Project management is the process of overseeing a project from start to finish. The goal of project management is to maximize the use of available resources, maximize the value of organizational stakeholders, and achieve stated objectives with the least amount of risk or cost. These activities are commonly organized into initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing activities. (Cicmil et al., 2006). Each phase is distinguished by a distinct project management framework, methodology, or tool. As a discipline, project management improves overall project effectiveness by providing the best value to the clients, lowering risk, and ensuring project completion.
Modern responsive project management Methodologies
The practice of project management is constantly evolving, and many organizations have adopted various approaches to project management. Throughout history, various project management methodologies have come and gone, influencing the current standard in play. They range from straightforward “waterfall” and “critical path” methods to more recent agile methods that emphasize self-organizing teams (Al-Saqqa et al., 2020). Many of these methodologies are aimed at software development projects, but they apply to a much broader range of fields. According to Arefazar et al. (2019), each methodology, on the other hand, has its own set of strengths and weaknesses that can make it more or less suitable for different projects depending on their characteristics.
Project management includes both a quantitative or objective and a qualitative or subjective component. The quantitative component focuses on the amount of time, money, and resources needed to complete the project. As stated by Alsaqaf et al. (2017), the primary tool to project deployability and thrive is cost-benefit analysis. On the other hand, the qualitative component focuses on the human aspect of project management, such as stakeholder engagement and leadership. Stakeholder analysis and leadership styles are its primary tools. These two components work in tandem to complete the overall project management picture, including the deliverables that result from each task throughout the project’s lifecycle.
How to Choose the Right Approach at the Outset of a Project
The choice between a traditional and an agile strategy is determined during the Initiating phase. The project sponsor, project management office, and project manager, in most situations, make this decision. The nature of the project, the company’s culture, and the company’s willingness to tolerate risk are all integral considerations when developing a project management strategy (Cicmil et al., .2006).In most instances, every company adopts a different approach to project management.
An individual cannot, for example, create a traditional strategy for an agile business unit within a company that exclusively does agile projects. Nonetheless, Bushuyeva et al, (2019), highlight the need for project managers to keep an organization’s culture and management style in mind when selecting a project management approach. No wonder, some companies promote a risk-taking culture as long as it does not jeopardize their brand or profitability. Other companies are so concerned about the danger that they demand perfect security in all elements of their projects before authorizing them. As a result, taking a traditional method in these circumstances will not be an option due to possible scope creep.
Traditional Project Management Methodology
Traditional project management denotes a conventional approach where projects are entirely programmed on a sequential circle of initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure. Traditional project management emphasizes linear processes, documentation, planning, and putting things into place (Fernandez& Fernandez, 2008). Time and money are considered the two most essential project resources as the traditional method. However, the approach is not very effective in the face of complex and uncertain projects. Contrarily, the approach works well for material-based products but not for “intangible” products like research, development, and design projects.
The use of traditional software to manage an entire project from start to finish is not a Standardized procedure within many organizations; as a result, it is more difficult to obtain greater adherence from project team participants. Using traditional software to manage an entire project from start to finish works well in completing a standardized procedure but becomes cumbersome and complex when included in non-standardized procedures (Pace, 2019). In order to overcome these challenges and safeguard their competitive power, organizations could adopt the use of adaptive software tools.
Adaptive tools include software that can “learn” from past experiences and make adjustments based on new data provided by project team members. Adaptive project management introduces a new way for organizations to manage projects that will allow them greater insight into project scope, progress and costs.
Benefits of Traditional Project Methodology
The benefits of traditional project methodology or approaches are derived from the characteristics that make the project stand out from others. Such comprises aclear documentation, accountability, ultimate control, and clearly defined objectives (Pace, 2019). Therefore it should be the mandate of project managers who have desired to employ this particular project methodology to master the objectives of Traditional project methodology. According to Cicmil et al. (2019), a good project manager should clearly understand the strengths and weaknesses of this methodology. It should also be noted that this methodology may not be suitable for all types of projects or situations.
The traditional project management approach is the most widely used form of project management today. It has been used successfully on many projects throughout the world in many different industries, as per the ideas of Chin (2004). Traditional project management relies on well-defined logic models, sequential activities, extensive documentation, and rigorous quality assurance to control risks. The traditional project management approach also requires a senior staff that is well versed in the processes and procedures (Rolstadås et al., .2014). However, traditional project management has been criticized for having a flawed logic model of starting with a given end date and working backward to establish various milestones.
This sometimes results in missing critical milestones, not meeting time targets, and severely missing the project’s requirements. Other potential weaknesses of this approach include many project change orders, high-cost overruns, and poor staff morale. Traditional projects tend to be dominated by documents and communications; therefore, from the project manager’s point of view, it is essential that they emphasize in time management and quality assurance right from the planning stage. They equally need to have an excellent knowledge of the business area being covered by the project as this will permit the project manager the authority to develop more realistic plans at every stage of the project’s life cycle (Rolstadås et al, .2014). Requirement planning, risk management, quality management, and control systems are equally special considerations of the project manager.
Agile project management Methodology
Agile is a general software approach used for software development, and it relies on collaboration, time boxing tasks, teamwork, and flexibility to address changes with immediate effect. Based on its essential manifesto and values, agile project management methodology should:
- Focus on individuals and interaction as opposed to processes and tools of the project
- Improve the quality of the intended project
- Should possess predictable costs and schedules
- Be more transparent and easily understood, and applicable to all employees or members of the organization
- Aspire to account for predictable delivery so that the management and stakeholders become motivated
Agile project management and software development have become popular issues in recent years, with several presentations presented at the 2006 PMI North America Global Congress. Too recently, however, the focus appears to be premised on transition from a traditional approach to agile methodology without entirely abandoning the traditional technique (Husar & Stracener, 2014). While the manifesto is geared toward software development, the principles can also be applied to project management.
There exist a few frequent misconceptions that project managers should master and deal with in agile project management. One myth is that under an agile methodology, there is no planning. On the contrary, this is a mere speculation since planning does occur despite being an iterative process, just like the actual production. A more thorough plan for that iteration is prepared at the start of each iteration. While precise plans are not made at the start of an agile project due to the apparent unknowns, Planning is still an essential element of the process position (Špundak, 2014). A second misconception is that agile initiatives do not necessitate the use of project managers. In actuality, the project manager’s function is distinct since it emphasizes team leadership rather than management responsibilities such as Planning or budgeting. The agile methodology differs from the traditional technique in detail. This supports the agile manifesto’s concept of “individuals and engagement over process and tools.”
While the Agile approach may contain general rules, it lacks the traditional approach’s details. There will be fewer templates and less specified procedural procedures in the agile process. However, the importance of a working product over documentation is still over-emphasized by agile concepts. As a result, the agile approach moves faster to action and spends less time planning. The primary planning papers of a traditional methodology, such as complex project management plans, extensive requirements documents, or documentation of roles and duties, are not included within the agile approach.
Adaptability is a crucial feature of the agile methodology. The team examines not only the product as it develops and makes improvements to features but also the process. The team does a lessons learned session, also known as a retrospective, at the end of each (Arefazar et al., .2019). The goal of the meeting is to go through the product and the process. The team reviews how the project progresses and what practices could be changed to improve performance. The team may decide, for example, to change the testing methodology or the format of the daily standup meeting.
Lessons learned are conducted as part of the project ending process in traditional projects. As with the agile approach, one issue is a review of project management processes; however, any recommendations for process modifications will affect future projects rather than the current project. Even if lessons learned are undertaken at the end of each phase, the recommendations will only impact future projects because that phase will not be repeated for the project.
Reasons why Agile is preferred to Traditional PM approach
Many project managers and developers prefer to use the agile methodology for various reasons. Such include:
Agile methodology allows for making changes in the product or process. If team members desire to experiment and try something different from what was intended while working, the agile methodology readily allows them to do so. The best feature of this methodology is that it places a higher premium on the product than on adhering to a fixed structure. In contrast to the traditional technique, agile methodology is not linear or top-down. Any modifications made at the last minute can be accepted without damaging the outcome or delaying the project’s timetable.
With the agile method, everything is out there and transparent. Clients and decision-makers are actively involved during the planning, review, and testing phases. The project manager controls the project under the traditional paradigm, and others are not allowed to make crucial choices. As a result, the agile method allows team members to track progress from start to finish. This kind of transparency is essential for fostering a positive work environment.
The agile methodology permits every team member to share ownership of the project. As such, each member of the project plays an active role in completing the various phases of the project within the estimated time. The methodology equally accords all the project members the chance to witness the project’s progress from the ground up. Checklists can examine project factors and choose the optimal method for any project based on these questions. The sponsor must be satisfied with the decision.
Agile PM delivery and Leadership
Agile project management is a highly iterative approach intended to deliver projects at speed with frequent delivery of working software. It has gained popularity due to its ability to adapt quickly and provide continuous feedback to stakeholders. However, there are still many uncertainties about those responsible for delivering Agile projects. Fernandez & Fernandez (2008) suggest that agile methods challenge the role of a project manager. The manager has two roles to play – one, to facilitate the delivery of high-quality products on time; second, to enable an engaged and collaborative approach among stakeholders.
Delivering software within tight project deadlines requires a clear vision and clear leadership from the project manager. However, the challenge of implementing agile methods in a company is often seen as more important than achieving an effective strategy. Taylor, who took part in Amazon’s first Agile World event in Seattle, found this attitude reflected in many companies (Livermore, 2008). “The real issue is that you cannot expect a team to adopt an agile way of working if there is no buy-in at board level. However, often there is not enough time and energy to develop a strategy, and teams have to concentrate on the tools they can use.”
There are examples of agile projects that have flourished with the support of senior management, such as the development of BBC’s I Player, which was delivered in record time. The project manager who oversaw its success was Martin Wood, head of software engineering for BBC Future Media & Technology. Wood said: “We did it because we wanted to do it. The BBC is a unique organization – it has to be innovative, forward-thinking, and innovative, and we are a public service broadcaster. It has to be agile because we need to deliver products on time, so the BBC needs an agile project management style. Agility is more important than how great IT projects look (Livermore, 2008). “Agile project management involves managing releases, changes, and progress on tasks. This can be difficult for complex projects that may require repeated cycles of development and testing, due to the cyclic nature of the work” (Bushuyeva et al.,.2019). This often leads to deadlock on issues such as requirements clarification and backlog grooming. However, like Fernandez, and Fernandez (2008), note, “agile methods have been used to help manage the most complex of projects for decades. Agile helps people work together to deliver an outcome.
The number of issues that can arise in any project is directly related to how the project is managed. Typically, only one or two issues are raised at any point in time during an agile development effort.”Specific concerns around resource allocation, quality assurance, and handover procedures on large-scale projects also prove challenging to manage without senior support. In a traditional waterfall approach to project management, projects have a defined list of resources and expectations from stakeholders, clearly defined at the start of a project. According to Špundak (2014), agile projects may have a problem communicating the requirements to stakeholders at the beginning of a project. This can be exacerbated by changes in project scope and frequent deliveries of the product.”
Agile approaches are not without their critics, who dismiss stories about successful agile projects (built without management support) as misleading .Livermore, (2008),suggests that this method is a good fit for delivering small-scale IT applications, but it is hard to implement on large-scale projects such as software development. Consequently, critiques argue that Organizations that have adopted agile project management methods have experienced several benefits, including increased productivity and profitability. However, before embarking on an agile project, it is essential to understand the fundamental concepts of the methodology and gain a thorough understanding of how to work with the various stakeholders that will be affected. Following these steps will help ensure that your project runs smoothly throughout its whole lifecycle.
The first step in launching your agile project is to set up an agile team. Normally the team should constitute members from all the relevant disciplines (customer/ technical support, designers, development, and QA) who will contribute to the project’s success. Engage each member carefully and ensure they understand what they need to deliver and how their contributions will benefit the outcome. Also, make sure they are familiar with the agile methodologies that have been implemented (Rolstadås, et al, .2014). Moreover, the agile team members should be given a complete understanding of the project’s scope and understanding to keep them motivated. This way, the team can build up their knowledge about what needs to be done together with a shared sense of purpose.
Agile processes are known for encouraging end-user interaction throughout the development process. For this reason, it is essential to involve customers to monitor progress and offer their input at regular intervals. This can be achieved by holding meetings with users between works sessions, requiring user representatives to attend meetings, or having them fill out project feedback forms regularly during various project phases. Regardless of the difficulty in socially accessing project team members, avenues of online communication should be adopted by the management.
The next step requires the project manager to define the organization’s vision to workers. The vision statement provides direction of a project by outlining a clear roadmap of workers target. Defining the vision keeps every team member focused to achieving the organizational goals. You can use a vision statement or a set of project guidelines (or both) but whatever method you choose, make sure it is clear and easy for everyone on the agile team to understand. In addition, when starting an agile project from scratch, having a development process template already prepared will act as a guide for the team members.
Conclusion
In conclusion, an agile process gives you a way to organize your project and a way to achieve your goals. It simplifies the software development process by breaking it down into a series of short, simple tasks that can be completed in just a few weeks, allowing projects to adapt quickly to changes in business needs. However, it is essential to remember that any successful agile project is only possible with the support of a dedicated team and the proper governance structure in place. Otherwise, the agile approach is apt to appear disordered, increase costs and delay the delivery of projects.
References
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