Making the workplace successful and able to execute projects efficiently is extremely important for any business. However, if you deal with product and software development, it should be your top priority. If you choose the right way to manage your co-workers and processes, completing even the most complex projects will be possible.
In such a complex sphere as IT, project management methodologies are implemented eagerly. Some project managers prefer specific techniques that allow them to monitor and adjust the process of product creation, while others decide to adopt the best traits of several methods and use them simultaneously.
Either way, different project management methodologies are important as they allow to optimize work processes and get enough updates to implement changes and fix mistakes if necessary. In this article, we are going to introduce the readers to specific project management frameworks. We break down the most important components of each method as well as discuss their pros and cons.
If you are already familiar with the bases of project management methods, this will help you make the decision while choosing the right project management methodology. And if you are just at the beginning of your project management journey, we hope to encourage you to learn more about those approaches which you find the most appealing.
A project management methodology can be defined as a combination of the guidelines and principles used to strengthen the process in order to successfully deliver the project. There is a great variety of project management approaches used in software development that differ based on the project requirements.
Some of the methods promote a more traditional, strict, and linear approach, while others encourage more flexible process organization with continuous improvement. Choosing the right option can be the key to successful delivery.
A project methodology when chosen, stays consistent throughout the entire project and is necessary to manage and supervise such processes as:
time;
financial management;
quality control;
resource allocation;
communications;
risk management;
project progress.
We suggest an overview of the most popular and most frequently used modern project management methodologies. Those can be applied to projects in different spheres, starting from IT, the manufacturing industry, and managing a small business.
Agile project management methodology is definitely something every project manager has already heard of. Even though many people think of it as a real methodology, it is actually a project management philosophy that has a set of rules that is supposed to make teamwork more pleasant and efficient.
While those can definitely be applied on their own, multiple project management methodologies have been created that adopt an agile approach, combine it with various other supervision and communication techniques and help the development team achieve project success.
Communication and interchangeability of all Agile teams;
Involving a customer in the process of decision-making throughout the project lifecycle;
Being open to change and continuous improvement even in the later stages of the project;
Regular deliveries of working software instead of paperwork and reports.
The whole Agile Manifesto includes 12 points and was created by software developers who wanted to discuss the idea of making working processes more effective.
Changeability. Agile project management implies being open to changes and iterations. This allows the product to be adjusted at any stage of development. In case your customer doesn't have fixed deadlines or descriptions or even if the project is overall more creative, the agile approach will still suit you perfectly;
Feedback. The flexibility of Agile projects is achieved with the help of constant communication and the involvement of customers in the process. As business stakeholders can see every stage of their product development, with customer feedback, they can notice and address mistakes timely;
Lower cost risks. As the changes are made instantly and it is not too late to include iterations, the cost of work also becomes more manageable.
Despite positive reviews and all the upside that comes with them, there are also disadvantages:
No strict deadlines result in projects lasting too long due to no time constraints;
Allowing customers full transparency into each project process means that they can be tempted to add more and more iterations and functions to the product, especially if the final concept is not fixed.
The next type of project management methodology is Scrum. Scrum is actually one of the ways agile principles can be implemented. While it also includes flexibility and customer involvement, there are specific tools that allow the use of an agile project management framework in order to achieve the most profit and efficiency.
Every participant in a Scrum-managed project has a fixed role. There are Scrum Masters and Product Owners, but they do not perform the work of a Project Manager, which allows the development team to manage itself successfully.
A term you should definitely remember if you choose to work with Scrum project management methodology is Sprint. Scrums are short development cycles lasting from a week to several weeks or a month.
Sprints include fixed tasks that need to be completed by the end of a sprint. In retrospect, at the end of each Sprint, project progress insights are given about the work that was done. Before another sprint begins, a backlog is prepared, which shows the main tasks that need to be completed.
The updates are given during daily stand-up meetings. All team members are obliged to participate in them. Such meetings allow us to denote issues and find people to solve them. Team members can help each other with the tasks.
As for the main advantages of such a project management approach, those are the most important:
Enhancement of Team dynamics. Collaboration with colleagues is one of the core points of Scrum project management methodology. This allows to encourage people to work together in order to reach common project goals successfully and efficiently;
Independence. Scrum teams don't rely on the decisions of a Project manager and can distribute the roles between team members themselves depending on everyone's skills and abilities;
Sprints. Such timelines have several pros. First, they allow to have a certain deadline, which motivates them to cope with the work faster. Second, sprints imply brief, understandable tasks that are easier to cope with because they are simple, clear, and visible, unlike big tasks, which can be overwhelming.
As for the disadvantages of this project management methodology, we can denote the following:
Lack of leadership. If the team is not used to working on its own, as Scrum project management methodology generally implies, it might be hard for them to manage projects and organize the processes;
Lack of motivation. As there is no leader, there is also no one to encourage the team of developers. If the team is not highly motivated, this will result in poor project performance.
Waterfall methodology is pretty different from Agile. As agile methods value flexibility and self-organization, Waterfall, as a more traditional project management methodology, implies the opposite: a strict project plan that is followed throughout all project phases as well as project management which one individual is responsible for.
Waterfall is also one of the oldest on the list of project management methodologies. It originated back in 1970. Its creator, Dr. Winston Royce, who thought about software development in terms of a lifecycle. It has been extremely popular as a software project management methodology ever since.
There must always be a defined Project manager in the Waterfall methodology. The Project manager is responsible for the development of a schedule for the entire project cycle, which is handed down to developers and must be precisely followed.
Waterfall project management is a process-oriented methodology that implies defined stages. Each of them should be completed before the next one starts. Project management process includes the following stages:
Requirements. At that stage, business stakeholders, product owners, and project managers define their expectations and requirements for the final project deliverables;
Analysis. All the aspects of the project, starting from finances and all the way to business logic, are analyzed;
Design. Now it is time to create mockups and define technical requirements;
Coding. This is when developers do the work. Each of them has an assigned piece of work to be done, and deadlines are specified;
Testing. The completed product is tested and analyzed again in order to see if it meets the requirements or has any mistakes;
Acceptance. When the product is completed, it is delivered to the customers.
Several advantages of such management technique include:
Simplicity. The project management body is divided into clearly defined stages. The whole system is very simple to understand and apply;
Structure. Since each stage is precisely defined, project teams know what to do and when to do it.
But for some people, the disadvantages might outweigh:
Rigidity. Even though a stable plan is good in certain aspects, it can be destructive in others. In case a mistake was made or a customer is not satisfied with the product or just wants to make iterations, with the Waterfall system, this is not possible without starting the process over again;
Risks. The previous point also means the risks are increased. If everything is not done perfectly from the beginning, costs may increase, and the product might not meet the stakeholder expectations.
This is another way to implement agile methodology. It is quite similar to Scrum, as it also has self-organizing workers, but at the same time, there are certain core differences.
The Kanban concept was created in a Toyota factory in the 1940s. It was a simple yet effective method, which allowed visualization of the amount of work. It was and still is a simple tool that allows us to inform all workers with the system of visual symbols.
Several principles the Kanban methodology follows can be noted:
Visualization. In the Kanban approach, everything is presented visually and simply;
Workflow management. Depending on how a Kanban board is created, it allows to monitor every stage of the working process and adjust it if necessary;
Transparency. The system can be understood by any worker who is involved in completing the project;
Work in progress limits. There are never too many or not enough tasks that can be done by the workers; this increases efficiency.
Basically, all you need to use is the Kanban, which is a board and sticky notes or corresponding project management tool. Kanban boards have several columns: To-Do list, work in progress, and Done.
Once a task is complete or taken into work, it is transferred to another column. Additional sections can be created depending on the stage of the project.
What makes Kanban project management system so attractive:
It is simple and visual. Even workers who have no special training can understand the Kanban System;
It allows to track top priorities and main issues and manage them in a timely which leads to fewer mistakes and mishaps;
It involves every developer, which means each of the workers gives updates and participates in painting the whole picture of a current situation.
But there are also several things which might discourage you:
Kanban can be tricky to apply if there are too many tasks you need to do. Usually, it suits projects that work on several tasks per stage;
The system doesn't orient workers on quality. Instead, preferring the speed and overall task completion;
Implementing Kanban into a dynamic and flexible environment might be tricky as the tasks presented on the board are planned ahead;
Kanban boards usually lack timing, so even though workers might be motivated to complete the work as fast as possible, no specific deadlines can harm this motivation.
The main principles of Lean project management include valuing customers while working on minimizing waste at the same time. It is quite beneficial for the customers as it aims to use fewer resources while still achieving good quality products. That also means that costs will be lower than those of the projects with other types of management.
As Lean project management is centered around eliminating waste, it creates three categories for dysfunctions that actually lead to wasting resources. The scheme is called 3M: Muda, Mura, Muri.
This category is applied to functions that only get rid of waste but don't create anything new. Such things include:
inventory;
waiting;
transport;
over-processing;
overproduction;
defects;
motion.
As you can see, it doesn't only mean physical waste but also implies wasting other resources like time.
This is what is used to eliminate variations and provide work processes with an even flow. That can be explained with the example of time scheduling.
When people who complete the first stages of the project waste their time and it takes them too long to deliver a scheme, developers who are involved in the later stages of the project will have less time to complete their tasks. Mura means even resource allocation at every stage.
Muri deals with overloading. Sometimes managers and business owners put too much stress on vendors just because they want to complete more work in less time. But that also creates an unhealthy atmosphere and demands 100% capacity from workers. It is perfect to work at 60-70% in case you don't want to get overloaded.
Lean project management methodology implies adjusting the workflow and conditions rather than inventing new tools.
The main advantages of the Lean method are:
It's simple and understandable. As the Lean technique doesn't include any special tools into the process, it is very simple to understand for every person who is involved in the project;
Cost efficiency. As Lean methodology aims at lowering waste, it means it will be more cost effective and beneficial for the customer.
But there are disadvantages which are worth considering as well. These are potential technical failures specific to development projects. It is not always on people that a project doesn't go the right way.
Sometimes, the equipment fails and breaks down. Such cases are not discussed very much within Lean methodology, but they can happen.
Six Sigma is another project management methodology that was first introduced in mass production. Motorola, which started it in 1986, has adapted this methodology.
It uses statistical data to improve the processes risk management and eliminate possible errors. This method finds which pieces of the process are not working properly, extracts them, and fixes them.
Two different ways of implementing this methodology are hidden under the umbrella of Six Sigma. Those are DMAIC and DMADV project management techniques.
DMAIC is used when current processes are in need of continuous improvement, but project managers don't want to create a totally new scheme. DMADV is different as it implies actually developing new tools and processes.
These abbreviations can be broken down into the main principles of each approach.
Defining aims and issues;
Measuring current processes of the project;
Analyzing the processes to find out faults;
Improving the work;
Controlling further process development.
Defining aims and issues;
Measuring each detail of the process and possible product capabilities;
Analyzing the mechanisms and coming up with a new design;
Designing and testing each process component;
Verifying the final version and handing it down to clients.
The advantages of Six Sigma project management methodology stand as follows:
Beforehand reactions to defects. The processes are analyzed and the solutions for various issues are created even before the problem actually arises, which allows for solving it quickly;
Comprehensive issue solution. Six Sigma doesn't address a single stage of the process or the final outcome. It deals with the whole process of product creation and aims at eliminating mistakes at every given stage;
It is customer-oriented and takes its aims and goals seriously.
Disadvantages of Six Sigma are also present:
Long-term process. As complicated as the whole production and development can be, it implies that changing and iterating certain elements takes time. It may also result in additional bureaucracy;
This also leads to increased costs, which are not always affordable for smaller businesses. Implementing Six Sigma means that workers should go through training and get certificates;
Depending on the customer, control may become extreme, as some customers are tempted to glance into every stage of product development, and demand changes the product multiple times.
This project management approach is similar to agile projects, as it also implies customer value as well as iterations and changes at any given stage of a process. It was invented in 1999 by Kent Beck when he published his "Extreme Programming Explained" and has become quite widespread.
Communication. Co-location and daily meetings are vital for this project methodology as it allows all team members to discuss current issues and find all solutions timely;
Feedback. Every time users make comments on potential outcomes, such ideas are considered seriously. The team makes an effort to implement those into the final product because that is what satisfies the customer;
Courage. The customer is always updated on everything that happens during the development process, even though such updates might convey unpleasant information. But at the same time, this allows to get the most valuable comments and quality assurance from the user;
Simplicity. Extreme programming implies creating a product according to the requirements but without adding anything that the customer did not approve. The main task is also broken down into several smaller tasks that allow developers to complete the project successfully.
Simplicity. The core idea of XP is also its main advantage. Developers aim to create a simple product that is divided into step-by-step tasks. Altogether it is much easier to come up with a working creation that can also be alternated any time customers have new demands;
Shorter timelines. As the software is tested at each stage of its creation, it allows for the identification of flaws and correcting them. It also means that developers won't waste their time on incorrect code and work more efficient on presenting a working product quicker;
XP benefits both the workers and the customers. At first, there is not too much tension and pressure which allows the team to work more efficiently. The latter feels the transparency and trust and can make sure that the outcome is satisfactory and meets stakeholder expectations.
XP is not suitable for companies where developers work remotely. As it implies daily meet-ups, organizing it's distantly might be an issue;
Code is more important and therefore more perfected than design. That also means it might be harder to satisfy customers;
It is harder to document all changes made, so sometimes it results in developers allowing similar bugs to leak into the software in the future.
Critical path methodology, or critical path analysis, is a project management approach used to locate the most crucial tasks within the project, including all their potential dependencies, and schedule them throughout the project development cycle. As a result, you have a very detailed outline, making this approach one of the most comprehensive methodologies.
If you want to implement this project methodology, the first step is to highlight the most important tasks you need to complete in order to achieve project goals. After you have created the list, estimate how long each task will take to complete. Remember that some tasks can occur simultaneously, while others can not start until the previous ones are finished.
With the data you gather, you have to schedule the 'critical path'. A critical path consists of the main steps you have to take to complete the project in the shortest time. This will define the project timeframe.
The critical path method is divided into phases by the milestones the software development team will bump into along the way. Once they encounter a major milestone, it will mean that the phase is over.
This method requires a quality project management tool that can help visualize the processes. The main feature you should be looking for is Gantt Charts, which will allow you to outline the project flow.
The main advantages of this project methodology are the following:
Help break down even the most complex projects.
Highlighting vital tasks promotes more efficient resource allocation.
Works for projects with strict deadlines.
The best option for projects with numerous dependencies.
Task visualization.
Even though it works for all project types, there are some limitations:
The Complex structure of the processes.
A strict outline does not leave room for any changes.
Relies on the ability to accurately calculate the required time resources.
Critical chain project management (CCPM) is a more advanced version of the critical path approach. The critical path approach is based on estimating the time needed to complete every vital task throughout the project; this might not work as well when put into action.
The critical chain methodology allows the avoidance of complications by providing more time in case of potential delays and resource deficiency. Such additional reserves can provide your software development department with additional time and help them meet deadlines if an unexpected roadblock occurs.
This is a strict methodology with the element of a more flexible approach, making it more resistant in case of unaccounted changes or offers.
If you are not accurate in your deadline predictions, the additional buffers can provide you with more than enough time to develop the project.
An additional buffer might cause a lack of analytics since the team can always depend on the additional time.
Making the buffer too long or too short can cause either missed deadlines or unsatisfactory customer delivery dates.
There are several aspects which should be taken into consideration while choosing the right methodology for your project.
Start with analyzing the project itself. Before you make a decision on the types of project management methodology you want to consider, you should know enough about the desired outcome of a project.
Depending on how strict the demands are you can either choose a more flexible methodology (in case the request is not formulated completely) or a stricter one (if customers give you enough details and you have a definite image of an outcome). What also matters is the complexity of the project, as well as the size of the team working on it and the budget the customer offers.
When you are evaluating your team of developers try to discover if they are familiar with the project management methods of your preference. If not, you might have to spend some time explaining the basic principles which delay actual work.
Find out if your team is ready to collaborate with each other and organize themselves as well. You might discover that a proper manager is needed or, on the other hand, that the team is better self-organize.
Think about the kind of organization you work in. Is it a big corporation or a smaller company? Are there many departments involved in working on a project, or are there just several people in a team?
The choice of the project methodology depends on these qualities as well. While evaluating your organization pay attention to the resources you have as well as the hierarchy and flexibility and generally the industry your company represents.
Think about your customers as well. As you should have already understood, certain techniques require working with customers more regularly than others. If stakeholders aren't always available for regular check-ins, it might be better to pick a methodology that doesn't rely on them too much.
Last but not least consider the tools you have and plan to use to create a certain product. In a perfect situation, you should already have all the tools needed to implement certain methodologies. Otherwise, it may lead to extra expenses. Make a list of project management methodologies and tools they require and see which suits you best.
After such in-depth analysis is complete, you can use this data to choose the best methodology for your particular case.
Choosing from various project management methodologies can be hard because, nowadays, many of them are presented on the market. All of them can be perfect for different cases, but if you don't know enough about each of them, making a decision can become an issue.
We described the most popular types of project management methodologies with the aim of giving a brief overview of each of them. It is enough to get a basic understanding of the concept and feel if any of them suit your purposes. Knowing enough about the advantages and disadvantages can help with making decisions as well because you are already prepared for certain things that can go wrong during the project.
If you feel like there are certain concepts of several types of management that would suit your project, you can combine them, as it is quite a common practice that allows you to get the most out of developers' work.
The technique of choosing a perfect project management methodology is also included, and we advise you to study it thoroughly and apply it each time a new project starts. It is a simple way to see how core benefits correspond with your current situation, as well as remembering the customer and making choices that suit them as well.