The Different Styles of Project Management

Without the right project management, even the most meticulously planned projects can slow down, fail to quickly handle roadblocks, or collapse completely. The key to success is understanding which style of methodology to use in different situations?

• Traditional/Waterfall – This classic approach lists the tasks needed to complete the project and provides a process to oversee and monitor it. This is an old method of managing a project, and its primary weakness is that each stage of the project is heavily dependent on the stage that came before. It requires flawless communication between teams that have very specific tasks, which makes it a slow and sometimes difficult method, especially when later stages run into an issue, and previous steps must be revisited.

• Agile – When a project requires flexibility and speed, the agile method breaks down a project into milestones or “sprints” for shorter delivery cycles. Agile is commonly used for in-house teams that are self-motivated and communicate well, so there is no need for extensive control over the deliverables. 

• Scrum – Small in scope, and even more agile than the Agile method, Scrum accomplishes projects in micro-sized pieces. Small teams to accomplish specific tasks and faster, 30-day deadlines make this a great strategy for projects that need to be accomplished quickly. 

• Adaptive – When the scope of a project can vary as the project advances, adaptive management adjusts. While time and cost are constants, virtually everything else is variable. This is an important strategy to use when new opportunities or ideas are discovered during the project. 

• Critical Path – This is a step-by-step method that works well when a project has tasks that are dependent on each other. This style breaks down work and tracks it through a timeline that keeps track of deadlines and deliverables. 

• Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) – This is commonly found in developmental processes and manufacturing. It analyzes and estimates the amount of time it should take for each part of a project to be completed, which allows for realistic timelines and budgets. It is often used in conjunction with the Critical Path Method. 

• Rational Unified Process (RUP) – This style is familiar to teams that develop software. RUP allows for cyclical projects that are dependent on feedback and user testing, which may significantly change deliverables at any stage of the project. It is similar to the Waterfall method, except there is an emphasis on testing before the project goes into the next phase. 
• Critical Chain – Similar to PERT and Critical Path styles, Critical Chain is used when cost savings and benefits are found during the project, therefore changing the project goals. Project managers that use this method will sometimes change elements or eliminate portions of the project completely if it appears too many resources would be dedicated to it. 
• Joint Application Development – When project management is outsourced, the team and the client must be able to quickly and clearly communicate. Joint Development requires extensive client input and feedback at all stages of the project, while the developer has to be flexible enough to handle changes on the fly.