Different Approaches to Project Management and Product Development.

There are many different approaches to project management, as well as a variety of methods, methodologies, and frameworks involved. It is only natural that new Project Management trends appear all the time, due to the fact that this career field is ever-changing. The framework used by a project depends entirely on its nature, the company it belongs to, and the team it comes from.

The following are some of the common methods for managing a project:

Agile:

As it focuses on short delivery cycles (sprints) and incorporates a dynamic work culture that supports continuous team collaboration, this framework is quickly becoming one of the most popular for Project Management. As a result of its adaptability and flexibility, it is popular among customers and Product Owners because of its ability to quickly adapt to changing requirements.

Within an Agile Framework, project responsibility is shared across the entire team, rather than focused on one individual. When the entire team takes ownership of individual tasks a collaborative workflow is fostered. Agile focuses on utilizing regular feedback to reshape the course of projects as they are progressing. Stakeholders and Product owners review and offer inputs at each stage, offering adjustments that are incorporated in real-time. Objectives are outlined and identified at the beginning of the Project, but deliverables and outcomes are dynamic and constantly updated.

Scrum:

Popular within Software or Product Development Projects, the scrum framework is ideal for small, cross-functional teams. Scrum is typically divided into smaller cycles (similar to Agile) of 2 weeks, with a daily review of what the team has achieved/ completed and what their focus will be for the day. It is often incorporated within Agile Framework itself but can be utilised separately when continuously delivering software. Its primary focus is on the delivery of business values within a short timeframe, differing from agile which focuses more on the continuous iteration of development and testing.

Kanban:

Similar to both agile and scrum frameworks, but with an added visual element, Kanban focuses on the entire capacity of the team when working collectively. Consisting of three columns (typically; To Do, Doing, Done) on a physical or digital board, this approach includes all tasks and developmental work being assigned ‘cards’ which can then be moved from one progress stage to another reflecting their current status. This framework can help identify bottlenecks and effectively manage workflows for smaller-sized projects.

Extreme Programming:

With an aim to improve software quality, the Extreme Programming Framework is similar to Scrum, but more optimized and specific for technology-based projects; with a strong focus on appropriate engineering practices. This methodology relies on quick, shorter sprints, frequent releases, and constant stakeholder collaboration. Its benefits include helping to avoid employee burnout and improving the overall quality of project deliverables. Pair/Peer Programming is routinely incorporated within this framework with all production software developed by two developers on the same machine, effectively continuously reviewing code to offer improved code quality and quicker problem solutions.

Waterfall:

The Waterfall Framework model is the most traditional approach to project management, arising from the manufacturing and construction industries it involves extensive planning and clear timelines and budgeting. Initially, the workload of the project is broken down into smaller, manageable tasks which are executed one after another in a particular, prioritised sequence. By outlining all process and procedure steps before initiation, risks and misunderstandings are identified and eliminated. However, as this approach has been around for a while, when this framework is applied to software development it tends to be one of the more inflexible approaches. As progress is linear throughout the sequential phases and when variations or major issues arise then the entire previous cycle needs to be revisited and can be limiting when used for modern software development.

The primary basis of all of these Project Management Frameworks is to help organisations map out the progression of projects and to best structure their workflows to successfully deliver project objectives. These methodologies all utilise systems of principles, differing techniques and specified, refined procedures to best facilitate the management of different projects. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for Project Management, each framework offers unique benefits and with the right methodology in place, your project can be more efficient and streamlined