A Guide to Project Management Methodologies
How can effective project management drive the innovation agenda? The answer is simple - by implementing project management methodologies that provide the right balance of structure, fluidity and adaptability whilst having a proven track record of success.
Two well-known project management methodologies, waterfall and agile both offer effective ways for organisations to ensure their project is being delivered effectively within their determined scope, time and budget.
The waterfall method is a more predictable approach – one that considers the finished project end state and works towards that in an ordered and structured way, formalising a pathway to the finish line.
Agile on the other hand, allows for a more flexible approach.
It is often useful when a project is suited to the collection of user feedback to enable the further growth and development of a project prior to signing it off as complete.
Both waterfall and agile methodologies have their pros and cons as methodologies. In some cases, a hybrid approach is taken, choosing the best parts of both methodologies. Choosing the right methodology or combining parts of both should be decided for each specific project.
A key element to delivering successful project outcomes and delivery is choosing a project methodology and approach that is suited to the specific organisation and project at hand.
The Waterfall Methodology
The waterfall methodology, much like its namesake, is a method in which each stage of the project is completed in sequential steps, flowing into the next stage as each step is completed, like water flowing from one pool to the next. It’s linear, sequential phases generally make it more predictable and simpler to manage, so long as change management principles and governance frameworks are well established and executed throughout.
The waterfall approach is most effective for projects with pre-determined requirements that are unlikely to be revisited or altered. It works towards a specific date of deployment by effectively working through a line-up of dependent tasks. It is a project management methodology that is easy to understand.
However, this style may be too rigid for some projects where greater flexibility is required. If a more iterative, flexible and consultative approach is required the agile method can be an effective alternative approach.
The Agile Methodology
Out of agile, waterfall and hybrid project management methodologies, agile is the most circular. It is designed to allow for developments to be continual as requirements and solutions evolve over time.
Unlike the waterfall approach, the agile methodology supports volatility – it is designed to encourage evolution to stand as the hero in the process of development. Prioritising consumer needs means that the project will continually retrieve feedback from the consumer, key stakeholders and teams. It is designed to ensure that the final product is dedicated to addressing developmental needs and wants desired by users over time.
The agile approach is suited well for software development projects in which the user is at the centre of functionality and design.
In environments like this, continuous user feedback allows a project to reach as close to what can be considered optimal performance – an outcome ideal for any project. Whilst being so effective in allowing for growth and development for a project, it also empowers its project developers by encouraging frequent and continual improvement, strong communication within the project as well as with users, and celebrating and supporting the concept of ideation diversity.
The benefit of enriched culture by utilising an agile project management methodology makes it highly unique and provides very fair reasoning as to why it can be so beneficial to a project.
Whilst the agile approach allows potential issues to be discovered and rejected efficiently, there are instances in which a longer-term project may become overly time-consuming and draining to resources.
In considering the agile approach, care needs to be taken to set clear expectations around scope, time and cost so that these expectations can be effectively managed across stakeholders.
When you take winning elements from both the waterfall and agile project management methodologies, it is possible to create a bespoke management method perfectly suited to the needs of your unique project – enter the hybrid method.
The Waterfall Agile Hybrid Methodology
The waterfall agile hybrid methodology, also known more briefly as the hybrid approach, brings together the ‘best of both worlds’ when it comes to systems and practices.
At the core of this project management approach are three pillars; 1. it is compatible with any sized team or any industry, 2. blending occurs at the start of the project realisation, and 3. all responsibilities must be established and clearly defined for the project to thrive successfully.
Where the waterfall methodology sequentially flows from one milestone to the next, and agile constantly moves in a circular motion, the hybrid approach allows for stages that overlap and do not necessarily require one task to finish to begin another. This provides a great level of flexibility and initiative that the agile methodology provides, but also provides clear structure, timelines and approach set out in the waterfall approach.
The hybrid approach arguably is the most customisable and flexible. It does however require compromise and adjustment. For those used to a waterfall method, teams need to be comfortable in relinquishing some control of the project’s certainty and strictly determined outcomes in favour of project flexibility and freedom to adapt and acknowledge that outcomes may differ than initially planned into the project scope.
For team’s acclimatised to an agile methodology, the concept of removing some freedoms and flexibility to meet more ordered, rigid, waterfall-style tasks, may complicate projects for the team. The greatest benefit of hybrid, however, despite being an adjustment to teams accustomed to either one method or the other, is that it allows for greater customisation to more effectively reach a team’s common goal - a successful project deployment.
The most important thing is that an approach is agreed that matches the organisation, the project and the needs of the customer. Getting that right upfront and ensuring that those expectations are clearly articulated and set out in the business case, mean that all stakeholders have an understanding and agreement about how the project will run.
The project charter and governance frameworks should support that understanding and assist in communication of the project and the change journey ahead.
Traits of a Successful Project Manager
The successful Project Manager knows that understanding the basis of all methodologies is key. They will host a breadth of knowledge across all project management methodologies, as well as the capability to establish and communicate the parameters in which a project will be completed. Above all else, a great project manager will be able to advocate for a particular methodology and design and communicate the project plan to confidently lead a successful project delivery
In choosing the right project methodology there are a number of factors to consider:
What is the culture and experience of the organisation with different project methodologies?
What capabilities do the existing teams have and what bench strength is already within the organisation to support the chosen methodology?
How will you need to augment the current teams to align behind it?
What are the scope, time and budget considerations at hand?
What is the size, scale and complexity of the project?
Will the project benefit more from a succinct launch, or launch and improve sequentially over time?
What are the limitations and assumptions that underpin the project
What systems will we use to assess the ongoing progress and success of the project?
How will benefits realisation be achieved and measured?
In Summary…
Waterfall, agile and hybrid all have their place within the realm of project management methodologies, but the question for project managers still stands – what is the best methodology for your next project? The answer is that no one methodology suits all projects and businesses. Each project must be assessed on its own merits. Each time, the methodology that is best suited to the project at hand is the one where the needs of stakeholders and customers are best served, and the methodology is best aligned to achieve a successful project delivery and allow for benefits to be realised. Flexibility is the key.
Angela Goodsir
Thinkly Founder and Director, Angela Goodsir is an enterprise wide executive with a proven track record in transformative industry and business change and has a vision to drive businesses successfully into the future.
