Project Management Methodology

Project management methodology: A set of guiding principles and processes for owning a project through its life cycle. It helps project managers to take tasks to complete.

What are project management methodologies?

1. Waterfall: A project management methodology that refers to the sequential ordering of phases.

This method using in manufacturing or construction.

Processes of this method are Initiating, Planning, Executing, and Closing.

Linear: A project structure in which the previous phase or task has to be completed before the next can start.

2. Agile: A project management approach in which project phases overlap and tasks are completed in iterations, which in scrum are called sprints.

Iterative: It means some of the phases and tasks will overlap or happen at the same time that other tasks are being worked on.

Scrum: An Agile framework that focuses on developing complex projects through collaboration and an iterative process. Work is completed by small, cross-functional teams led by a Scrum Master and is divided into short Sprints with a set list of deliverables.

Sprint: A phase in the Agile project management approach which has a defined duration with a set list of deliverables.

This method is able to move quickly and easily.

This method is willing to change and adapt.

This method is done in pieces.

Agile is a mindset and best value quickly as possible.

Waterfall and Agile Comparison

	Waterfall	Agile
PM role	The project manager serves as an active leader by prioritizing and assigning tasks to team members.	The agile project manager (or Scrum Master) acts primarily as a facilitator, removing any barriers the team faces. The team shares more responsibility in managing their own work.
Scope	Project deliverables and plans are well-established and documented in the early stages of initiating and planning. Changes go through a formal change request process.	Planning happens in shorter iterations and focuses on delivering value quickly. Subsequent iterations are adjusted in response to feedback or unforeseen issues.
Schedule	Follows a mostly linear path through the initiating, planning, executing, and closing phases of the project.	Time is organized into phases called Sprints. Each Sprint has a defined duration, with a set list of deliverables planned at the start of the Sprint.
Cost	Costs are kept under control by careful estimation up front and close monitoring throughout the life cycle of the project.	Costs and schedules could change with each iteration.
Quality	The project manager makes plans and clearly defines criteria to measure quality at the beginning of the project.	The team solicits ongoing stakeholder input and user feedback by testing products in the field and regularly implementing improvements.
Communication	The project manager continually communicates progress toward milestones and other key indicators to stakeholders, ensuring that the project is on track to meet the customer’s expectations.	The team is customer-focused, with consistent communication between users and the project team.
Stakeholders	The project manager continually manages and monitors stakeholder engagement to ensure the project is on track.	The team frequently provides deliverables to stakeholders throughout the project. Progress toward milestones is dependent upon stakeholder feedback.

Understanding the fundamentals of—and differences between—these common project management approaches can help you demonstrate your project management knowledge during an interview. It can also help you evaluate a project to determine the right approach when working on the job.

Waterfall and Agile are implemented in many different ways on many different projects, and some projects may use aspects of each.

Now you can understand which method is useful for your project.