and practical approach.

Agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban allow for iterative development, frequent feedback, and adaptive planning. This helps you quickly identify and address risks as they arise.

You also need to implement a robust testing strategy , including unit tests, integration tests, and user acceptance tests. Automated testing tools can help identify issues early in the development cycle, reducing the risk of defects in the final product.

CI/CD pipelines automate the process of code integration and deployment, ensuring that new code changes are regularly tested and deployed. This reduces the risk of integration issues and accelerates the delivery process.

Conducting regular code reviews helps catch potential issues early and improves the overall quality of the codebase. Peer reviews ensure that multiple sets of eyes are evaluating the code, making it more robust.

Building flexibility into your project plans to accommodate changes in requirements or unforeseen challenges is also very important. This includes setting realistic deadlines and having contingency plans in place.

Lastly, you can collaborate with firms like Trio to access skilled developers who have experience in managing and mitigating risks effectively.

Risk Assessment and Analysis for Development Processes

Risk assessment and analysis involve a detailed evaluation of potential risks to determine their impact and likelihood.

One analysis that you need to conduct is a qualitative assessment. You can use techniques like risk probability and impact matrix to categorize risks based on their severity.

This helps you prioritize which risks need immediate attention.

For a quantitative assessment, you can apply simulations or decision tree analysis to estimate the potential impact of risks on project outcomes.

It is important that you maintain a detailed risk register that documents all identified risks, their assessments, and the planned mitigation strategies. This serves as a reference throughout the project.

Effective Risk Response Strategies for Software Projects

You can try to implement measures to eliminate the risk altogether. Avoiding the risk is often the best option when you can. To do this, you might have to change the project scope or adopt new technologies that are less risky.

If you cannot avoid the risk, you need to reduce the impact  of the risk, or try to minimize the chances of it happening through proactive measures. For instance, conducting thorough testing can mitigate the risk of software bugs.

Another option is to shift the risk to a third party. You can do this by outsourcing certain aspects of your project or even purchasing insurance.

The Role of Risk Management Tools in Software Development

Management tools for software engineering teams.

Implementing a robust risk management strategy requires certain tools. Most of these will help you convey information to your team and effectively manage responsibility.

Jira is one good option that lets you track issues and monitor risks. Trello is another good option that lets you use boards, lists, and cards to manage tasks and track progress.

If neither of these is suitable for you, try Asana, which allows you to create a detailed plan, organize it, and track the work.

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Capital Program Management: Best Practices and Strategies

Rick Bell | Content Strategist | August 7, 2024

In This Article

What Is Capital Program Management?

Capital program management explained, how does capital program management work, public vs. private capital program management, 5 phases of capital program management, best practices in capital program management, challenges in capital program management, boost your returns with oracle capital program management, capital program management faqs.

Project owners want to manage, deliver, and maintain projects in the most efficient and effective manner possible. But unpredictable weather, supply chain constraints, rigorous government regulations, and stringent funding cycles can disrupt their best-laid plans.

Capital program management gives organizations the ability to align their capital programs with their strategic goals while understanding the roadblocks they could face. This article will cover the value of standard processes and systems, intelligent workflows, and consistent data to increase efficiency, reliability, and trust throughout a project’s lifecycle.

Capital program management controls the processes for everything from planning through execution and ongoing maintenance of physical assets. Capital projects of all sizes have a greater chance of success when teams and stakeholders have a higher assurance of predictable outcomes. For most organizations, that encompasses new projects and renovations, remodels, and repair projects—think the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild in Baltimore, Maryland.

However, capital program management remains steeped in manual processes. Working from connected, cloud-based program management applications can give your teams the communications, consistency, and confidence to execute multiple complex projects, boost project efficiency, and improve overall project outcomes.

Key Takeaways

• Governments across the globe are prioritizing massive investments in new and renovated infrastructure and facilities projects.
• Public and private sector organizations each have different priorities driving capital program management.
• The complexity and varied nature of capital program management have resulted in multiple disconnected and inconsistent processes and applications to meet those needs.

Improving capital program management processes and efficiency helps both public and private sector organizations maintain control over projects to limit the impact of errors or changes on project cost and duration. While they face similar challenges, the lens through which they view capital projects differs slightly.

Public agencies strive to complete projects that not only meet the public’s needs but also support organizational long-term strategic planning goals. The public sector landscape is shaped by an accountability to constituents, who expect prudent spending of their tax money on capital projects that provide the biggest benefit to the community. Governed by rigorous regulatory processes, public sector project owners need to show accountability for multiple funding streams, which usually come with strict limits.

For private organizations, the main goals of capital program management are to boost profit margins and shareholder returns, minimize risk, and deliver a better competitive position.

Both public and private sector organizations face a common challenge in dealing with unexpected changes at the project level, such as a sudden spike in the cost of steel. That results in the need to juggle priorities, given that there’s less money overall for the project, and could even lead to putting some projects on hold or even canceling them.

Using critical data, organizations analyze how to best manage their entire capital program to make the best use of the allotted funding and prioritize what must be built, maintained, or retrofitted as well as when and how it should happen. Building an airport runway or renovating a chain of car dealerships doesn’t occur ad hoc.

Capital program management requires the coordination of hundreds if not thousands of data-driven decisions and actions, starting with strategic capital planning to prioritize projects. Steps include creation of the budget and schedule, continuous collaboration, reviews, and reporting and ongoing management of countless interwoven disciplines—all to improve predictability and outcomes and optimize budget spend to meet the needs of stakeholders.

Capital Planning

To ensure that the right projects are prioritized, organizations must assess how each one aligns with and supports the organization’s strategic objectives. Capital planning establishes which projects the organization will take on and allocates available funds across those projects to align with objectives. Capital planning also should include a thorough risk assessment.

Program Governance

Program governance is critical to controlling and standardizing the way projects are delivered. It also increases efficiency, promotes decision-making accountability, and reduces risk through streamlined and standardized processes that improve visibility and support compliance.

Financial Management

Sound financial management of capital programs maintains control and visibility over projects to ensure that they’re operational, on time, and within budget. Stay on budget and schedule and few notice; veer off course and you raise red flags within your organization—and in some cases, poor financial management ends up in the public spotlight. Establishing policies, procedures, and standards, supported by proven technology, to manage these programs improves financial outcomes, enhances operational effectiveness, and promotes stakeholder confidence.

Risk Management

Capital projects and assets are inherently subject to risks such as adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, supply chain disruptions, and labor shortages. Effective risk management helps project teams predict, plan for, and allocate funds to anticipate potential challenges and reallocate resources as needed. Effective risk management also is crucial to maintaining accurate budgets, releasing contingency funds in a timely manner, staying on schedule, securing stakeholder trust, and improving project-to-project learning, all of which contribute to a project’s success and support future funding approvals.

Stakeholder Management

Capital project stakeholders demand different information at different times. Whether used by a public funding entity, a CFO in the office, or project manager on the jobsite, manual processes and spreadsheets can lead to siloed, error-prone information and produce outdated reports by the time they’re delivered. A secure, connected cloud-based capital program management system will help you provide reliable, current information to stakeholders. In-app reporting gives stakeholders the immediate visibility and transparency that instills trust in the data to make timely, better-informed decisions.

Resource Allocation

A project’s success can depend on how efficiently labor, capital, materials, and other resources are allocated and used. Tracking and changing their allocation as needed can be difficult and time consuming. When developing your capital program, access relevant data to develop the project requirements, consider resource availability, and then allocate and manage those resources using proven cloud-based solutions that support scenario planning and provide equal access and visibility to the office and field.

Performance Monitoring

Owners want to simultaneously track the progress of an individual project and all projects at the portfolio level. Having immediate access to outstanding items and the status of milestones against the schedule and budget, down to the line-item level, is crucial for taking corrective action and helping to ensure project success.

Public sector organizations are established and financed by combinations of local, state, and national governments and at times take advantage of alternative funding models, such as public-private partnerships. Departments of transportation and water typically own and manage infrastructure projects, including dams, bridges, ports, roadways, and rail. Public sector project and program managers are accountable to a wide group of stakeholders, including funding agencies, elected officials, businesses, and taxpaying citizens.

Private sector capital program management focuses mainly on helping the business meet its projected goals, such as manufacturing yields and clients served, with overall goals related to turning a profit to satisfy board members, company owners, and shareholders. Accountability is much narrower.

Project owners require a formal process for approval and allocation of funding. Defining and implementing standard project controls and portfolio management processes help ensure consistency, control, and efficiency across the planning, execution, and operations phases of capital projects. Process governance and standardization provide discipline and consistency to ensure quality projects are delivered on time and with optimal value, taking into consideration scope, schedule, and budget.

1. Initiation

Initiate discovery and scope analysis for a clear understanding and definition of the project and its impact. Determine the best use of limited resources to produce the biggest benefits and ROI.

2. Planning

Project planning assesses potential problems and roadblocks, weighs options, and seeks solutions. Tradeoffs may be made based on environmental impacts, reliability, cost effectiveness, project needs, and schedule impact.

3. Execution

Once the project is underway, project managers oversee financial controls; automated workflows; document management and version control; and cost, contract, and change management. These connected processes provide a clear picture of progress against a plan and inform decisions to keep the project on course and everyone informed. Project managers also need accurate data and applications to maintain clear and constant communication with all stakeholders over the project’s lifecycle.

Project teams must be able to adjust on the fly to constantly changing factors, including weather and supply disruptions. Building more predictability and transparency into project execution improves productivity, reduces downtime and waste, and creates better outcomes.

4. Monitoring and control

With so many variables, organizations, and team members involved in a given capital project, consistent and automated monitoring is critical. Such monitoring and controls provide timely insights and alerts of overall status against plan, helping ensure the project is adhering to the schedule and staying within budget.

5. Closeout

Comprehensive project closeout ensures that the capital asset can be operational as quickly, effectively, and efficiently as possible and that the operations and maintenance teams have the project and equipment data they need to effectively manage the asset. Poorly handled project closeouts can lead to lots of calls between the project and maintenance teams months later and take up valuable time, incur unexpected costs, and even can lead to expensive litigation between owner and contractor. Providing data in the proper, usable format for operations and maintenance lets teams promptly turn their focus to the next project.

Build your project and portfolio process structure to provide consistency, connected data, timely insights, and governance. Standardizing project and program fundamentals, including workflows, and providing consistent data instills confidence in reporting and increases efficiency. A centralized, cloud-based project, program, and portfolio management solution eliminates the need for siloed systems and offline, error-prone processes and spreadsheets.

• Robust governance structure . Many organizations implement systems and processes to improve project outcomes, but without governance parameters to help ensure those processes are consistently followed, the outcomes won’t likely improve and a lot of time will be wasted trying to police adherence to the processes.
• Proactive risk management . Identifying, quantifying, and assessing potential risks across projects helps organizations make more informed and strategic decisions. Adverse weather, supply chain disruptions, and labor constraints all present risk. The growing adoption of integrated systems, along with predictive data analytics, helps teams identify projects that mitigate their impacts, more accurately assign contingency, and release that contingency in a timely manner. Organizations also can employ generative AI techniques to help ask questions of past project documentation in order to identify risks that might arise on different types of projects.
• Effective communication and stakeholder engagement . Keeping all parties informed, engaged, and accessing the same up-to-date, accurate information helps prevent miscommunications, errors, rework, and disputes. It also creates a sense of collaboration and shared responsibility and cultivates long-term relationships and repeat work between owners and their delivery teams.
• Integrated program management tools . In a perfect world, key project management elements would live within a capital program management software solution. Still, that solution should allow for the integration of complementary system capabilities. It’s important to consider the maturity and success of system APIs, who builds the integrations, and who is responsible for ensuring that the integrations work consistently and meet the performance requirements. Look for solutions and middleware built to be integrated and with a proven track record.
• Continuous improvement via feedback . Given the complexity, variation, and immense spend on capital projects and programs, having a formal, automated process for regular feedback on lessons learned is integral to continuous improvement in areas such as processes management, material specifications, and risk management.

Standardizing processes is a constant challenge. Every project is unique. You're working with different teams, sometimes across multiple time zones and continents, with different specifications, regulations, and workforces. Managing multiple capital projects, no matter their size or complexity, comes with inherent uncertainties that affect cost, schedules, and quality.

• Managing project interdependencies . Firms typically must manage labor, equipment, and materials across a portfolio of different but ultimately interdependent projects. If there are shortages or delays with one or more sets of inputs, multiple projects might be affected. An organization’s budget also affects multiple projects. For example, budget overruns in one project from, say, higher steel costs will negatively affect other projects’ budgets because of the shared overall capital budget assigned. Managers should understand that there’s a mutual reliance and shared risk, which is best managed using a cross-project software solution.
• Aligning with strategic objectives in changing environments . Too often, project teams lose sight of the big picture when trying to adjust to changing market conditions and meet short-term goals. For example, amid a short-term spike in labor costs, a manager decides to cut back on contractors in order to stay within budget, but the decision pushes the schedule out a month. The manager doesn’t take into account that the delay results in the firm missing a significant project milestone that would have allowed the firm to generate revenue that would have more than offset the higher labor costs that were avoided. By using systems that integrate capital planning and project execution, it’s more likely for execution teams to understand and align with organizational goals.
• Managing financial constraints and budget overruns . An estimated 69% of capital projects exceed budget by more than 10%, in part because of poor cost controls. Gathering data to inform accurate project budgets and forecasts, consistently tracking performance against forecast, and updating the forecast as new information becomes available help identify potential problems that could contribute to cost overruns before they become unrepairable. The longer a problem festers in a project, the harder it becomes to keep the budget in check. Implementing an effective project and portfolio management technology platform can provide the visibility, governance, and structure to identify potential issues and course correct to keep projects within budget.
• Navigating stakeholder dynamics . Managing many project stakeholders, including the public, shareholders, internal customers, and top executives, is much more complex than shooting off an occasional email or a holding monthly Zoom call. Clear, up-to-date, and credible project status information, provided regularly or through system access as appropriate, increases trust.
• Adapting to regulatory changes . Adapting to constantly changing engineering, environmental, safety, and other regulations isn’t easy. Need to be carbon negative by 2030? OK, how are you defining tactics to achieve that goal and tracking and reporting on your progress? Using a system that automates project management and tracking and provides the governance to ensure new procedures are being followed is an important first step. In-app reporting on compliance is the next piece.

Oracle Primavera Unifier is a preconfigured capital project and program management application that uses weighted criteria and sophisticated Monte Carlo analysis to help construction and engineering teams make better decision, improve outcomes, and reduce risk. Primavera Unifier connects key processes, including cost, contract, change management, schedule milestone management, document management, and a form-based workflow engine. In-application reporting lets teams visualize both project-level and cross-project-level status and cash flow.

Native integration with Oracle Primavera Portfolio Management lets capital program planners access current project actuals to inform their budgeting decisions, while project teams can access budget decisions directly from Primavera Unifier with no lag time. Integration between Unifier and the gold-standard construction scheduling tools in Oracle Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management and Oracle Primavera Cloud lets teams manage and track project progress, scope changes, and deliverables.

How do you monitor and measure the performance of a capital program? Track actual performance against the proposed schedule. Check your budget forecast against the actual spend. Track your schedule-based cash flow against the plan. Track deliverables against schedule. Track payments against the line-item budget and the value of work completed.

How does capital program management differ from capital project management? Capital program management involves managing processes and providing reporting and oversight across projects, while capital project management applies to individual projects.

How does technology affect capital program management? Using technology to automate capital program management provides the controls, consistency, and standardization crucial to managing the complexity of today’s projects. The latest cloud-based applications can help make capital program and individual project outcomes much more predictable and keep them on track. For example, technology can help team members proactively identify and rectify safety risks before someone gets hurt.

Discover 5 ways to harmonize projects, reduce risk, and boost profits.