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Top 10 Project Management Methodologies: An Overview

There are many different project management methodologies, and they all have pros and cons. Some of them work better in particular industries or projects , so you’ll need to learn about project management methodologies to decide which one works best for you.

What Is a Project Management Methodology?

A project management methodology is a set of principles, tools and techniques that are used to plan, execute and manage projects. Project management methodologies help project managers lead team members and manage work while facilitating team collaboration.

We’ll go through some of the most popular project management methodologies, which are applied in many sectors such as software development, R&D and product development.

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Top 10 Project Management Methodologies

If you manage projects, you need to learn about project management methodologies. Here’s a quick overview of the most commonly used project management methods that you can use.

1. Waterfall Methodology

This may be the most straightforward and linear of all the project management methods in this list, as well as the most traditional approach. The name is apt, as the waterfall methodology is a process in which the phases of the project flow downward. The waterfall model requires that you move from one project phase to another only once that phase has been successfully completed.

When to use it: The waterfall approach is great for manufacturing and construction projects , which are highly structured, and when it’s too expensive to pivot or change anything after the fact. The waterfall method makes use of Gantt charts for planning and scheduling.

2. Agile Methodology

What it is: In a nutshell, Agile project management is an evolving and collaborative way to self-organize across teams. When implementing the agile methodology , project planning and work management are adaptive, evolutionary in development, seeking early delivery and are always open to change if that leads to process improvement. It’s fast and flexible, unlike waterfall project management.

The agile methodology offers project teams a very dynamic way to work and collaborate and that’s why it is a very popular project management methodology for product and software development. That’s because what we think of as agile really appeared in 2001 with the publication of the “Manifesto for Agile Software Development,” authored by 17 software developers.

When to use it: The practice originated in software development and works well in that culture. How do you know if agile is for you? It has been applied to non-software products that seek to drive forward with innovation and have a level of uncertainty, such as computers, motor vehicles, medical devices, food, clothing, music and more. It’s also being used in other types of projects that need a more responsive and fast-paced production schedule , such as marketing.

3. Scrum Methodology

What it is: Scrum is a short “sprint” approach to managing projects. The scrum methodology is It’s ideal for teams of no more than 10 people and often is wedded to two-week cycles with short daily meetings, known as daily scrum meetings . It’s led by what is called a scrum master . Scrum works within an agile project management framework, though there have been attempts to scale Scrum to fit larger organizations.

The term scrum was introduced in a “Harvard Business Review” article from 1986 by Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka. It became a part of agile when Ken Schwaber and Mike Beedle wrote the book “Agile Software Development with Scrum” in 2001. Schwaber formed the Scrum Alliance in 2002, a certified scrum accreditation series. Schwaber left the Scrum Alliance in 2009 to start a parallel accreditation organization called Scrum.org.

When to use it: Like agile, the scrum methodology has been used predominantly in software development, but proponents note it is applicable across any industry or business, including retail logistics, event planning or any project that requires some flexibility. It does require strict scrum roles , however.

4. Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)

What it is: This is the granddaddy of methodologies if it’s a methodology at all. The Project Management Institute (PMI) is a not-for-profit membership association, project management certification and standards organization.

This organization produces a book called the “Project Management Body of Knowledge” or PMBOK. The PMBOK provides definitions and guidelines for project planning, scheduling, executing and controlling. For example, the project management process groups describe the project life cycle, while the 10 project management knowledge areas explain how to manage a project.

When to use it: Almost any project can benefit from PMBOK, as all projects big and small are going to go through the various stages of the project life cycle outlined in the book. It’s a great way to keep everyone on the same page, so to speak, and offers a clear definition of how a project is managed.

The Project Management Institute it’s also the organization that grants various project management certifications such as the project management professional (PMP) certification, which is the gold standard among project managers and is recognized all over the world. PMBOK is a great traditional framework to run a project.

5. Critical Path Method (CPM)

What it is: In the critical path method (CPM), you build a model of the project, including all the activities listed in a work breakdown structure , the duration of those tasks, what if any task dependencies there are and marking off milestones to indicated larger phases of the project or points in which your project deliverables are due.

With this information, you can identify the longest sequence of tasks to finish the project, which is called the critical path. You’ll need to keep an eye on those tasks because if one of them is delayed, the whole project will be delayed.

The critical path method was developed in the late 1950s by Morgan R. Walker of DuPont and James E. Kelley, Jr., of Remington Rand. DuPont was already using a precursor of CPM as early as the 1940s, and it was applied to the Manhattan Project.

When to use it: CPM works better with smaller or mid-sized projects. The larger the project, the more difficult it can be to take all the data you need to diagram and make sense of it without project management software .

6. Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)

What it is: In , you’re focusing on resources that you’ll be using to complete the project, such as teams, equipment, office space, etc. It’s a less technical method of project management that doesn’t put as much emphasis on task order or schedule , but rather on balancing resources and keeping them flexible.

First introduced in 1997, in the book “Critical Path” by Eliyahu M. Goldratt, it has been credited with making projects anywhere from 10-50% faster and/or cheaper.

When to use it: CCPM can be applied to both large and small companies, and for projects that include industries such as construction, software development and tech research and development.

7. Kanban Methodology

What it is: The kanban methodology is a visual approach to project management. The name is literally billboard in Japanese. It helps manage workflow by placing tasks on a kanban board where workflow and progress are clear to all team members. The kanban methodology helps reduce inefficiencies and is a great project management tool for many purposes such as lean manufacturing or agile projects.

Kanban project management has been around since the late 1940s when it was studied by Toyota used the rate of demand to control the rate of production of its vehicles. The car company applied it to its lean manufacturing model, known as the Toyota production system.

With the dawn of visual planning boards in software in our era, like Trello, there are now new uses for kanban tools and kanban methods. Agile teams use kanban boards for story-boarding user stories and for backlog planning in software development.

When to use it: Another process developed initially for manufacturing and for software teams, the kanban method has since expanded and has been used in human resources, marketing, organizational strategy, executive process and accounts receivable and payable. Almost anyone can plan with Kanban boards, adding cards to represent project phases, task deadlines, people, ideas and more. Kanban software makes this methodology especially accessible.

8. Extreme Programming (XP)

What it is: It sounds like some dangerous sport the kids are into, but in fact, XP is a type of agile software development with short development cycles and multiple releases to improve productivity. Customer requirements are sought and can adapt to the course of the project.

Created by Kent Beck while working on the Chrysler Comprehensive Compensation System payroll project, he literally wrote the book (“Extreme Programming Explained”) in 1999. But many of its practices have been around for a while.

When to use it: When requirements change frequently, then you’ll want to use a methodology such as XP. It’s good when your customer doesn’t have a clear idea of what they want.

9. Lean Methodology

What it is: Lean project management is what you’d think it is from its name: a way to cut waste and in so doing increase value in projects and manufacturing processes. So, lean focuses on eliminating waste from key processes to continuously be impacting positively on the value stream. It does this by optimizing separate technologies, assets and verticals.

Lean project management goes back to Henry Ford and his flow production for automating the process of building cars. Toyota picked up on the idea, as well, extending their idea beyond manufacturing to the continuous improvement of the product development process.

Today, software development teams run lean processes to focus on end-user feedback and increased value, which means Lean methodology has taken on a new meaning, particularly with the publishing of Lean Startup, by Eric Ries, who advocates for rapid prototyping, end-user feedback and early and rapid product delivery.

When to use it: Lean project management was first developed by Toyota and is obviously a great methodology for manufacturing. In fact, it’s also referred to as lean manufacturing , but it has been adopted by construction and education industries, among others in the manufacturing space and countless startups and software development firms looking to drive products focused on the end-user.

10. Six Sigma

What it is: Introduced by engineers working at Motorola in the mid-1980s, Six Sigma works to improve quality by identifying what is not working in the project. It applies quality management, including empirical statistics, and employs personnel who are experts in these disciplines. There is also a Lean Six Sigma that adds lean methodology to eliminate waste.

As a doctrine, it says that continued efforts to achieve results that are stable and expected are most important to success. Processes can be refined and improved. It takes the whole organization, from the top down, to sustain quality in a project.

When to use it: This methodology works best in larger organizations. Even companies with a few hundred employees are likely too small to take advantage of its benefits. It requires a certification to practice. Learn about six sigma certification here.

11. PRINCE2

What it is: PRINCE2 stands for Projects IN Controlled Environments and is a structured certified methodology. It was initially created by the UK government for IT projects. PRINCE2 is not like other traditional methods like waterfall, in that it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, but follows seven principles, themes and procedures.

When the UK government adopted standards for IT systems in 1989, they called in PRINCE. PRINCE2 came about in 1996 as a more general project management method. It is now a popular project management methodology throughout all UK governmental agencies and the United Nations.

When to use it: Adopted by many other countries’ governments, PRINCE2, so, as you can imagine, it’s not always suitable for smaller projects.

ProjectManager Works with Any Project Management Methodology

There are almost as many methods to manage as there are projects. But they all share one thing in common: getting deliverables done on time and within budget. No matter which project management methodology you choose ProjectManager is the one software you’ll need to do it.

Tools for Waterfall Project Management

Waterfall is structured. One thing follows the next and it’s all planned out. No problem. ProjectManager has an online Gantt chart . Import your task list to start a new project. Add due dates and the tasks populate a timeline. Link-dependent tasks to avoid bottlenecks. Set milestones to separate the project into phases. You control the project step by step.

Tools for Agile Project Management

Gantt charts aren’t going to help as much as other project tools if you’re working in an agile framework. That’s true, but ProjectManager is flexible enough to serve scrum teams with multiple project views.

Use the kanban view to map out your sprint. Product backlogs are collected on cards, which can be prioritized for scrum teams to know which user story to work on first. Then the sprint can be archived, so when doing a sprint retrospective, teams can learn from their mistakes and improve the process.

Multiple Views for Diverse Teams

What if your organization is larger, with different divisions, some that work with an agile project management framework and others with a more traditional waterfall methodology? What’s great about ProjectManager is that it can switch from one view to the other, giving IT teams a kanban board view for their scrum sprints and managers a Gantt chart for a bigger project planning overview.

The real-time dashboard and reporting features gather the same data and crunch the same numbers, so whatever project management method you use is tracking the same results.

Yes, ProjectManager is an award-winning project management software for a reason. It’s flexible enough to work in an agile environment, traditional waterfall methodology or a hybrid of the two. You decide, not the software, which means ProjectManager is the one tool to bring in your project, however, you manage it, successfully.

Related Content

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• Waterfall Project Management Software
• Agile Project Management Software
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There are more project management methodologies, but these are some of the most popular. Regardless of which you use, you need a project management tool to best manage all your processes and projects. ProjectManager is an online PM tool, so whatever methodology is right for you our software will help you apply it to a successful end. Try it free for 30 days and see for yourself.

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Project Management Methodologies

Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, Kanban and more. If you’re wondering which methodology you should choose, then you need to read this guide to project management methodologies.

Table of Contents

What is a project management methodology, why are there so many different types of project management methodologies, the project management process: how to choose the right project management methodology, 17 project management methodology examples and frameworks, choosing the right project management methodology.

Once you’ve decided you want to  become a project manager , the next step is to figure out which project management methodologies are right for you and your team.

The landscape of project management methodologies can seem a bit overwhelming.

Whether you have a formal project management certification or you’re learning to become a project manager from experience, there’s an absolute smorgasbord of project methodologies to choose from. And they often come with their own rules, lists, principles, and endless acronyms.

We believe that finding the right project management methodology to manage your work shouldn’t be rocket science. So we’ve compiled this list of different project management methodologies to help you figure out which methods, principles and approaches you can use for each team and project.

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A project management methodology is a set of principles and practices that guide you in organizing your projects to ensure their optimum performance.

Basically, it’s a framework that helps you to manage your project in the best way possible.

Project management is so important  to organizations and teams, but in order for it to be really effective, you need to make sure you’re correctly mapping your project management methodology to your team type, project, organization, and goals.

No two projects are exactly the same (even when you’re using handy features like project templates to replicate your past successes).

And when you factor in the different goals, KPIs and production methods of not only different types of teams but also different types of  industries , it makes sense that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to managing a project.

What works best for one type of team could be an absolute nightmare for another.

For example, many software developers started to find that traditional project management methods were hindering — rather than helping — their workflows and negatively affecting their performance and results.

As a result, software teams began to develop a new type of project management methodology, which was designed to address their particular concerns.

Before long, other teams and industries started to adapt those new project management methods to fit  their  unique needs and concerns. And on and on, with different project management methodologies being repurposed and adapted for different industries and tweaked to fit specific use cases.

What we’re left with is a ton of different project management methodologies to choose from. So how do you know which project management method (or methods, plural) is right for you and your team?

There are lots of factors that will impact which project management methodology is right for your project, team, and organization. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the key considerations that can help you decide:

Cost and budget: On a scale of $ to $$$, what sort of budget are you working with? Is there room for that to change if necessary, or is it essential that it stays within these predetermined limits?

Team size: How many people are involved? How many stakeholders? Is your team relatively compact and self-organizing, or more sprawling, with a need for more rigorous delegation?

Ability to take risks: Is this a huge project with a big impact that needs to be carefully managed in order to deliver Very Serious Results? Or is it a smaller-scale project with a bit more room to play around?

Flexibility: Is there room for the scope of the project to change during the process? What about the finished product?

Timeline: How much time is allotted to deliver on the brief? Do you need a quick turnaround, or is it more important that you have a beautifully finished result, no matter how long it takes?

Client/stakeholder collaboration: How involved does the client/stakeholder need — or want — to be in the process? How involved do you need — or want — them to be?

Waterfall methodology

Agile methodology

Scrum methodology

Kanban methodology

Scrumban methodology

eXtreme programming (XP) methodology

Adaptive project framework (APF) methodology

Lean methodology

Critical path method

Critical chain project management

New product introduction (NPI)

Package enabled reengineering (PER)

Outcome mapping

PMI’s PMBOK

PRINCE2 methodology

Rapid application development (RAD) methodology

We’ve compiled a list of 17 effective project management methodologies to help you get to grips with the basics. Let’s dive right in.

1. Waterfall methodology

The Waterfall method is a traditional approach to project management. In it, tasks and phases are completed in a linear, sequential manner, and each stage of the project must be completed before the next begins.

The stages of Waterfall project management generally follow this sequence:

Requirements

Construction

Deployment & maintenance

Progress flows in one direction, like a real waterfall.

Also like a real waterfall, though, this can quickly get dangerous. Since everything is mapped out at the beginning, there’s a lot of room for error if expectations don’t match up with reality. And there’s no going back to a previous stage once it’s completed (just imagine trying to swim against a waterfall — not fun).

Try this project management methodology if:

The end goal of your project is clearly defined — and isn’t going to change.

The stakeholders know exactly what they want (and it isn’t going to change).

Your project is consistent and predictable (i.e. isn’t going to change).

You’re working in a regulated industry that needs extensive project tracking or documentation.

You might need to bring new people into the project midway through and get them up to speed quickly.

This project management methodology might not be for you if:

Your project is liable to change.

You don’t have a full picture of all the requirements before you start.

You need to do continuous testing or adapt to feedback during the process.

2. Agile methodology

Agile project leaders help their team balance at the edge of chaos - some structure, but not too much; adequate documentation, but not too much; some up-front architecture work, but not too much. Finding these balance points is the art of agile leadership." ~ Jim Highsmith, author and software engineer

The agile project management methodology came from a growing dissatisfaction with the linear approach of traditional project management methodologies.

Frustrated with the limitations of project management methods that couldn’t adapt with a project as it progressed, the focus began to shift to more iterative models that allowed teams to revise their project as needed during the process instead of having to wait until the end to review and amend.

The concept of agile project management has gone on to spark several specific sub-frameworks and methodologies, such as scrum, kanban, and lean. But what do they all have in common? The key principles of agile project management methodologies are:

It’s collaborative.

It’s quick.

It’s open to data-driven change.

As such, agile project management methodologies usually involve short phases of work with frequent testing, reassessment, and adaptation throughout.

In many agile methods, all of the work to be done is added to a backlog that teams can work through in each phase or cycle, with project managers or product owners prioritizing the backlog so teams know what to focus on first.

You’re not sure at the outset what the solution will look like.

You need to work quickly, and it’s more important that you see speedy progress than perfect results.

Your stakeholders or client needs (or wants) to be involved at every stage.

This project management methodology isn’t for you if:

You need a lot of documentation (for example, if you’ll be bringing new people on-board during the project).

You need a predictable deliverable, and you need to be crystal clear about what that looks like from the outset.

Your project can’t afford to change during its course.

You don’t have self-motivated people.

You have strict deadlines or deliverables that you need to stay on top of.

The Best Agile Project Management Tools To Use In 2023 & Beyond

It does little good to adopt the Agile method while still using a software that bogs down or complicates your projects. The best agile project management software should go hand-in-hand with the Agile method and make these adaptations smooth, fast, and easy.

3. Scrum methodology

Scrum is a form of agile project management. You can think of it more like a framework than as a project management methodology in itself.

With Scrum, work is split into short cycles known as “sprints”, which usually last about 1-2 weeks. Work is taken from the backlog (see: Agile project management, above) for each sprint iteration,

Small teams are led by a Scrum Master (who is not the same as the  project manager ) for the duration of the sprint, after which they review their performance in a “sprint retrospective” and make any necessary changes before starting the next sprint.

You’re striving for continuous improvement.

You don’t have the full commitment from the team needed to make it work.

4. Kanban methodology

"Kanban is not a software development lifecycle methodology or an approach to project management. It requires that some process is already in place so that Kanban can be applied to incrementally change the underlying process." ~ David J. Anderson, Author and pioneer of the Kanban method

Kanban is another method within agile project management.

Originating from the manufacturing industry, the term “kanban” has evolved to denote a framework in which tasks are visually represented as they progress through columns on a  kanban board . Work is pulled from the predefined backlog on a continuous basis as the team has capacity and moved through the columns on the board, with each column representing a stage of the process.

Kanban is great for giving everyone an immediate visual overview of where each piece of work stands at any given time. (You can use kanban boards for everything from your  content marketing process  to  hiring and recruitment .)

It also helps you to see where bottlenecks are at risk of forming — if you notice one of your columns getting clogged, for example, you’ll know that that’s a stage of your process that needs to be examined.

When used as part of an agile project management methodology, it’s also common to implement work in progress (WIP) limits. Work in progress limits restrict the amount of tasks in play at any given time, meaning that you can only have a certain number of tasks in each column (or on the board overall).

This prevents your team from spreading their energy across too many tasks, and instead ensures that they can work more productively by focusing on each task individually.

You’re looking for a visual representation of your project’s progress.

You want at-a-glance status updates.

You want to encourage using WIP limits so your team can stay focused.

You prefer to work on a continuous “pull” basis.

Your process is super complex or has tons of stages.

You want a push system instead of a pull system.

Kanban board view

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5. Scrumban methodology

It’s the answer to the age-old question: what if scrum and kanban had a baby?

Scrumban is a hybrid agile project management methodology that has scrum’s nose and kanban’s eyes.

The main benefit of scrumban as a method is that instead of deciding which task from the backlog to work on in each sprint at the outset (like you would in a “traditional” scrum framework), scrumban allows teams to continuously “pull” from the backlog based on their capacity (like they would in a kanban framework).

And using work in progress limits (from kanban) during your sprint cycle (from scrum), you can keep a continuous flow while still incorporating project planning , reviews and retrospectives as needed.

You’ve ever looked at scrum and kanban and thought “I wish those two crazy kids would get together”.

You’ve ever looked wistfully out the window and thought, “Oh, scrum is scrum, and kanban is kanban, and never the twain shall meet”.

6. eXtreme programming (XP) methodology

The eXtreme Programming (XP) methodology is another form of agile project management that was designed for software developmen t.

It emphasizes teamwork and collaboration across managers, customers, and developers, with teams self-organizing. It has a  defined set of rules  that teams should follow, which are based on its five values: simplicity, communication (face to face is preferred), feedback, respect, and courage.

You want to foster teamwork and collaboration.

You have a small, co-located team.

You’re a rulebreaker.

Your team is spread across different places and time zones.

7. Adaptive project framework (APF) methodology

The adaptive project framework (APF) methodology, also known as adaptive project management (APM), is a type of agile project management methodology that was designed with the inevitability of change in mind.

The adaptive project framework knows that, as John Steinbeck might say, even the best-laid projects of mice and men often go awry. So the fundamental attribute of APF is that teams need to be able to adaptively respond to change.

That means that using adaptive project framework methods, teams must try to anticipate the risks and prepare for the unexpected in their project. They need to understand that key components are constantly in flux, and be able to constantly re-evaluate results and decisions with these moving parts in mind.

This requires lots of communication with all stakeholders and — like other agile project management methodologies — be able to work collaboratively.

You know your ultimate goals (in project management terms, you’ve outlined your Conditions of Satisfaction; or, in Beastie Boys terms, you’re clear about you’re clear about whatcha whatcha whatcha want).

You need predictability.

You don’t have the resources to handle the potential negatives of adaptability (e.g. scope creep, rework, misuse of time).

8. Lean methodology

Lean is another project management methodology that has its origins in manufacturing (and specifically the Toyota Production System). It’s all about applying lean principles to your project management methods to maximize value and minimize waste.

While this originally referred to reducing physical waste in the manufacturing process, it now refers to other wasteful practices in the project management process. These are known as the 3Ms: muda, mura, and muri.

Muda  (wastefulness) consumes resources without adding value for the customer.

Mura  (unevenness) occurs when you have overproduction in one area that throws all of your other areas out of whack, leaving you with too much inventory (wasteful!) or inefficient processes (also wasteful!).

Muri  (overburden) occurs when there is too much strain on resources such as equipment and people, which can often lead to breakdowns — in both machines and humans.

Using the key principles of lean, a project manager can reduce these types of waste to create more efficient workflows.

You’re looking for a set of principles that will help you cut the fat and optimize your flow.

You’re always trying to improve and add value for the customer.

You want to ultimately decrease costs.

You can’t afford to run into supply problems (e.g. you don’t have enough inventory in stock) or lose room for error (e.g. in the case of essential equipment failure).

You don’t have the budget to invest in it (while lean project management aims to reduce costs overall, it can be costly to implement).

You’re a raccoon and you love waste, actually.

9. Critical path method

A project without a critical path is like a ship without a rudder." ~ D. Meyer, Illinois Construction Law

The critical path method (also known as critical path analysis) is a way of identifying and scheduling all of the critical tasks that comprise your project, as well as their dependencies.

That means that you need to:

Identify all of the essential tasks you need to do to achieve your project goal

Estimate how much time each of those tasks will take (bearing in mind that certain tasks will need to be completed before others can be started)

Use all of that information to schedule the “critical path” you’ll need to take in order to get the project done as quickly as possible without missing any crucial steps.

The longest sequence of critical tasks becomes your critical path, and will define the timeframe for your project.

Along the path, you’ll have  milestones  to meet that will signal when one set of tasks (or phase) is over and you can move on to the next one.

There are lots of ways to visualize the critical path, depending on the complexity of your project, from flow graphs to Gantt charts .

Your project is large-scale and complex.

Your project has a lot of dependencies.

You’re looking for a visual way to map out the sequence of tasks.

You need to identify which tasks are the most important so you can better allocate your resources.

You have a strict plan and deadlines, with no room for silly business.

You love algorithms. Love ‘em!

You don’t need something with a lot of complexity.

You’re unsure about deadlines, timings, or durations.

Your project needs wiggle room to change.

10. Critical chain project management

Critical chain project management (or CCPM) takes the critical path method (CPM) one step further.

While the critical path method defines the length of time needed to get each critical activity done from the beginning of the project to the end, it can often be, well, unrealistic when the time comes to actually put it into practice.

Critical chain project management addresses those issues by allowing a bit more time for the human elements of your project — like delays and resourcing issues.

In critical chain project management, you have a few buffers built in that your critical chain can use without derailing everything else, so that your entire project doesn’t have to go off track just because life happens.

You like the sound of the critical path method, but you want something a little more realistic.

You were already overestimating task durations in CPM to allow for a buffer and you want more accurate data on how long the work is actually taking compared to your projections.

You think buffers are just a safety net for people who didn’t plan it right the first time.

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

11. New product introduction (NPI)

New product introduction is a great project management methodology for when you want to, well, introduce a new product.

Also known as new product development (NPD), the new product introduction process covers everything you need to define, develop and launch a new (or improved) product.

The project follows a single product through the entire development process. This process involves multiple phases or a stage-gate process, which can vary from organization to organization, but usually include things like:

Defining the product spec and project scope

Evaluating the feasibility

Developing the prototype

Validating the prototype via testing and analysis

Manufacturing the product on a larger scale

Evaluating the product’s success in the market after launch

As the requirements for a successful new product introduction span a number of departments across an organization, from leadership to product managers to marketing and more, it requires a lot of cross-functional collaboration and communication.

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You’re bringing a new or improved product to market.

You’re focusing on a single product.

You want to foster key stakeholder and cross-functional alignment right from the beginning.

You’re not bringing a new or improved product to market.

You’re looking for a more agile approach to product development (as NPI is usually sequential rather than iterative).

12. Package enabled reengineering (PER)

Package enabled reengineering (PER) is a project management methodology that aims to help organizations redesign products or processes with fresh eyes. It focuses on facilitating business transformations quickly and strategically, whether through redesign of processes or realignment of people.

Your organization needs an overhaul.

You need a fresh perspective on your products or processes.

You’re not trying to improve an existing system.

13. Outcome mapping

Outcome mapping is a project progress measurement system that was designed by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). It differs from the other project management methodologies on this list in that it doesn’t focus on measurable deliverables; instead, it focuses on creating lasting behavioural change.

It’s a common project management methodology used in charitable projects in developing countries. As a project management methodology, it’s less about the project itself than the long-term impact of the project and its ability to effect change in the community. As a result, it measures influence rather than other (perhaps more “typical”) measures of project progress.

Outcome mapping consists of a lengthy design phase followed by a record-keeping phase to track the results.

Your project is aimed at changing behaviour rather than producing deliverables.

Your project is related to change and social transformation (e.g. in the fields of international development, charity, communications, research).

Your project is all about finished products rather than behavioural outcomes.

14. Six Sigma

"Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. If you can't measure something, you can't understand it. If you can't understand it, you can't control it. If you can't control it, you can't improve it." ~ H. James Harrington, author and management mentor

Six Sigma is a method for improving processes with an emphasis on ensuring consistency in output and impeccable quality. (And if it’s  good enough for Jack Donaghy… )

There are a few different flavors available, such as Lean Six Sigma and Agile Sigma, but ultimately Six Sigma is a business methodology that aims to eliminate defects and reduce variation by using its defined methodologies.

Six Sigma methods can be used to optimize and improve existing processes or create new ones.

To improve business processes, you can use the Six Sigma DMAIC process, which stands for the phases in the project methodology:  D efine,  M easure,  A nalyze,  I mprove,  C ontrol.

To create new processes or products, you can use the Six Sigma DMADV process:  D efine,  M easure,  A nalyze,  D esign,  V erify.

As a set of principles and techniques (sometimes it’s even described as a “philosophy”) rather than a project management methodology in itself, Six Sigma methods can be applied alongside many other project management methodologies, like Lean and Agile.

You’re looking for a set of principles and philosophies you can bring with you to almost every project and organization.

You don’t have a lot of budget to invest in training — it can be expensive to get trained and certified.

You’re looking for a defined process for a particular project rather than a set of guiding rules.

15. PMI’s PMBOK

The Project Management Institute’s Project Management Book of Knowledge (AKA the PMI’s PMBOK) isn’t a project management methodology in and of itself. However, it is a best practices guide — and it forms the basis of the PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, one of the leading project management qualifications.

As such, the PMBOK is an industry-standard set of guiding principles that you can use to ensure that your projects across multiple types of teams and organizations meet the PMI’s high standards and comply with best practices.

You have (or want to get) a PMP.

You want to stay up-to-date with industry standards and best practices.

You live and work in a place where the PMP is the standard project management qualification (such as the US).

You need a solid project management methodology to map your project, rather than general (albeit helpful) project management knowledge.

16. PRINCE2 methodology

PRINCE2 ( PR ojects  IN   C ontrolled  E nvironments) is a project management methodology and certification that aims to equip project managers with knowledge of best practices and processes.

Unlike the PMP certification, it doesn’t require a number of prerequisites, making it a good choice for project managers looking to get both a methodological grounding and a qualification.

Also unlike the PMP, PRINCE2 is a methodology in itself. It’s guided by seven principles, which in turn dictate the seven processes a project manager needs to use in each project when using PRINCE2.

You’re looking for a certification to give you an edge.

You live and work in a place where PRINCE2 is the standard project management qualification (such as the UK).

You don’t want to commit to full certification.

The seven-step process doesn’t map to your projects.

You find yourself tailoring (or outright ignoring) the process stages so much that it becomes PINO — “PRINCE in name only”.

17. Rapid application development (RAD) methodology

Rapid application development (RAD) is a type of agile project management methodology that aims to facilitate faster software development .

It uses rapid prototype releases and iterations to gather feedback in a short period of time, and values that user feedback over strict planning and requirements recording.

You want to be able to give customers/clients/stakeholders a working model much sooner (even if it’s not perfect).

You want to create multiple prototypes and work with stakeholders to choose the best one.

Speed is of the essence.

You want to encourage code reuse.

You don’t have an experienced team.

Your clients or stakeholders don’t have the time to commit to such a collaborative process or can’t give feedback within the necessary timeframes.

You have a large team.

You prefer to have a detailed spec that outlines all functional and non-functional requirements.

The right project management methodology can elevate your project and help the project manager to get the best out of each team.

Whether you prefer the agile methods favored in IT project management or the more traditional waterfall project management and critical path methodology used in construction and manufacturing, there’s a project management methodology for every team.

But no matter which methodology you go for, you need a collaborative, flexible, and easy-to-use project management tool to support you every step of the way.

Choosing a team management software that supports multiple methodologies — i.e. that doesn’t lock you into one methodology or way of using it — like Teamwork.com means that every team in your organization has the freedom to work the way that works for them without sacrificing on features or complexity.

No matter how you like to work, Teamwork.com helps your team to replicate their best practices, ensure compliance and consistency, and constantly improve their processes.

What project management methodology allows some of the phases and tasks to overlap?

The project management methodology that allows some of the phases and tasks to overlap is known as "Agile" or "Agile Project Management." Agile is a flexible and iterative approach to project management that tends to be divided into "Sprints", which are time-boxed periods of work. Within each Sprint, cross-functional teams work on various tasks and features, allowing for a degree of overlap between different project phases.

What project management methodology requires the team to complete the previous phase before the next phase starts?

The project management methodology that typically requires the team to complete the previous phase before the next phase starts is the "Waterfall" methodology. Waterfall is a traditional, linear, and sequential approach to project management. In a Waterfall project, each phase must be completed in its entirety before the next phase can begin.

Why do project managers use project management methodologies?

Project managers use project management methodologies to bring structure and organization to their projects, ensuring consistency, risk management, resource allocation, and quality assurance. These methodologies promote effective communication, change management, and scope control, leading to increased efficiency, client and stakeholder satisfaction, and overall project success. They also foster a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability, allowing project managers to navigate changing requirements and uncertainties effectively.

How many project management methodologies are there?

There are numerous project management methodologies, with dozens of well-known approaches like Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, PRINCE2, Kanban, Lean, and Six Sigma, among others. Custom methodologies are also created by organizations to meet specific needs.

What is the difference between agile and scrum?

Agile is a broader project management philosophy that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer feedback, while Scrum is a specific Agile framework. Scrum introduces roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner, Development Team), fixed-time sprints, and defined ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Daily Standup, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective) to guide project teams. It also includes key artifacts like the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment.

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Chapter 3: Project management methodologies

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There are many project management methodologies and frameworks out there, designed to assist with different types of projects. But how do you know which one is best for your efforts? 

In this section, we’ll walk through the most popular PM methodologies, and share advice for how to choose the best method to fit your needs.

Waterfall or traditional project management

Waterfall or traditional project management is based on a defined set of tasks that are completed sequentially to produce a final deliverable. This method of PM is simple and predictable, but not very flexible. 

Waterfall project management is ideal for projects with a single, large deliverable, like a building. While it’s less useful for projects that require a lot of flexibility, are subject to change, or require multiple, dependent tasks to be completed in tandem, like software development. 

The main benefits of Waterfall are tight planning and organization, and a high degree of control over each project task and the greater project schedule. That said, using Waterfall can make it difficult to adapt to unexpected events or changes to project scope, which can result in added time, resources, and cost.

Teams often use a Gantt chart , a visual timeline tool that maps out project tasks in succession, in Waterfall-managed projects. Learn more about Gantt charts in Chapter 9 .

To learn more about the phases and pros and cons of Waterfall, visit our in-depth guide to creating and using a Waterfall chart .

The Agile family

The Agile family is a category of project management methodologies that prioritizes flexibility and continuous improvement over rigid, sequential processes. There are many popular methodologies within Agile, and we’ve dug into each below.

Agile project management

In Agile project management , teams complete smaller, incremental tasks, and then continually review, refine, and iterate based on feedback and demands of the end users.

Agile project management was formalized in 2001 by a group of software developers intent on finding a more collaborative, flexible method to complete projects. The group documented their ideas in the Manifesto for Agile Development , which lays out the following four values:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

Agile PM prioritizes a collaborative relationship between the end user and the project team. The customer sets the project objectives, but the deliverables are subject to change as the team incrementally executes each project task. In Agile, each development feature is called a user story , which reflects how the end user will interact with it. 

Agile project management was initially intended for software development, but is now commonly used across a variety of industries and types of projects. Learn more about the Agile process and how to implement it by reading our comprehensive guide to Agile PM . 

Pros and cons of Agile project management

Agile is a good fit for projects that require a high degree of flexibility and are likely to shift as the project progresses. The top benefits of Agile include the following:

• Less upfront planning
• Increased open communication
• Continual feedback
• Flexible objectives 

When used effectively, Agile also often leads to speedier delivery.

However, there are some tradeoffs to this flexible approach: 

• Lack of concrete delivery date, which can lead to scope creep 
• A high degree of dedication and flexibility from the project team

Is Agile right for you?

Remember, Agile isn’t for everyone. The methodology is likely not right for your team if any of the following apply to you:

• Your project is not very urgent.
• Your client’s expectations don’t support Agile (e.g., they want to give final approval at every stage of the project, or incremental delivery isn’t appropriate for the project specs). 
• You or your client’s organization requires detailed documentation at every stage.
• Your current processes are not set up for a more flexible approach.
• Your team or organization doesn’t currently use Agile, and implementing it would be too costly or time consuming.

In the following sections, we’ll go over other methodologies that fall within the Agile family.

Additional Resources

The ultimate agile dictionary, free agile project management templates, best practices for agile project planning.

Scrum , the most popular Agile methodology, involves smaller teams that complete tasks in short, time-bound periods, called sprints , in order to incrementally work through pieces of a larger project or release.

Scrum typically leads to greater responsiveness in customer relationships, lower costs of development, increased job satisfaction, and more immediate returns. Scrum is a fluid practice that takes many moving parts, teams, and goals into consideration as the project progresses. 

Scrum teams also engage in four regular meetings, or ceremonies , which provide structure to each sprint: 

• Sprint planning: At this meeting, the product is presented and everyone on the Scrum team voices any concerns and feedback. The team designates priorities and estimates the timeline.
• Daily stand-up: The Scrum team meets daily during the sprint to debrief with the team, establish a daily plan, and voice any concerns so the team can address them together.
• Sprint review: Held at the end of each sprint, this meeting is a review of the working product and gives stakeholders transparency into what the team accomplished during the sprint.
• Sprint retrospective: The sprint retrospective is a meeting that occurs after each sprint to discuss team performance and establish ways to improve future efforts.

Each Scrum team has designated members who own specific pieces of the process. These roles include the following:

• Product owner: Possesses a thorough understanding of the product’s business value and serves as the middleman who communicates the stakeholder needs to the development team and writes and prioritizes user stories.
• Development team: Performs the technical development of the product and is responsible for the analysis, design, code writing, testing, and technical communication based on the user stories provided by the product owner.
• Scrum Master: Assists in the progress of the Scrum team by working hand-in-hand with the product owner and the development team to streamline work and eliminate distractions. 

As with Agile, Scrum is popular in software development, but it can also be deployed successfully across marketing, design, and other creative projects. Learn more by reading our guide to implementing Scrum with the right tools .

Kanban is an Agile framework that prioritizes continuous improvement , an ongoing effort to improve a product or service incrementally. Kanban teams complete work items based on team capacity and manage resources using a visual kanban board that shows task status.

Kanban originated in Japan in the 1940s. Based on what he had seen in supermarkets, Toyota engineer Taiichi Ohno implemented a supply-and-demand method on the factory floor, which greatly improved the company’s inventory management. 

Teams at Toyota created a visual cue (a kanban, which translates to “visual sign” or “card”) to communicate that they were ready to “pull,” or take on, more tasks or materials to complete their work. This approach enabled workers to only take on new tasks when they had capacity for them, which reduced excess work in progress (WIP) . This style of work is now known as the just-in-time (JIT) approach.

How to use a kanban board

The Kanban methodology centers on the kanban board, which is either a physical or digital “board” that includes three columns (or lanes ): to-do, doing, and done. Team members move cards, representing individual tasks, to different columns as a way to track task status. This provides a quick view of how items are progressing and ensures teams have adequate capacity to take on new work.

In recent years, teams have moved to online, digital kanban boards, which helps distributed teams collaborate on projects and gain real-time visibility into the work getting done. You can learn more about setting up a Kanban board with our guide . 

Pros and cons of Kanban

Overall, Kanban is great for teams that have many incoming requests, short work cycles, and flexibility with resources and scheduling. However, Kanban can be difficult for teams that work on many interconnected, dependent tasks, or have tight deadlines to adhere to. 

To learn more about implementing kanban from the ground up, read our complete guide for newbies .

Critical path method

Critical path method (CPM) is a technique for estimating the total duration of a project by identifying the order in which you must complete all project tasks, and then mapping out your sequenced tasks, called dependencies .

CPM follows the basic steps below:

• Identify all project tasks.
• Identify dependencies among tasks.
• Estimate the duration of each task. 
• Add up the durations to calculate the total duration of your project. 
• Update the critical path as the project progresses to compare estimated vs. actual timelines.

CPM helps teams reduce project timelines by identifying and scheduling the most important tasks and then scheduling other tasks to happen in parallel. CPM also helps with project planning, as you can easily reference estimated vs. actual project schedules and more accurately estimate how long each task will take on future projects.

Learn more about the steps and advantages of the method with our beginner’s guide to the CPM .

The change management methodologies

Change management is an umbrella term for techniques that help individuals, teams, and organizations implement new processes or achieve organizational change. In this section, we’ll cover event chain and extreme project management. 

To learn more, visit our essential guide to change management , or find free change management templates .

Event Chain methodology

In event chain methodology , you identify tasks (events) and their relationships (event chains) in order to properly allocate resources and assess and reduce project risk. 

The goal of event chain is to estimate the amount of time and resources you need to complete a project. This method follows some of the same steps as the critical path method — you also break down activities into smaller tasks and outline their dependencies and durations. But, in event chain, you do so to create a realistic timeline and budget, rather than to simply better manage the tasks (and task order).

Event chain can also serve as a modeling technique to create more conservative scheduling estimates, which ultimately improves performance by building in time to address unforeseen risks.

This methodology is often used in change management efforts to eliminate the need to overhaul projects, which can be extremely time consuming and resource-heavy.

Extreme project management

Extreme project management (XP or XPM) is used to manage a massive amount of change in a short period of time. XPM is ideal for fast-paced, complex projects that can handle a trial-and-error approach to successfully pull off the effort.

Think of XPM as the opposite of Waterfall methodology. As opposed to valuing a linear, planned project development process, XPM allows you to change your project plan, budget, and the final deliverable as requirements shift. In XPM, the onus is on the project team to self-correct and shift as necessary. 

Extreme project management works well for projects with a high-degree of uncertainty, but is less useful for projects with a clear-cut timeline, budget, and scope.

The process-based methodologies

Process-based methodologies approach work as a collection of processes, rather than a strict methodology that you apply to a single project. These approaches are sometimes used as part of a larger business process management (BPM) strategy.

Lean is an approach aimed at maximizing value while minimizing waste. When deployed properly, Lean helps to identify and eliminate bottlenecks, delays, and other inefficiencies in order to deliver value faster.

Lean originated in manufacturing in the 1950s, but it has evolved over time and is used today across industries. As laid out in the book Lean Thinking , Lean involves the following five core principles and activities:

• Define value: Identify the value of each product or service in the eyes of the customer. 
• Map the value stream: Map out the process (aka value stream ) and identify areas of waste, in terms of  resources, time, or redundancy.
• Create flow: Create a flow plan that eliminates the waste you identified. 
• Employ a pull system: Progress through the plan only as the customer has new needs. Doing so will prevent you from taking on too much at once, or creating a bottleneck at any stage of the process. 
• Pursue perfection: Using the idea of continuous improvement, aim to eliminate as much waste as possible from your process. 

Visit our comprehensive guide to Lean project management to learn more about different types of Lean methodologies and the best tools for implementing Lean.

Six Sigma is a process improvement methodology that aims to improve quality across projects. Six Sigma takes a statistical approach to measuring and eliminating bugs or defects in project deliverables and raising quality standards.

The basic steps in Six Sigma include finding defects, identifying and eliminating their cause(s), and optimizing processes to increase reliability and accuracy going forward. 

Building off the Lean principle of pursuing perfection, Six Sigma aims to eliminate all opportunities for defects by using data-driven improvement cycles to achieve its goal. 

There are two main Six Sigma methodologies:

• DMAIC: This stands for define , measure, analyze, improve, control , and is intended to help you improve existing processes.
• DMADV: This stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, verify, and is best for when creating new processes or products.

There is no single, formal certification body for Six Sigma, but many organizations offer training so teams can learn to implement the practice in their organization. Read our article on Six Sigma belts and certifications to learn more. 

Six Sigma works well for teams who are interested in implementing data-driven ways to reduce defects and optimize business processes, but is less ideal for those looking for a strict set of steps to follow.

Read our in-depth guide to all things Six Sigma to learn more.

Lean Six Sigma

Lean Six Sigma is a hybrid approach to process improvement that combines the Lean principle of no waste and the Six Sigma principle of no defects to improve quality across processes, projects, and products.

Lean Six Sigma offers the following benefits:

• Increased cost savings due to fewer bugs or defects
• Improved quality
• Time savings due to fewer process issues
• Improved data-driven decision making
• Continuous process improvement throughout the organization

While Lean Six Sigma originated in manufacturing, a variety of industries can deploy it to reap benefits. The most common use cases include healthcare, construction, design, and government.

All About Lean Six Sigma

Free lean six sigma templates, other project management methodologies.

Below, you’ll find details on a few more project management methodologies that are gaining traction in the modern PM world.

PRINCE2 , or Projects in Controlled Environments , is a project management methodology that focuses on defining and delivering work against precise requirements. As opposed to Agile PM, PRINCE2 emphasizes intense planning and documentation of work items.

PRINCE2 is a hybrid methodology initially used for information technology (IT) projects to help reduce cost and time overruns. Now, it’s deployed across many different industries. 

This approach works well for projects with a clearly defined goal. However, if you need more flexibility, or don’t have time to properly plan and document work, Agile methods might be a better option.

PRiSM , or Projects Integrating Sustainable Methods , is a modern project management methodology that values sustainability over all else. The goal of PRiSM projects is to reduce the environmental impact of a project and drive meaningful social impact.

The PRiSM model is based on the following six principles: 

• Commitment and accountability 
• Ethical decision making 
• Integration and transparency 
• Principal and values-based deployments 
• Social and ecological equity 
• Economic prosperity

Implementing PRiSM is a long term mindset shift that puts sustainability and equity at the center of all processes and projects and aims to maximize value for all involved.

Why you should choose a PM methodology for your organization

Choosing an organization-wide project management method ensures teams have a consistent guideline for how to manage each aspect of their projects, like resources, budget, communication, timeline, and more.

Of course, some teams and projects require different levels of planning, flexibility, and documentation. And, it can be overwhelming to choose one “perfect” approach when there are so many options out there.

But, by assessing the types of projects that you typically take on — as well as your existing processes — you can identify the most effective methodology for you.

In some cases, organizations may select multiple project management types to meet the requirements of different projects and teams.

How to choose the best PM methodology for you

To identify the right project management methodology, first consider the details of your project. Then, assess your existing systems and processes. Look at both what you need as well as what you already have in place to select the best method.

Ask yourself the following questions to evaluate your project needs:

Project basics

• What is the project’s focus?
• What industry are you in?
• How complex is the project?
• Is the project scalable?  

Flexibility

• How flexible are your timeline, budget, and deliverables?
• How much planning do you need to do beforehand?
• What is your allotted budget, and how flexible is it?
• What resources do you have, and what additional resources do you need to obtain?
• How flexible is your timeline?
• Are there set start and end dates?
• Does your project have key milestones or a critical path?

Roles and responsibilities

• How many people or teams are working together on this project?
• How specialized is the work?
• What is the level of customer and stakeholder involvement?

After you’ve worked through the project-related questions, follow these steps to identify which methodology aligns best:

• Outline the main variables, like timeline, resources, and budget, that will drive the project.
• Consider how the methodology you choose will impact these variables, such as how a more flexible approach might affect a hard-and-fast deadline.
• Weigh the pros and cons of each methodology against the needs of your project. Think both about which will be the best fit and which will be least disruptive to your current processes.
• Collaborate with other team members to get input.
• Roll out the methodology to the team. This includes educating everyone on the new processes and setting up the necessary tools and documentation systems.
• Apply the methodology to the project and monitor it for success.

Here’s a simplified cheat sheet you can use to identify which methodology will work for your next project:

Discover a better way to streamline workflows and eliminate silos for good.

• Project Management Metrics
• Project Portfolio Management
• Proof of Concept Templates
• Punch List Templates
• Requirement Gathering Process
• Requirements Traceability Matrix
• Resource Scheduling
• Roles and Responsibilities Template
• Setting Sprint Goals
• Stakeholder Engagement Model
• Stakeholder Identification
• Stakeholder Mapping
• Stakeholder-theory
• Team Alignment Map
• Team Charter
• Templates for Managers
• What is Project Baseline
• Work Log Templates
• Workback Schedule
• Workload Management
• Assumption Mapping
• Work Breakdown Structures
• Agile Team Structure
• Avoding Scope Creep
• Cross-Functional Flowcharts
• Precision VS Accuracy
• Scrum-Spike
• User Story Guide
• Creating Project Charters
• Guide to Team Communication
• How to Prioritize Tasks
• Mastering RAID Logs
• Overcoming Analysis Paralysis
• Understanding RACI Model
• Achieving Big Hairy Audacious Goals
• Critical Success Factors
• Deadline Management
• Eisenhower Matrix Guide
• Guide to Multi Project Management
• Procure-to-Pay Best Practices
• Procurement Management Plan Template to Boost Project Success
• Project Execution and Change Management
• Project Management Success Factors
• Project Plan and Schedule Templates
• Resource Planning Templates for Smooth Project Execution
• Risk Management and Quality Management Plan Templates
• Risk Management in Software Engineering
• Setting and Achieving Stretch Goals
• Stage Gate Process
• Stakeholder Management Planning
• Understanding the S-Curve
• Visualizing Your To-Do List
• 30-60-90 Day Plan
• Work Plan Template
• Weekly Planner Template
• Task Analysis Examples
• Cross-Functional Flowcharts for Planning
• Inventory Management Tecniques
• Inventory Templates
• Six Sigma DMAIC Method
• Visual Process Improvement
• Value Stream Mapping
• Creating a Workflow
• Fibonacci Scale Template
• Supply Chain Diagram
• Kaizen Method
• Procurement Process Flow Chart
• Guide to State Diagrams
• UML Activity Diagrams
• Class Diagrams & their Relationships
• Visualize flowcharts for software
• Wire-Frame Benefits
• Applications of UML
• Selecting UML Diagrams
• Create Sequence Diagrams Online
• Activity Diagram Tool
• Archimate Tool
• Class Diagram Tool
• Graphic Organizers
• Social Work Assessment Tools
• Using KWL Charts to Boost Learning
• Editable Timeline Templates
• Kinship Diagram Guide
• Power of Visual Documentation
• Graphic Organizers for Teachers & Students
• Visual Documentation Techniques
• Visual Tool for Visual Documentation
• Concept Maps in Science
• Conducting a Thematic Analysis
• Visualizing a Dichotomous Key
• 5 W's Chart
• Circular Flow Diagram Maker
• Cladogram Maker
• Comic Strip Maker
• Course Design Template
• AI Buyer Persona
• AI Data Visualization
• AI Diagrams
• AI Project Management
• AI SWOT Analysis
• Best AI Templates
• Brainstorming AI
• Pros & Cons of AI
• AI for Business Strategy
• Using AI for Business Plan
• AI for HR Teams
• BPMN Symbols
• BPMN vs UML
• Business Process Analysis
• Business Process Modeling
• Capacity Planning Guide
• Case Management Process
• How to Avoid Bottlenecks in Processes
• Innovation Management Process
• Project vs Process
• Solve Customer Problems
• Spaghetti Diagram
• Startup Templates
• Streamline Purchase Order Process
• What is BPMN
• Approval Process
• Employee Exit Process
• Iterative Process
• Process Documentation
• Process Improvement Ideas
• Risk Assessment Process
• Tiger Teams
• Work Instruction Templates
• Workflow Vs. Process
• Process Mapping
• Business Process Reengineering
• Meddic Sales Process
• SIPOC Diagram
• What is Business Process Management
• Process Mapping Software
• Business Analysis Tool
• Business Capability Map
• Decision Making Tools and Techniques
• Operating Model Canvas
• Mobile App Planning
• Product Development Guide
• Product Roadmap
• Timeline Diagrams
• Visualize User Flow
• Sequence Diagrams
• Flowchart Maker
• Online Class Diagram Tool
• Organizational Chart Maker
• Mind Map Maker
• Retro Software
• Agile Project Charter
• Critical Path Software
• Brainstorming Guide
• Brainstorming Tools
• Concept Map Note Taking
• Visual Tools for Brainstorming
• Brainstorming Content Ideas
• Brainstorming in Business
• Brainstorming Questions
• Brainstorming Rules
• Brainstorming Techniques
• Brainstorming Workshop
• Design Thinking and Brainstorming
• Divergent vs Convergent Thinking
• Group Brainstorming Strategies
• Group Creativity
• How to Make Virtual Brainstorming Fun and Effective
• Ideation Techniques
• Improving Brainstorming
• Marketing Brainstorming
• Plot Diagrams
• Rapid Brainstorming
• Reverse Brainstorming Challenges
• Reverse vs. Traditional Brainstorming
• What Comes After Brainstorming
• Flowchart Guide
• Spider Diagram Guide
• 5 Whys Template
• Assumption Grid Template
• Brainstorming Templates
• Brainwriting Template
• Innovation Techniques
• 50 Business Diagrams
• Business Model Canvas
• Change Control Process
• Change Management Process
• Macro Environmental Analysis
• NOISE Analysis
• Profit & Loss Templates
• Scenario Planning
• What are Tree Diagrams
• Winning Brand Strategy
• Work Management Systems
• Balanced Scorecard
• Developing Action Plans
• Guide to setting OKRS
• How to Write a Memo
• Improve Productivity & Efficiency
• Mastering Task Analysis
• Mastering Task Batching
• Monthly Budget Templates
• Program Planning
• Top Down Vs. Bottom Up
• Weekly Schedule Templates
• Cash Cow Matrix
• Kaizen Principles
• Opportunity Mapping
• Strategic-Goals
• Strategy Mapping
• Strategy vs Tactics
• T Chart Guide
• Business Continuity Plan
• Developing Your MVP
• Incident Management
• Needs Assessment Process
• Product Development From Ideation to Launch
• Value-Proposition-Canvas
• Visualizing Competitive Landscape
• Communication Plan
• Graphic Organizer Creator
• Fault Tree Software
• Bowman's Strategy Clock Template
• Decision Matrix Template
• Communities of Practice
• Goal Setting for 2024
• Meeting Templates
• Meetings Participation
• Microsoft Teams Brainstorming
• Retrospective Guide
• Skip Level Meetings
• Visual Documentation Guide
• Visual Note Taking
• Weekly Meetings
• Affinity Diagrams
• Business Plan Presentation
• Post-Mortem Meetings
• Team Building Activities
• WBS Templates
• Online Whiteboard Tool
• Communications Plan Template
• Idea Board Online
• Meeting Minutes Template
• Genograms in Social Work Practice
• Conceptual Framework
• How to Conduct a Genogram Interview
• How to Make a Genogram
• Genogram Questions
• Genograms in Client Counseling
• Understanding Ecomaps
• Visual Research Data Analysis Methods
• House of Quality Template
• Customer Problem Statement Template
• Competitive Analysis Template
• Creating Operations Manual
• Knowledge Base
• Folder Structure Diagram
• Online Checklist Maker
• Lean Canvas Template
• Instructional Design Examples
• Genogram Maker
• Work From Home Guide
• Strategic Planning
• Employee Engagement Action Plan
• Huddle Board
• One-on-One Meeting Template
• Story Map Graphic Organizers
• Introduction to Your Workspace
• Managing Workspaces and Folders
• Adding Text
• Collaborative Content Management
• Creating and Editing Tables
• Adding Notes
• Introduction to Diagramming
• Using Shapes
• Using Freehand Tool
• Adding Images to the Canvas
• Accessing the Contextual Toolbar
• Using Connectors
• Working with Tables
• Working with Templates
• Working with Frames
• Using Notes
• Access Controls
• Exporting a Workspace
• Real-Time Collaboration
• Notifications
• Using Creately VIZ
• Meet Creately VIZ
• Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Brainstorming
• Uncovering the potential of Retros for all teams
• Collaborative Apps in Microsoft Teams
• Hiring a Great Fit for Your Team
• Project Management Made Easy
• Cross-Corporate Information Radiators
• Creately 4.0 - Product Walkthrough
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Project Management Methodologies and Frameworks Every Project Manager Should Know

You might find yourself drowning in information, tools, and processes as a project manager. To stay afloat and thrive, you must choose the right project management methodologies and frameworks that suit your team and project needs.

Many different project management methodologies are available and deciding which one is right for you can be challenging. This article provides an overview of the most popular frameworks to get you started.

What is a Project Management Methodology?

A project management methodology is a set of principles, processes, guidelines, and tools that help to plan, manage, and control a project. The methodology helps to ensure that a project is on schedule, within budget, and that the project goals are met.

A project team or an organization uses a management framework to execute a project. The information generated is usually documented and shared with others. Recording the information is essential as it will help others understand the project requirements and responsibilities.

While most project management methodologies take a standardized approach, some are for specific purposes, i.e., manufacturing or software development.

Project Management Framework vs. Methodology

The terms framework and methodology are often used interchangeably in project management. However, there is a slight yet distinguishable difference between the two approaches.

A framework provides more flexibility and freedom. You can adopt new rules and change or remove existing ones as necessary. As such, a framework provides the structure and direction needed for a project without being too rigid or detailed.

On the other hand, a methodology is a set of principles and processes that guides the management of a project. It is a formal approach that is strictly defined and generally adheres to a strict code complete with steps and rules.

Another way to understand the two approaches is that most of the time, methodologies are for implementing ideas and values, while a framework provides a step-by-step guide to attain that idea or manage that project.

Project Life Cycle Processes

A project management framework includes the whole project management life cycle, which will guide you from the beginning to the end. In a project management life cycle , there are five steps:

• Initiation : The beginning stage of the project, where the main focus is to narrow down the required key components to kickstart the project. Teams get together to research, brainstorm and conduct analysis and stakeholder mapping/interviews to gather information.
• Planning : Here, the teams and members working on the project are identified along with activities, milestones, risks, management structure, and success benchmarks.
• Execution : During this stage, the project kickstarts and is implemented.
• Management/Monitoring : At each milestone, the progress will be monitored, documented, and reported. Key progress and outputs will be shared with stakeholders as well.
• Review/Closing : This stage marks the end of the project. Project leaders and team members will review and analyze how the project progressed and setbacks to identify future improvements. Updates or replacements will be scheduled if necessary before wrapping up.

5 Key Project Management Methodologies and Frameworks

1. waterfall framework.

The Waterfall Framework is a linear approach that first gathers stakeholder and customer requirements before creating a sequential project plan to address the identified requirements. Consisting of five main stages, each stage is completed before progressing to the next–similar to a cascading waterfall.

The main stages of the waterfall framework are:

• Requirements : needs and requirements of the business/project are identified, analyzed, and documented.
• Design : possible solutions are explored before a detailed plan is made to achieve the goals.
• Implementation : the project plan and activities are set in motion along with progress measurements.
• Verification/Control : the product is reviewed, and the project plan is compared with the performance to address issues.
• Maintenance/Closure : the end result is shared with clients for feedback and final fixes. Approval is obtained before the project is closed.
• As project and client requirements are identified and agreed in the very first stage, it sets clear client expectations that are easier to plan.
• Extensive documentation ensures that each activity and task is well documented and that no knowledge is lost.
• The project schedule is laid out at the beginning stages. As such, project costs, deadlines, and other resources can be estimated accurately.
• Easier to measure and understand as you progress through each milestone one after the other.

Disadvantages

• Identifying all client/customer requirements at the very beginning is difficult.
• Changes to the product at the end stages are costly and difficult if the customer is unsatisfied.
• Lack of flexibility due to the linear nature of the framework, which provides minimal room for change and adaptation in case of unexpected events.

2. Lean Methodology

Lean methodology originated in the 1950s in Toyota and currently focuses on eliminating waste, maximizing value, and improving efficiencies. Many organizations have opted to adopt the Lean Framework as it can be applied to any business, regardless of size, to achieve objectives in a sustainable manner.

The two main guiding concepts in Lean are respect for people and continuous improvement. Accordingly, necessary training and tools are provided, constant improvement is encouraged, and management takes on a more active role in understanding and meeting the needs of employees to initiate better work performance.

Besides the above two concepts, lean has five core principles that support the methodology:

• Value : customer defines the value of the product offered.
• Value stream : a clear and in-depth understanding of the product’s life cycle from research to development. Each step of the value chain is analyzed to identify waste areas and improvements.
• Flow : every process should be in sync with one another, and the value stream should flow seamlessly.
• Pull : ensures that products are made only when required, leading to shorter delivery cycles and increased flexibility.
• Perfection : always strive for perfection by uncovering quality or waste issues and applying strict measures to address inefficiencies.
• The quality of products is high due to the constant attention to value.
• Reduced costs and increased profits as Lean focuses on providing value and minimizing waste.
• Improved customer relations as the focus is to deliver what the customer requires.
• Regular communications among employees, stakeholders and management pave the way for better decision-making.
• Emphasis on constant improvement leads to continuous learning opportunities.
• Organizations may focus too much on Lean principles that they lose sight of the bigger picture leading to a lack of strategy.
• If there are bottlenecks or resource issues, delivery can be delayed leading to unsatisfied customers.

3. Agile Methodology

Agile is often used in the software industry, though it has spilled into others recently due to its adaptability. It is an iterative approach that promotes collaboration among team members, emphasizing adaptive planning and early delivery of functional products. In an Agile project, development work is carried out in short-term periods called sprints, and the management focuses on continuous improvement throughout the project’s life cycle.

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Popular frameowkrs such as Scrum and Kanban stem from Agile, which acts as an umbrella term that encompasses several different frameworks. To learn more about Scrum and Kanban, check out The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Scrum and How to Better Manage Your Projects with Kanban Boards .

The Agile Manifesto highlights four core principles that are the building blocks of any agile approach. They are:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan
• Agile promotes smaller teams, making it easier to keep up the pace and quickly adapt to necessary changes, leading to faster response times and ample flexibility.
• Faster turnaround times due to the ability to quickly detect and provide solutions to issues.
• Low wastage and costs as tasks are always up-to-date with constant feedback and follow-ups, allowing developers to experiment and test ideas.
• Agile is practiced by many and has a considerable following. Therefore, you can always reach out for help and share knowledge with others if you run into trouble.
• Difficult to measure the progress as it is estimated across several cycles, which may take time.
• Documentation is not given prominence, leading to misunderstandings and difficulty for newer members to be up-to-date.
• At times, there is no clear end date; therefore, the overall project may seem to go on forever. This can also lead to scope changes beyond what was initially agreed (scope creep).
• Due to the short cycle times, the design thinking process may be stinted, leading to a lack of cohesion and fragmentation.
• Teams may tend to avoid key features that may take too long to deliver.
• The need for constant communication can take a toll on team members who have to spend extra energy and time.

4. Critical Chain Project Management Framework

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) is a project management framework that helps the planning and managing of projects by monitoring the resources required to execute the project tasks. The framework helps project managers to deliver projects in a cost-effective and timely manner.

Buffers are safety margins that ensure all tasks are completed within schedule. CCPM identifies strategic points in the project and inserts buffers to ensure that project milestones are met on time, regardless of constraints or uncertainties. There are several types of buffers used in CCPM.

• Project buffers : this is positioned between the completion date of the project and the last task allowing team members to catch up on any outstanding tasks or delays.
• Feeding buffers : this is positioned between the non-critical chain and the critical chain to prevent delays.
• Resource buffers : resources that are kept aside in case of extra support in terms of resources are required.
• Team members tend to be more efficient and pace themselves rather than working more as the deadline approaches.
• Work is scheduled around resource availability, thereby optimizing resource utilization.
• The insertion of various buffers to address issues on time.
• The minimum time required to finish the project is taken into consideration.
• Major planning packages do not often support the framework.
• If the team does not understand the endpoint, many losses and setbacks could occur.

5. PRINCE2 Framework

PRINCE stands for “PRojects IN Controlled Environments” and is a process-based framework focused on organization and control. The framework started as PRINCE with a particular focus on the IT industry before expanding into others.

PRINCE2 details what each step of the project should look like, deliverables, roles, and responsibilities, and also structure each stage of the project with no loose ends at the point of completion.

• PRINCE2 is a good beginner framework to start project management as it has a defined process with clear steps.
• Due to the detailed and step-by-step guide provided, PRINCE2 is relatively easy to understand and follow. Furthermore, the ability to divide the project into manageable stages is helpful in managing the project.
• PRINCE2 is flexible in nature and can be easily adapted to suit different projects.
• Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, which improves accountability.
• Lessons learned can be tracked and updated for future reference and improvements.
• PRINCE2 is not ideal for projects in fast-changing environments (i.e., technology-driven) due to the extensive documentation required.
• Requires the buy-in of the senior management for success.
• Requires experience to be managed and delivered successfully.

Key Steps to Follow when Selecting a Methodology or Framework

1. assess the project in terms of size and scope.

Size and scope play a significant role when selecting a suitable project methodology or framework. Some projects may be small, requiring a team of no more than 3-4 people and a short period. In contrast, others would be large, with multiple teams working together for several years.

Larger projects with several cross-functional teams and extended time frames would benefit from adaptive project management frameworks such as agile. In comparison, smaller projects that are less complex would do well with methodologies such as waterfall.

2. Look into the available project management methodologies and frameworks

Once the project scope and size are determined, look into the available methodologies and frameworks. Compare notes, and weigh the pros and cons as to which one would suit your requirements the best while minimizing risks.

3. Obtaining the acceptance and buy-in of your team

Reach out to your team to see their reaction and input. Make sure you listen to their viewpoints and present your side accordingly to obtain their buy-in. Otherwise, conflicts and challenges may hinder the project’s smooth progress.

4. Confirm the selection

Before starting the project, re-confirm the feasibility of your selection by comparing and assessing the success rate of projects delivered using the same framework.

5. Obtain feedback and conduct self-assessments

As the project progresses, ask for feedback from your colleagues regarding the processes followed. Furthermore, make sure to conduct self-assessments to see if the methodology or framework is proceeding according to your expectations and whether it allows you to manage your team successfully.

Tools and Techniques for Project Management Methodologies and Frameworks

There are several tools and techniques relevant to project management methodologies and frameworks. While some specific tools and techniques are similar across multiple frameworks, there are some that may differ. Below are a few commonly used tools and techniques.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Work breakdown structures can be used to break down the larger deliverables of your project into manageable smaller tasks. This is a productivity technique that uses a step-by-step approach to project management.

Gantt Chart

Gantt charts are ideal for tracking tasks' start and end dates and milestones. It helps teams to plan their work and jobs to meet deadlines and allocate resources accordingly.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. For each project, the SWOT identifies the internal (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external (Opportunities and Threats) drivers affecting your ability to meet the goal. For example, suppose your organization is well known for its expertise in customer service. In that case, improving customer service will be a competitive advantage and a meaningful driver for meeting your goals.

RACI Matrix

RACI stands for responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed. RACI matrix is used to describe the roles and responsibilities of team members in a project.

Stakeholder Map

The stakeholder map is a tool to help you understand who your stakeholders are and their needs. Using this tool, you can map stakeholders according to their importance and potential impact on the project.

Decision Tree

A decision tree is used for effective decision-making and predicting potential outcomes when multiple courses of action exist. It allows the team to explore options and outcomes to understand the risks and rewards associated with each possible course of action.

Creately for Project Management

Creately has many tools to make your journey effortless and successful regardless of the type of project methodology or framework you decide to follow.

• Powerful documentation capabilities include doc blocks and attachments and image attachments to create reports and presentations.
• Built-in project management tools including Kanban boards, timelines, multi-role workflows, visual prioritization tools to enable any kind of workflow.
• Whiteboard and freehand drawing capabilities to brainstorm and discuss with colleagues and peers.
• Multiple templates and shapes to prepare project plans and schedules, Gantt charts, roadmaps, and other formats necessary for project management documentation and tracking.
• Multiple access and role levels to manage, share, edit and review, along with multiplayer editing capabilities to collaborate in real-time.
• Comment on anything, with context. Full comment threads and discussions for async collaboration.
• Data, note, and task panels to house information, assign roles and responsibilities, feed in information, and track the progress of activities.
• Integration with other platforms with 2-way syncing to manage data efficiently.
• Spotlight and presentation mode to conduct interactive and dynamic presentations right on the canvas.

Start your project management journey with Creately today!

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

More Related Articles

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

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• What is Agile methodology? (A beginner’ ...

What is Agile methodology? (A beginner’s guide)

Agile methodology is a project management framework that breaks projects down into several dynamic phases, commonly known as sprints. In this article, get a high-level overview of Agile project management, plus a few common frameworks to choose the right one for your team.

Scrum, Kanban, waterfall, Agile. 

Agile project management isn’t just useful for software project management—all types of teams have been successful with this dynamic methodology. If you’re looking to get started with Agile, you’ve come to the right place.

What is the Agile methodology?

Agile methodology is a project management framework that breaks projects down into several dynamic phases, commonly known as sprints. 

The Agile framework is an iterative methodology . After every sprint, teams reflect and look back to see if there was anything that could be improved so they can adjust their strategy for the next sprint.

What is the Agile Manifesto?

The Agile Manifesto is a document that focuses on four values and 12 principles for Agile software development. It was published in February 2001 by 17 software developers who needed an alternative to the more linear product development process .  

What are the 4 pillars of Agile?

As outlined in the Agile Manifesto, there are four main values of Agile project management:

Individuals over processes and tools: Agile teams value team collaboration and teamwork over working independently and doing things "by the book.”

Working software over comprehensive documentation: The software that Agile teams develop should work. Additional work, like documentation, is not as important as developing good software.

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation: Customers are extremely important within the Agile methodology. Agile teams allow customers to guide where the software should go. Therefore, customer collaboration is more important than the finer details of contract negotiation.

Responding to change over following a plan: One of the major benefits of Agile project management is that it allows teams to be flexible. This framework allows for teams to quickly shift strategies and workflows without derailing an entire project.

What are the 12 Agile principles?

The four values of Agile are the pillars of Agile methodology. From those values, the team developed 12 principles. 

If the four values of Agile are the weight-bearing pillars of a house, then these 12 principles are the rooms you can build within that house. These principles can be easily adapted to fit the needs of your team. 

The 12 principles used in Agile methodology are:

Satisfy customers through early, continuous improvement and delivery. When customers receive new updates regularly, they're more likely to see the changes they want within the product. This leads to happier, more satisfied customers—and more recurring revenue.

Welcome changing requirements, even late in the project. The Agile framework is all about adaptability. In iterative processes like Agile, being inflexible causes more harm than good. 

Deliver value frequently. Similar to principle #1, delivering value to your customers or stakeholders frequently makes it less likely for them to churn. 

Break the silos of your projects. Collaboration is key in the Agile framework. The goal is for people to break out of their own individual projects and collaborate together more frequently . 

Build projects around motivated individuals. Agile works best when teams are committed and actively working to achieve a goal. 

The most effective way to communicate is face-to-face. If you’re working on a distributed team, spend time communicating in ways that involve face-to-face communication like Zoom calls. 

Working software is the primary measure of progress. The most important thing that teams should strive for with the Agile framework is the product. The goal here is to prioritize functional software over everything else.

Maintain a sustainable working pace. Some aspects of Agile can be fast-paced, but it shouldn't be so fast that team members burn out . The goal is to maintain sustainability throughout the project.

Continuous excellence enhances agility . If the team develops excellent code in one sprint, they can continue to build off of it the next. Continually creating great work allows teams to move faster in the future. 

Simplicity is essential. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best solution. Agile aims to not overcomplicate things and find simple answers to complex problems. 

Self-organizing teams generate the most value. Similar to principle #5, proactive teams become valuable assets to the company as they strive to deliver value.

Regularly reflect and adjust your way of work to boost effectiveness . Retrospective meetings are a common Agile practice. It's a dedicated time for teams to look back and reflect on their performance and adapt their behaviors for the future.

What are the benefits of the Agile development methodology?

You commonly find Agile project management used in application development or other types of software development. This is because software is constantly changing, and the needs of the product have to change with it. 

Because of this, linear project management methods like the waterfall model are less effective. Here are a few other reasons why teams use Agile:

Agile methods are adaptable

There's a reason why they call it the Agile methodology. One of the main benefits of using Agile processes in software development is the ability to shift strategies quickly, without disrupting the flow of a project. 

Because phases in the traditional waterfall method flow into one another, shifting strategies is challenging and can disrupt the rest of the project roadmap . Since software development is a much more adaptable field, project managing rapid changes in the traditional sense can be challenging. This is part of the reason why Agile project management is favored in software development.

Agile fosters collaborative teamwork

One of the Agile principles states that the most effective way to communicate with your team is face-to-face. Combine this with the principle that encourages teams to break project silos and you have a recipe for collaborative teamwork. 

While technology has changed since Agile’s inception and work has shifted to welcome more remote-friendly policies, the idea of working face-to-face still hasn't changed.

Agile methods focus on customer needs

One of the unique aspects of software development is that teams can focus on customer needs much more closely than other industries. With the rise of cloud-based software, teams can get feedback from their actual customers quickly. 

Since customer satisfaction is a key driver for software development, it’s easy to see why it was included in the Agile process. By collaborating with customers, Agile teams can prioritize features that focus on customer needs. When those needs change, teams can take an Agile approach and shift to a different project. 

Agile methodologies

The Agile framework is an umbrella for several different variations. Here are a few of the most common Agile methodologies. 

Kanban is a visual approach to Agile. Teams use online Kanban board tools to represent where certain tasks are in the development process. Tasks are represented by cards on a board, and stages are represented in columns. As team members work on tasks, they move cards from the backlog column to the column that represents the stage the task is in.

This method is a good way for teams to identify roadblocks and to visualize the amount of work that’s getting done. 

Scrum is a common Agile methodology for small teams and also involves sprints. The team is led by a Scrum master whose main job is to clear all obstacles for others executing the day-to-day work. 

Scrum teams meet daily to discuss active tasks, roadblocks, and anything else that may affect the development team.  

Sprint planning: This event kicks off the sprint. Sprint planning outlines what can be delivered in a sprint (and how).

Sprint retrospective : This recurring meeting acts as a sprint review—to iterate on learnings from a previous sprint that will improve and streamline the next one. 

Extreme Programming (XP)

Typically used in software development, Extreme Programming (XP) is an Agile framework that outlines values that will allow your team to work together more effectively.  

The five values of XP include:

Communication

Similar to daily Scrum standups, there are regular releases and iterations, yet XP is much more technical in its approach. If your dev team needs to quickly release and respond to customer requests, XP focuses on the “how” it will get done. 

Adaptive Project Framework (APF)

The Adaptive Project Framework, also known as Adaptive Project Management (APM) grew from the idea that unknown factors can show up at any time during a project. This technique is mainly used for IT projects where more traditional project management techniques don’t apply.

This framework is based on the idea that project resources can change at any time. For example, budgets can change, timelines can shift, or team members working on the project may transition to different teams. APF focuses on the resources that a project has, as opposed to the resources a project needs. 

Extreme Project Management (XPM)

This type of project management is often used for very complex projects with a high level of uncertainty. This approach involves constantly adapting processes until they lead to the desired result. This type of project involves many spontaneous changes and it’s normal for teams to switch strategies from one week to the next. 

XPM requires a lot of flexibility. This is one of the reasons why each sprint is short—only a few weeks maximum. This methodology allows for frequent changes, trial-and-error approaches to problems, and many iterations of self-correction.

Adaptive Software Development (ASD)

This Agile methodology enables teams to quickly adapt to changing requirements. The main focus of this process is continuous adaptation. The phases of this project type —speculate, collaborate, and learn—allow for continuous learning as the project progresses. 

It’s not uncommon for teams running ASD to be in all three phases of ASD at once. Because of its non-linear structure, it’s common for the phases to overlap. Because of the fluidity of this type of management, there’s a higher likelihood that the constant repetition of the three phases helps team members identify and solve problems much quicker than standard project management methods.

Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM)

The Dynamic Systems Development Method is an Agile method that focuses on a full project lifecycle. Because of this, DSDM has a more rigorous structure and foundation, unlike other Agile methods. 

There are four main phases of DSDM:

Feasibility and business study

Functional mode or prototype iteration

Design and build iteration

Implementation

Feature Driven Development (FDD)

Feature Driven Development blends different Agile best practices. While still an iterative method of project management, this model focuses more on the exact features of a software that the team is working to develop. Feature-driven development relies heavily on customer input, as the features the team prioritizes are the features that the customers need. 

This model also allows teams to update projects frequently. If there is an error, it's quick to cycle through and implement a fix as the phases of this framework are constantly moving. 

Organize Agile processes with Asana

You’ll often hear software development teams refer to the Agile process—but any team can run Agile. If you’re looking for a more flexible project management framework, try Agile. 

Related resources

Burndown chart: What it is and how to use it (with example)

What are story points? Six easy steps to estimate work in Agile

Smooth product launches are simpler than you think

How Asana uses work management to streamline project intake processes

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The Complete Guide to Project Management

Get more projects across the finish line (with less stress)

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What is project management? Project management is the coordination of your processes, tools, team members, and skills so you can deliver projects that exceed your goals.

You and your team are getting ready to conquer a major project. It’s like a long stack of dominoes — it’s so cool when it works, but a big ol’ disappointment if a single piece is even slightly out of place. 

These types of projects can be both daunting and exciting, and you might be tempted to start as soon as possible. Do you cross your fingers that everything magically falls into place? Rub a lamp and hope a wish-granting genie arrives to lend a helping hand? 

Those would be nice (and let us know if you find a way to make them work!). But, in reality, the secret to success for your big, hairy projects is effective project management.

What is project management, and why is it important?

Project management is the practice of coordinating processes, tools, team members, and skills to deliver projects that meet goals and satisfy requirements.

It empowers your team to complete projects by rallying them around clear objectives, increasing transparency and visibility, streamlining communication, and establishing the project scope. Need more convincing? Consider that  Project overruns are frighteningly common. In the IT industry alone, McKinsey found that on average, large IT projects run 45% over budget and 7% over time. 

Project management methodologies

Have you heard that old adage “more than one way to cook an egg”? There’s no one strategy for completing a kick-ass project. That’s where a project management methodology comes into play. It’s a set of rules, principles, and processes for managing a project.

Methodologies might sound formal, but you have some room to innovate here! It’s important to note that many teams and companies use a combination, rather than relying exclusively on one. Regardless of which approach you choose, it should help promote a strong culture of transparency .

1. Waterfall project management

When you think of traditional, sequential project management, you’re picturing waterfall project management . With this method, you break your project into different phases. When one phase ends, the next one begins — there’s no overlap between them. 

When to use : For long projects that require a single timeline and a sequential order.

Commonly used in : Construction. Building a house or structure requires a successive order. You can’t put on a roof before you’ve poured a foundation, for example. 

2. Agile project management

Agile project management is an iterative approach and is much more flexible than waterfall project management. It's a DevOps best practice that breaks projects into chunks that are tackled in short bursts (called sprints). After each sprint, your team reevaluates the work you’re doing to make any necessary changes and ensure you’re staying on target.

Scrum project management is one of the most popular Agile  methodologies used by project managers. Like Agile, scrum is centered around continuous improvement . You can use a framework like scrum to help you start thinking in a more Agile way and practice building Agile principles into your everyday communication and work.

When to use:  For projects that aren’t yet well-defined and require a lot of adaptability. 

Commonly used in : Software development. This profession pioneered agile, and this approach allows developers to build higher-quality software because they’re able to test and review at regular intervals.

3. Lean project management

If you’ve heard of lean manufacturing, those same principles apply to lean project management . The goal of this methodology is to increase output and value while reducing waste. To use it, you’ll need to map a value stream, which is the sequence of project activities. Then, you take a magnifying glass to that stream to identify and eliminate work that doesn’t add value. This means your project process will be as streamlined, optimized, and efficient as possible.

Kanban is a specific implementation of Lean project management. Project tasks are represented visually on a Kanban board , allowing team members to see the state of every piece of work at any time.

When to use : For projects that need to be delivered quickly. 

Commonly used in : Manufacturing. When you’re producing physical goods, you want as little waste as possible to minimize spend and maximize profit. That’s why this approach is popular in manufacturing, especially in the automotive industry .

The 5 stages of the project management process

Imagine that you’re starting a project from the very beginning. Project management doesn’t come into play only when you actually start checking off tasks — you need to lay the groundwork first.

With that in mind, the Project Management Institute (PMI) established five distinct stages of project management .

Stage #1: Initiating

Think the first step of the project management process is planning? Not quite. Before you can map out a strategy for your project, you need to get stakeholder buy-in. This is where a project charter comes in to outline the business objective of your project for approval. We recommend using a project poster instead, as a more digestible format that’s faster and easier to read. In this stage, you should answer questions like:

• What’s the business case for this project? Our strategic plan template can help!
• Is this project feasible?
• Should we pursue this project?

To put it simply, in this stage you’re trying to decide if this project is even worth tackling before you invest too much elbow grease. 

A great way to help facilitate this discussion is a premortem , a thought exercise in which you imagine what could go wrong and decide how to prevent it.

Stage #2: Planning

If you decide to move forward, you’ll next head into the planning stage. This is where you’ll develop a detailed project plan that your entire team will follow––and thank you for! Planning is essential for avoiding scope creep . Our to-do list template can help! . Questions to answer in this stage include:

• What is the goal of this project?
• What are the key performance indicators (KPIs)?
• What is the scope?
• What is the budget?
• What are the risks?
• What team members are involved?
• What tasks are involved?
• What milestones need to be met? 

This step is to ensure you and your team all have shared expectations before you get started. If you think you’re getting too caught up in the minutiae, you aren’t. And strategic planning frameworks can help!

Stage #3: Executing

Grab your coffee and get your power cable, because it’s go-time. This is where you and your team will roll up your sleeves and start conquering project tasks with your project plan as your guide. In the execution stage , you’ll need to: 

• Allocate necessary resources
• Ensure assignees carry out their tasks
• Host status meetings
• Set up tracking systems

The bulk of the work happens in this stage, and it’s also where you’ll start to see your project really coming together. See? All that planning was worth it.

Stage #4: Monitoring

Just because you have a project plan doesn’t mean things will run smoothly on their own. It’s like setting a budget for yourself — having the budget doesn’t do anything if you don’t keep a close eye on how you’re managing your money. 

That’s why you need to monitor project progress to ensure things stay on track. You should evaluate your project against the KPIs you established in the planning stage.

What should you do if your project feels like it’s strayed from the path or fallen prey to scope creep? Take a moment to reevaluate. You can decide if you need to realign things, or if your original plan needs to shift. That’s the great thing about monitoring — you have regular checkpoints to course correct.

Stage #5: Closing

The closing stage is about wrapping up loose ends. This includes:

• Hosting a postmortem or retrospective to evaluate the project
• Preparing a final project report
• Collecting and storing necessary project documentation somewhere safe. A collaborative documentation space like Confluence is great for this, by the way.

Not only does this give your team the chance to officially wash their hands of the project, but it also makes it easier to refer back to it when necessary.

7 Tips for successful project management

Even if you follow all of the above steps, effective project management isn’t a set-and-forget scenario. There are a few other best practices you’ll want to implement to help your project run as smoothly as possible.

Host a project kickoff meeting

Your project kickoff meeting is when you’ll establish goals, break down your timeline , and generally get everybody on the same page about your project. Our team meeting agenda template can help!

Regardless of how excited your team is to get to work, don’t skip this sitdown. You’ll proactively clear up confusion and rally your team around a shared goal.

Be mindful of task and resource dependencies

Remember when we talked about projects that feel like a string of teetering dominoes? That’s especially true for large, cross-functional projects. Maybe Daisy can’t start creating graphics until Joel has drafted the content (that’s a task dependency). Or maybe Choua can’t use a piece of software while Derek is using the shared license (that’s a resource dependency).

Your project tasks don’t happen in a vacuum, so it’s important that you account for these dependencies using a Gantt chart template . 

When all of your tasks and resources are connected, you need to understand how they fit together, or you run the risk of watching in horror as your whole line of dominoes comes toppling down.

Identify your critical path

Identifying your critical path is a great way to prevent schedule overruns. While it might sound like something out of an action movie, your critical path is just your longest string of dependent project activities. If you hit a snag or delay on that path, you know the whole project is at risk of coming in late. 

Finding your critical path allows you to know where you have some wiggle room in your schedule, and where you need to stick as close to your timeline as possible.

Be realistic with your timeline

It’s common to underestimate the time it takes us to complete tasks, and it can be a real detriment to your project timeline.

Keep yourself in check by referring back to timelines for previous projects. Consult your time-tracking software (if you have it) to see how long typical tasks take, and ask your team to gut check their schedules.

Use project management software

If your team members need to dig through endless email threads or folders to find what they need, your project is bound to drag behind. 

That’s why it’s helpful to use project management software (like Jira ) to store your documentation and organize your project in a knowledge management software (like Confluence ). It increases visibility into all project steps and tasks, centralizes communication, and gives your project team one single source of truth .

Establish clear roles and responsibilities

To get the best output from your team, people need to know exactly why they’re involved. What is their role and what are they expected to contribute? 

Not only does this instill a sense of purpose and accountability in your project team members, but it also prevents them from stepping on each other’s toes and allows you to play to everyone’s strengths. A RACI   framework is a popular way to assign roles and responsibilities . The acronym RACI stands for responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed. Confluence slightly tweaks this framework, calling it DACI , with “D” standing for “driver.”

Make it a collaborative process

Managing a project can be stressful, and you don’t have to do it all alone. Your team will have a lot of great insight into your project plan , including if your timeline is realistic or if you’re forgetting about dependencies.  Team brainstorming is a great way to share and hash out ideas. Here are some tips for running an effective brainstorming session .

Even if you’re part of a hybrid or remote team , resist the temptation to plan projects in isolation. Involve your team to hash out a more reasonable plan and boost their sense of ownership over the project. Our brainstorming template can help!

Key members of a project team

Every project must begin by identifying r oles and responsibilities . Knowing your role upfront sets everyone up for success in staying on track to meet project deadlines. Potential project roles include:

• Project manager : Person who oversees the entire project and is responsible for the project’s success.
• Project sponsor : Senior manager who champions the project and works closely with the project manager.
• Team member : People who actively work on the project tasks.
• Supplier : People who provide goods or services for a project.
• Primary stakeholders : People who actually do the work and are actively involved in the project.
• Secondary stakeholders : People who might come to meetings and play a small part but aren’t key decision-makers in the project.
• Interested stakeholders : People who are in the loop on the project but don’t play an active part or have a lot of influence.
• Client : Person who receives the final project, if it’s a client-facing project rather than an internal one. 

What to look for when evaluating project management software

Choosing the right project management software can be tricky. To ensure your team gets the most out of its project management tool, we recommend that you look for a solution that offers the following capabilities:

• Create a shared calendar to track project milestones and deadlines
• Share files and documents for easy access and collaboration
• Create task lists and assign tasks to team members
• Track project progress and generate reports
• Facilitate and streamline communication between team members and stakeholders
• Estimate project duration and budget
• Allow team members to comment on tasks and provide feedback
• Generate automated reminders and notifications
• Set up project templates to streamline project creation
• Manage resources and workloads
• Track issues and risks
• Manage change requests
• Create detailed reports
• Monitor project performance

Why use Confluence for project management

Confluence sets itself apart as a collaborative knowledge hub to supercharge project management with thousands of templates , plays , and integrations for maximum flexibility and scale.

Consolidate tools and centralize work

With Confluence you have knowledge, task, and project management combined with team collaboration. Embed a Trello board for Kanban-style project management, like Sprout Social . Or, integrate Confluence with Jira  for an Agile approach to project management, like Castlight Health . Jira makes it easy to plan, track, and manage your projects, while Confluence boosts transparency and centralizes your project-related conversations and resources. 

Scale with team and company growth

Confluence is designed to enable project management for technical teams and business teams, as well as for small businesses , remote teams , and enterprise-scale companies . Scale with unlimited instances to provide organizational autonomy, segregate data for security reasons, or customize environments. Confluence also has the security, compliance, performance, and reliability needed to support enterprises, including guaranteed SLA uptimes; data residency in US, EU, Australia, or Germany; and certifications with GDPR, SOC2, and more.

Secure and protect work and knowledge

What happens when a teammates leave your company, does their work leave too? Confluence protects project work from being lost, even if teammates leave a company. You can create permissions, set controls, and assign admins roles.

Analyze and optimize performance

You can’t manage what you can’t measure, right? In combination with Jira , you can track progress, monitor activities, and generate reports to help optimize project processes and workflows.

Project management is the engine powering team productivity. But not all project management solutions are created equal. Find out why more than 85,000 companies use Confluence.

Project management templates

Persona template.

The Persona template helps you create detailed profiles of target customers for marketing and product development, complete with persona names, goals, challenges, and information sources.

Customer journey mapping template

Use this template to understand your customer’s experience with your product, including their emotions and pain points.

Disruptive brainstorming template

This Confluence template will help your teeam generate fresh ideas.

DACI template

Use this DACI template to define each person's role in the decision-making process and make the right call sooner.

Project poster template

If project briefs and project charters aren’t your cup of tea, try this template for a project poster instead.

Key benefits of project management

1. improve collaboration.

We know we need to work with others to meet our goals, yet effective collaboration doesn’t come easy for most of us. There are varying communication styles, different approaches to organization, and so many other factors that make collaboration challenging. 

Project management software gives teams greater visibility into what their colleagues are working on, what deadlines are set, how individual tasks fit into the overall project process, and more. All of this contributes to the greatest benefit of project management software: better and easier project collaboration.

2. Centralize communication

Your team is struggling to communicate with disorganized email threads, direct instant message pings, and comments that get lost in the shuffle. 

That’s bad news (and a big time-waster) for your projects. When team members have too many places to check for information, wires are crossed, deadlines are missed, tasks are forgotten, and confusion builds. 

Project management software keeps all of your communication — from timelines and status updates to feedback and questions — in one single place that’s easily accessible to everyone. This breaks down silos so that everybody can not only share knowledge, but effectively manage how and where they share it. 

3. Streamline task management

For your projects to be delivered successfully, team members need to know which tasks they’re responsible for and when they need to have them completed.

Unclear responsibilities and directions from managers are a big piece of that; working within numerous apps and tools only adds to the mayhem. 

If a team member is assigned a task in one tool but they spend more of their time in another platform, they’ll miss that important notification. Managing your projects in one piece of software patches those holes and also breaks your biggest most overwhelming projects into individual steps and action items. 

From there, you can assign those tasks to the correct team members with a deadline so they’re aggregated in one place, and people will get notified of their new to-dos.

4. Create a single source of truth

Your project management software will be your repository of project-related information. Documents, assets, updates, timelines, meeting notes, and everything else should be stored in your software. (Here’s a handy template for meeting notes to keep track!) Doing so ensures it’s accessible, organized, and searchable. Team members can find what they need without wasting a ton of time digging for the truth. 

5. Boost efficiency

Add all of the above benefits together, and you get the best benefit of all: your team can move work forward faster. A lot faster. 

With project management software in place, your team is communicating well. They know what’s expected of them and what they should get started on next. They can easily locate the information they need.

Working together like a well-oiled machine significantly cuts down on lost time. The Jira project management template helps teams get started faster with tried-and-tested workflows, instead of starting a blank page every time they need to create a new project. 

Now, work no longer drags on and on because your team is equipped with the resources they need to crank out high-quality results at an impressive pace.

6. Track progress

You don’t want to deliver just any project. You want to deliver a project that stays under your budget, honors your timeline, and meets its original goals.

Those important elements are easy to lose track of when you’re up to your eyeballs in project work, and it’s a slippery slope. If you don’t keep a close eye on those limitations and expectations, you’ll struggle with schedule, budget overruns, and wasted effort when team members need to re-do work to get the project back on track.

Project management software organizes your work so it’s simpler to track things like your spend and deadlines. Additionally, you can generate reports to monitor progress as you move forward — rather than realizing too late that you’ve missed the mark.

Why use Jira for project management

Jira  helps teams successfully plan, track, and deliver top-quality products supported by specialized project management apps for Jira .

Centralized reporting

Jira brings all your project data together, allowing you to effortlessly track task completion, identify bottlenecks, and make decisions with confidence.

Real-time updates

Everyone stays in the loop with Jira’s instant updates, ensuring quick reactions and consistent project alignment.

No-code automation

Jira cuts the hassle with simple no-code automation, saving time on repetitive tasks and letting you focus on what matters.

Manage projects with confidence

Steer teams of all sizes toward success and achieve objectives confidently with Jira.

Offering tailored solutions for nonprofits and small businesses

You may also like

Project poster template.

A collaborative one-pager that keeps your project team and stakeholders aligned

Project Plan Template

Define, scope, and plan milestones for your next project

Enable faster content collaboration for every team with Confluence

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12 Project Management Methodologies: Types, Tools, Techniques, And How to Choose

Written By : Bakkah

27 Feb 2024

Table of Content

Definition of Project Management Methodologies:

Types of project management methodologies, project management methodologies tools , project management methodologies techniques, how to choose a project management methodology, explore bakkah's leading courses to boost your skills in project management and business analysis:, popular articles.

PRINCE2 Methodology - 2024 Full Guide About Advantages and Disadvantages

Prosci Methodology - Change Management Methodology

Application of PMO in government entities in Saudi Arabia

Project management methodologies are systematic frameworks and guidelines utilized by organizations to efficiently plan, execute, and complete projects. They offer structured approaches to project management, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and objectives. These methodologies encompass diverse principles, practices, and tools designed to facilitate effective communication and coordination among project-implementing teams. 

Project management methodologies vary in their approach, with some emphasizing flexibility and adaptability (e.g., Agile) while others focus on sequential and structured processes (e.g., Waterfall). The appropriate methodology must be selected according to the type of project and its unique circumstances. The goal is to enhance project efficiency, minimize risks, and deliver high-quality results, ultimately contributing to achieving the specified goals and objectives of the project.

Project management methodologies refer to the systematic frameworks, processes, and guidelines organizations follow to plan, execute, monitor, and complete projects. These methodologies provide a structured approach to managing projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and meet the specified goals and objectives.

Project management methodologies encompass diverse principles, practices, and tools designed to facilitate effective communication and coordination among project-implementing teams.

They can vary in their approach, with some methodologies emphasizing flexibility and adaptability (e.g., Agile), while others focus on sequential and structured processes (e.g., Waterfall). The appropriate methodology must be selected according to the type of project and its unique circumstances.

The goal of Project Management Methodologies is to enhance project efficiency, minimize risks, and deliver high-quality results, ultimately contributing to achieving the specified goals and objectives of the project.

Various tools support their implementation, enhancing collaboration and communication, while diverse techniques facilitate effective project planning, execution, and control.

There are diverse project management methodologies, each with different principles, processes, and approaches. Here are some common types:

1. Waterfall Methodology

Waterfall project management is a traditional approach to project management where tasks are completed sequentially and linearly. 

The methodology is called "waterfall" because progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards through phases, like a waterfall. Each phase must be completed before moving on to the next one, and changes to the project are generally not allowed once a phase is closed.

Here are the main phases in the waterfall project management methodology:

• Requirements: Define project scope, objectives, and deliverables.
• Design: Create a detailed plan for how the solution meets requirements.
• Implementation (or Construction): Include coding or construction of the project.
• Testing: Ensure the project meets specified requirements through various testing phases.
• Deployment (or Implementation): Implement the project in the production environment after the success of testing.
• Maintenance and Support: Address issues and user concerns and make updates as needed.

The waterfall methodology is best suited for projects where the requirements are well-understood and unlikely to change significantly during the development process.

It is often used in industries like construction and manufacturing. However, one of its main drawbacks is its inflexibility to adapt to changes once the project has started, as it does not easily accommodate changes in requirements.

2. Agile Methodology

Agile methodology is an iterative and flexible approach to project management that focuses on collaboration, adaptability, and customer satisfaction.

Unlike the linear nature of the waterfall model, agile divides a project into small increments with minimal planning and delivers functional pieces of the project in short time frames, known as iterations or sprints.

Primary principles and practices of agile include:

• Projects are divided into small manageable iterations, delivering potentially shippable product increments.
• Collaboration and communication between team members, stakeholders, and customers are crucial for quick adaptation to changes and alignment with goals.
• Continuous customer feedback allows for adjustments based on changing requirements.
• Agile is flexible and adaptable to changes in requirements or priorities at any stage.
• Continuous delivery aims for a potentially shippable product at the end of each iteration, allowing for early and regular value delivery to the customer.
• Prioritization and timeboxing based on value and importance ensure focus and urgency in delivering value.
• Agile encourages self-organizing, cross-functional team formation that collectively possess the necessary skills to deliver a complete product.

Popular agile frameworks include Scrum, Kanban, and Extreme Programming (XP), each with specific practices and roles. 

Agile is widely used in software development and various industries for its adaptability and customer-centric approach.

3. Scrum Framework

Scrum is one of the most widely used agile frameworks for managing complex software development projects. It provides a structured yet flexible approach to product development.

Key elements of the Scrum framework include:

• Roles: Include Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team.
• Artifacts: Comprise the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment.
• Events: Include Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-up, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective.

Scrum's iterative and incremental approach, along with its emphasis on collaboration and adaptability, makes it particularly effective for projects where requirements may change or evolve during development.

4. Kanban Methodology

Kanban is a project management methodology that visualizes workflow using boards, cards, and columns. It also limits tasks that are in progress simultaneously to prevent overloading the team and ensure a steady flow of work.

Emphasizing continuous improvement, Kanban employs feedback loops and a pull system, adapting work based on demand. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are often used in Kanban to define the expected time frames.

Known for flexibility and adaptability, Kanban suits various industries like architecture, construction, marketing, education, software development, design, and law. Kanban fosters collaboration and shared responsibility and allows incremental process improvements based on specific needs and context.

5. Lean Project Management

Lean Project Management (LPM) is an approach to project management that draws inspiration from Lean principles. The Lean philosophy focuses on minimizing waste, optimizing efficiency, and continuously improving processes.

Lean principles are applied to enhance project delivery, reduce unnecessary activities, and deliver value more effectively. 

Principal aspects of Lean Project Management methodology include eliminating waste, using value stream mapping, continuous improvement (Kaizen), customer focus, pull scheduling, visual management, batch size reduction, flexible planning, and cross-functional team use. LPM is suitable for industries like manufacturing, construction, and software development.

Its focus on efficiency and customer value makes it a valuable approach for organizations seeking to optimize their project delivery processes.

6. PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments)

PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a widely adopted project management methodology developed by the UK government. It provides a structured and process-driven approach to project management, emphasizing flexibility and adaptability.

PRINCE2 divides projects into manageable stages, with defined roles and responsibilities, ensuring organized and controlled project execution.

The methodology consists of seven processes:

• Starting Up a Project (SU): Ensures project prerequisites are in place.
• Initiating a Project (IP): Defines project scope, objectives, and plans.
• Directing a Project (DP): Provides senior management with chief controls.
• Controlling a Stage (CS): Manages day-to-day project activities.
• Managing Product Delivery (MP): Ensures efficient product work.
• Managing a Stage Boundary (SB): Focuses on transitioning between stages.
• Closing a Project (CP): Formally closes the project and ties up loose ends.

PRINCE2 is known for its focus on continuous improvement and adaptability, making it a valuable tool for delivering successful projects within time, cost, and quality constraints.

Boost your career with Bakkah’s PRINCE2 courses:

• PRINCE2® Training Course Online
• PRINCE2® Agile Foundation & Practitioner Online Course and Certification

7. Critical Path Method (CPM)

Critical Path Method (CPM) is a project management technique that identifies the critical path of activities, potential risks, team roles, and the sequence of tasks determining the shortest project duration. Key steps:

• Task Breakdown: Identify and sequence project tasks. 
• Duration Estimation: Assign time estimates to tasks.
• Network Diagram: Create a visual representation of task dependencies.
• Critical Path Identification: Find the path critical for project completion.
• Float/Slack Calculation: Determine non-critical task flexibility.
• Resource Allocation: Efficiently allocate resources.
• Monitoring and Control: Monitor progress continuously, update schedules, and take corrective actions., update schedules, and take corrective actions.

CPM is an essential tool for effective project planning and control. It aids in prioritizing critical tasks, managing time constraints, and optimizing project schedules. CMP can be used in several projects, such as engineering, manufacturing, construction, and science.

8. Six Sigma ( Continuous Improvement Methodology)

Six Sigma is a data-driven project management methodology focused on improving process efficiency continuously and reducing defects or errors. Developed by Motorola in the 1980s, Six Sigma seeks to minimize variations and achieve higher levels of quality in processes. It is often applied in manufacturing and process improvement projects. Here is a concise overview of the Six Sigma project management methodology:

• Define (D): Clearly articulate the problem, project goals, scope, and customer requirements.
• Measure (M): Establish metrics, collect data, and measure baseline performance.
• Analyze (A): Use statistical tools to identify root causes of defects or inefficiencies.
• Improve (I): Develop and implement solutions, testing and refining as needed.
• Control (C): Establish measures to sustain improvements and prevent recurrence of defects or issues.

The Six Sigma methodology is often represented by the acronym DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control). Additionally, for more complex or considerable process changes, there is another phase known as DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify).

Bakkah provides certification levels such as Six Sigma Green Belt and Six Sigma Black Belt are available for individuals to demonstrate proficiency in applying Six Sigma principles and methodologies. Organizations implementing Six Sigma often experience enhanced efficiency, reduced defects, and improved customer satisfaction.

9. RAD (Rapid Application Development)

Rapid Application Development (RAD) is a project development methodology that prioritizes quick iterations and prototypes over extensive planning.

It involves user participation throughout the process, parallel development of system components, and a flexible, adaptive approach. Prototyping is a key feature, allowing for continuous refinement based on user feedback. RAD aims to deliver a functional product rapidly, focusing on time and cost efficiency.

Popular RAD tools include Microsoft Visual Basic, PowerBuilder, and OutSystems. The methodology suits projects with changing requirements but may not be ideal for highly structured endeavors.

10. Incremental and Iterative Methodologies

Incremental development involves dividing the project into small increments, each delivering a part of the final product's functionality linearly. User feedback is integrated after each increment, providing ongoing adaptability and the ability to identify and correct issues early. This approach enables early delivery and reduced project risk.

On the other hand, iterative development goes through cycles or iterations, refining the entire system with each iteration. It is highly flexible and accommodates changing requirements throughout the development process.

11. Hybrid Methodologies

Hybrid methodologies in project development involve blending elements from different traditional and agile approaches to create a flexible and tailored solution. That allows teams to adapt practices based on the project's unique requirements, leveraging both structured planning and iterative development. 

In a hybrid methodology, the most appropriate elements from each methodology are identified and combined harmoniously. Examples include combining Waterfall and Scrum or integrating lean principles with agile practices.

The goal is to manage risks effectively, enhance flexibility, and address the project-specific needs. Effective communication is crucial to mitigate potential challenges introduced by diverse practices integration.

12. Extreme Programming (XP)

XP is an Agile methodology that emphasizes collaboration, adaptability, and delivering high-quality software through practices such as continuous testing and frequent releases.

Extreme Programming methodology is one of the famous methodologies for managing and developing software and other technical projects. It is based on diverse principles and practices, focusing on increasing software quality and improving team productivity.

A team needs to follow this method if the project is fast-paced or subject to regular change and thus has a dynamic rather than static nature.

The Extreme methodology also aims to achieve productive cooperation between team members and increase the quality of the final product and its flexibility in the face of changes.

Here are the main principles and practices of Extreme Programming:

• XP is built on a set of core values, including communication, simplicity, feedback, and courage.
• Developers work in pairs, one writing code and the other reviewing it in real time. That promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and code quality.
• Developers write tests before writing the actual code. That ensures that the code meets specifications and facilitates maintenance and updates.
• Code is integrated frequently to identify and address integration issues early in the development process.
• XP improves code design regularly without changing its functionality.
• XP keeps the design as simple as possible, making it easier to understand, modify, and maintain.
• Frequent and direct interaction with the customer allows for quick adjustments to changing requirements and priorities.
• XP emphasizes continuous improvement through regular reflection on the development process and changes in implementation to enhance efficiency and quality.

Bakkah provides a variety of accredited project management Courses for all professional certificates in project management, risk management, and others.

In brief, choosing the most suitable project management methodology depends on factors such as project size, complexity, industry, and organizational culture. Project managers often customize or combine methodologies to best fit the unique requirements of their projects.

Project management methodologies are often supported and implemented using various tools to enhance efficiency, collaboration, and communication throughout the project lifecycle. Here are some commonly used tools associated with project management methodologies:

1. Project Management Software

Tools like Microsoft Project, Asana, Jira, Trello, and Monday.com provide features for project planning, scheduling, task assignment, and progress tracking.

2. Version Control Systems

Git, SVN (Subversion), and Mercurial help manage changes to source code and documentation, ensuring version control and collaboration in software development projects.

3. Communication and Collaboration Tools

Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord facilitate real-time communication, file sharing, and collaboration among team members, supporting Agile and remote work environments.

4. Gantt Charts

Tools like GanttPRO and SmartDraw help create visual representations of project timelines, tasks, and dependencies, commonly used in Waterfall and traditional project management methodologies.

5. Kanban Boards

Trello, KanbanFlow, and LeanKit enable teams to visualize work and optimize workflow, particularly in Agile and Lean methodologies.

6. Scrum Tools

Jira, VersionOne, and Targetprocess support the Scrum framework with features for sprint planning, backlog management, and burndown charts.

7. Resource Management Tools

Workfront, Mavenlink, and TeamGantt assist in resource allocation, workload tracking, and managing team capacity in project management.

8. Risk Management Tools

RiskWatch, RiskyProject, and ProjectManager.com help identify, assess, and manage risks throughout the project lifecycle.

9. Collaborative Document Management

Tools like SharePoint, Google Workspace, and Dropbox Business enable teams to collaborate on documents, share project-related files, and ensure version control.

10. Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD) Tools

Jenkins, Travis CI, and GitLab CI/CD automate integration code changes process and deploying software, commonly used in Agile and DevOps methodologies.

11. Time Tracking and Timesheet Tools

Harvest, Toggl, and Clockify assist in tracking project-related activities, allowing for accurate time management and resource allocation.

12. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Tools

Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM support customer-centric projects. That helps teams manage client interactions, feedback, and requirements.

Project managers and teams should carefully select tools that align with their chosen methodologies and project requirements. Integrating these tools can significantly improve project management efficiency and contribute to successful project outcomes.

Project management methodologies involve various techniques to plan, execute, and control projects effectively. Here are some commonly used techniques associated with project management methodologies:

1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Break a project into smaller, manageable tasks and create a hierarchical structure to define clearly the scope and deliverables.

2. PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) and CPM (Critical Path Method)

Techniques for scheduling and managing tasks by identifying critical paths and dependencies and estimating project duration.

2. SWOT Analysis

Evaluate the project's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to make informed decisions and develop effective strategies.

3. Risk Management

Identify, assess, mitigate, and monitor risks throughout the project lifecycle to minimize potential negative impacts.

4. Stakeholder Analysis

Identify and analyze stakeholders to understand their interests, influence, and expectations and ensure effective communication and engagement.

5. PERT Charts (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)

Graphical representations of project tasks and their dependencies, helping visualize the project schedule and critical path.

6. Scrum Meetings

Daily Standups, Sprint Planning, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective are regular Scrum meetings that facilitate communication and collaboration in Agile projects.

7. Earned Value Management (EVM)

Analyze project performance by measuring the planned value, earned value, and actual cost to assess progress and forecast future performance.

8. Quality Management

Implement techniques such as quality audits, inspections, and control charts to ensure project deliverables meet predefined quality standards.

9. Mind Mapping

Visualize project ideas, requirements, and tasks using mind maps to stimulate creative thinking and organize information in a structured way.

10. Critical Chain Method

Identify and manage resource dependencies to optimize project schedules and improve overall performance.

11. Prototyping

Creating a working model or prototype of a product or system to gather feedback early in the development process is common in Agile and iterative methodologies.

12. Benchmarking

Compare project performance metrics and processes against industry standards or best practices to identify areas for improvement.

13. Dependency Mapping

Identify and visualize dependencies between different tasks or project activities to understand their interrelationships and potential impacts.

14. Agile Estimation Techniques

Use techniques like Planning Poker, Relative Sizing, and Story Points to estimate the effort required for Agile project tasks.

15. Change Management

Implement strategies and techniques to manage and communicate changes effectively, ensuring minimal disruptions to project progress.

16. Communication Plans

Developing plans outlines how project information will be communicated to stakeholders, ensuring clear and consistent communication.

These techniques are often applied based on the specific requirements, characteristics, and principles of the chosen project management methodology. Project managers may tailor and combine these techniques to suit the needs of their projects.

Choosing a suitable project management methodology is crucial for the success of a project. The decision should be based on the project's characteristics, team dynamics, organizational culture, and the nature of the work to be performed. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to choose a project management methodology:

1. Understand Project Requirements

Clearly define the project scope, objectives, and deliverables. Consider the size, complexity, and nature of the project work.

2. Assess Team Skills and Experience

Evaluate the skills and experience of the project team. Consider their familiarity with different methodologies and their adaptability to new approaches.

3. Consider Project Flexibility

Assess the level of flexibility required throughout the project. Some projects may benefit from a more adaptive and iterative approach, while others may require a more structured and sequential process.

4. Examine Project Constraints

Identify any constraints such as budget limitations, time constraints, regulatory requirements, or client preferences that may influence the choice of methodology.

5. Evaluate Organizational Culture

Consider the existing organizational culture and whether it aligns with the principles of certain project management methodologies. Some organizations may prefer traditional, plan-driven approaches, while others may be more receptive to Agile or iterative methods.

6. Define Stakeholder Involvement

Determine the level of involvement and collaboration required from project stakeholders. Some methodologies, like Agile, emphasize continuous stakeholder engagement and feedback.

7. Analyze Project Risks

Evaluate the potential risks associated with the project. Some methodologies, such as Agile, are well-suited for projects with high uncertainty and evolving requirements.

8. Review Industry Standards

Consider industry standards and best practices. Certain industries or project types may have specific guidelines or regulations that align with particular methodologies.

9. Explore Hybrid Approaches

Assess the possibility of combining elements from different methodologies to create a hybrid approach tailored to the project's specific needs.

10. Pilot or Prototype

If feasible, consider running a pilot or prototype using a small-scale version of the project to test how well a methodology fits the team and project requirements.

11. Consult with Stakeholders

Seek input from key stakeholders, including team members, clients, and sponsors. Understand their preferences, expectations, and concerns regarding project management approaches.

12. Training and Transition Plan

Evaluate the readiness of the team to adopt a new methodology. Plan for necessary training and establish a transition plan to smoothly implement the chosen methodology.

13. Continuous Improvement

Be open to evaluating and adjusting the chosen methodology throughout the project. Continuous improvement is essential to address evolving project needs and improve overall project management processes.

Elevate your project management skills with Bakkah Learning's expert-led courses. From PMP to Prince2, Six Sigma to Agile, we offer tailored programs to suit your career goals. With interactive learning, flexible access, and certification preparation, we're your partner for professional growth. Start your journey to mastery today with Bakkah Learning!

Here are some Project Management Courses :

• Certified Associate in Project Management CAPM Course
• PMI-ACP® certification
• PgMP certification
• PMI Scheduling Professional - PMI-SP certification

Risk Management Courses And Certifications:

• Risk Management Professional - PMI-RMP Course
• MoR Certification and course

PRINCE2 Courses

• PRINCE2 Certification
• PRINCE2 Agile.

Project Management Tools:

• Primavera P6 Course
• MSP Course - Managing Successful Programmes
• Microsoft Project training course  

Portfolio Management

• P3O Foundation certification
• Management of Portfolios MoP
• The Portfolio Management Professional – PfMP certificate
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Course
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Course
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Course

Ultimately, the choice of a project management methodology should be a thoughtful and informed decision that aligns with the unique characteristics of the project and the organization. Regularly reassess the chosen methodology to ensure its continued effectiveness and make adjustments as needed.

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Project Management Methodology: Definition, Types, Examples

What is a project management methodology ? How can it be defined? In simple terms, it is a must-have to avoid failure and reduce risks because it is one of the critical success factors as well as the core competency of the management team. It is the straightforward way to guide the team through the development and execution of the phases, processes and tasks throughout the project management life-cycle.

What is a Methodology? The Definition in Project Management

The term “ project management methodology ” was first defined in the early 1960s when various business organizations began to look for effective ways that could simplify the realization of business benefits and organize the work into a structured and unique entity (which was called “ project ” later on). Communication and collaboration were the key criteria for establishing productive work relationships between the teams and departments within one and the same organization.

Since that time, the term has been changed and modified many times, new definitions have been created, new elements and functions have been added. Today we consider a project management methodology as a set of broad principles and rules to manage a specific project that has a definite beginning and end. Below is the current definition of methodology .

Project Management Methodology is a strictly defined combination of logically related practices, methods and processes that determine how best to plan, develop, control and deliver a project throughout the continuous implementation process until successful completion and termination. It is a scientifically-proven, systematic and disciplined approach to project design, execution and completion.

The purpose of project methodology is to allow for controlling the entire management process through effective decision making and problem solving, while ensuring the success of specific processes, approaches, techniques, methods and technologies.

Typically, a project management methodology provides a skeleton for describing every step in depth, so that the project manager or program manager will know what to do in order to deliver and implement the work according to the schedule, budget and client specification.

Referring to the above mentioned definition, an appropriately chosen project management methodology paves the way for gaining the following achievements:

• The needs of stakeholders are defined
• A common “language” is established and understood by the team, so they know what’s expected of them
• Cost estimates are complete, accurate and credible
• Every task is done using a common methodological approach
• Most conflicts are spotted and resolved early
• Expected deliverables are produced and handed over
• Lessons are learned and solutions are quickly implemented

Methodology in Project Management Framework

Project management (the acronym “PM”) provides the framework of planning, doing and delivering projects of any kind, size, nature and type. PM framework focuses on the realization of desired change in line with a chosen methodological approach. Actually, change is the core aspect that should be managed. PM framework identifies and defines how to best manage change. And methodology serves as the “way” to systematically realize change in terms of time, cost and quality.

Managing projects means describing and performing the activities required to meet the specific objectives of making change.

For example, writing a book is a kind of project in which the objective is to write a book. This objective can be fulfilled by a series of activities, including defining the topic, collecting material, creating a draft, typing, proofreading, others. So in terms of project management, the author needs to define and then complete all the necessary activities in order to write a book (which means make change).

Here’s a simplified example of how a project methodology can be presented in the management hierarchical structure:

PM Framework precedes Methodology which in turn precedes Lifecycle Stages and determines the project management Processes, Tasks and Activities

Project Management Methodology Types

In project management there are a variety of approaches and methods that can be employed in managing different kinds of project. All the types of project methodology can be conditionally divided into traditional and modern approaches.

Traditional Approach

A traditional approach involves a series of consecutive stages in the project management process. It is a step-by-step sequence to design, develop and deliver a product or service. It entails achieving the succession in the implementation process and provides the benefits of milestone-based planning and team building. In IT and software development, this methodology type is called “ Waterfall ” – one portion of work follows after another in linear sequence.

The following stages are included the traditional project management methodology:

• Initiation (requirements specification)
• Planning and design
• Execution (construction and coding)
• Control and integration
• Validation (testing and debugging)
• Closure (installation and maintenance)

Modern Approaches

Modern methodologies do not focus on linear processes but they provide an alternative look at project management. Some of the methods are best for IT and software development, while others can be implemented in production, process improvement, product engineering, and so on. Modern PM approaches use different models of the management process.

Project Management Methodology Examples

It is the matter of a project’s type, size and nature to select the right methodology. Here are the most popular PM methodologies:

PMBOK® Guide

Although A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge IS NOT a PM methodology in its “ pure state “, many people regard it as the methodological approach to planning, executing, controlling and terminating various projects. Meanwhile, the PMBOK® Guide is a broad inventory of best practices and ideas on planning and implementing projects. Please note that it is just a guide but not a project management methodology.

PRojects IN Controlled Environments 2 ( PRINCE2 ) presents a suite of process-driven methods and documentation-oriented approaches that allow driving various projects in the private sector. It was developed the UK Government, and today this great example of project management methodology is used both in the UK and internationally.

Critical path method (CPM) explores the most important or critical tasks of a project by defining possible activity sequences and estimating the longest duration of each sequence. It helps figure out how long it will take to complete the work and what tasks will compose the scope.

Lean PM methodology intends to maximize customer value and minimize resource waste. Lean project management lets organizations create higher value for their customers with fewer resources. This approach achieves perfection in customer satisfaction and value generation through implementing an optimized process flow that eliminates waste in products, services, transportation, inventories, etc.

The method of Six Sigma was originally developed by Motorola to improve its production processes by eliminating defects (defined as “non-conformity of a product or service to its specifications”). Today Six Sigma is one of the most popular and worldwide trusted examples of project management methodology for ensuring the accuracy and speed of a process’s implementation through eliminating or minimizing waste.

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) is the way to plan, implement and review various kinds of work in single- and multi-project environments. This management methodology uses Theory of Constraints (TOC) and the concept of buffers to establish improved task durations and manage resource-dependent tasks and activities.

SCRUM is an example of Agile PM methodology that involves teams in producing a software product in 30-day “ sprints ” and monthly “ scrum sessions “. In a SCRUM-driven project, the deliverables are broken down into 30-day intervals. This methodology example is specific and applicable mainly to collaborative, 100%-dedicated teams, with no heavily constrained time and materials budget.

Project Management for Students

Project management for students is a vital part of the education and training process. Students can easily get a project management degree, but it does not mean that it comes as easy as taking the homework. Students need to take into account some important aspects if they want to manage a project properly.

For instance, choosing the best admission essay writing service is of great importance because if for some reason the student cannot deliver a high-quality essay in time, he will most likely fail the course or even worse he will be expelled from the college or university.

Students should prepare well for the project or the essay. They need to research on the topic beforehand, keep track of what is going on, write on time and work within the deadline.

This will allow them to catch up with their fellow students, focusing only on what they have to do and not worrying about what other people are doing.

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10 Most Popular Project Management Methodologies: An Overview

Find the right approach for you and your team!

Choosing the right project management framework is the foundation of every successful project. Project managers have a broad portfolio of proven and modern project management methodologies at their disposal. In particular, agile project management methods like Scrum and Kanban have now become absolute trend strategies.

But be careful: One-for-All does not apply in project management! Each project has individual characteristics, requirements, and risks that you should definitely consider when choosing the appropriate project management method.

In this article, we present the 10 most renowned project management solutions and show you exactly what is suitable for you and your company.

The following points will be covered in this article:

✅ Important principles for selecting your project management framework

✅ The 10 most effective project management methodologies and their key characteristics

✅ Examples for choosing the most suitable approach for your team

Project Management Methodologies: More structure and less risk

Projects aim to achieve a specific, unique goal, such as the development of new software. This must be accomplished within a certain timeframe without exceeding the predefined limits of personnel, monetary, and time resources . If project managers approach this task unprepared and disorganized, it is very likely that the project will fail.

The more complex the project, the higher the external risk factors, and the more employees involved, the more important it is to approach the project in a structured and systematic manner.

Finding “The One”

A project management methodology that represents an universal solution for all project types seems desirable. However, we must quickly abandon this thought. Projects are defined by their unique nature. They differ significantly in the following factors:

• Strategic goal alignment and company values
• Key business factors (e.g., pricing strategies)
• Stakeholder requirements
• Project risks
• Project size
• Resource availability
• Project complexity

What works for one project can be completely unsuitable for another. These individual differences require tailored approaches in project management. A one-size-fits-all solution is not capable of meeting the specific requirements and challenges of each project.

Project Management Methodologies in comparison

Agile? Lean? Waterfall? Project managers are spoilt for choice. The following project management methodologies have already established themselves in practice. Now it’s time to decide which method fits your principles and processes.

1. Waterfall Methodology

The Waterfall methodology is a traditional project management method. It proceeds step by step – like a waterfall – in these phases:

• Planning and Analysis
• Setting up the Resource Plan
• Completion of the Project

All tasks of the project are processed according to the fixed sequence of the Waterfall project management methodology. New tasks are only started when the previous ones are completed.

In the framework of the Waterfall method, the project manager plans in advance exactly the required resource deployment and aligns the entire planning of the project management process accordingly. Unlike agile project management methodologies , no feedback processes are provided within the individual project steps. The Waterfall methodology allows only minimal deviation from the pre-established resource planning.

What is this Project Management Methodology suitable for?

The Waterfall methodology is particularly suitable for projects whose tasks are dependent on each other. Projects that follow this method shouldn’t be very extensive and of short duration. Or they should include tasks that are repetitive and already known to the participants. The Waterfall methodology is well suited, for example, for projects in production that primarily involve sequential processes. These sequential phases and processes are often visualized in Waterfall project management using Gantt charts .

In the implementation of step-by-step project management frameworks, errors often become apparent only at the end of a project. Therefore, the Waterfall methodology is not well suited for projects with many unpredictable factors.

Opportunities & Risks

Unknown Fact : Although the Waterfall methodology is often seen as traditional and sequential, it did not originate in computer science or engineering. In fact, the Waterfall methodology was first introduced in an article by Dr. Winston W. Royce in 1970, where he described the project management method as problematic and prone to errors. Ironically, the Waterfall methodology still became popular. Today it’s one of the most well-known project management methodologies, even though its original creator viewed its application with reservations.

2. Agile Methodology

Originally, the Agile project management methodology was designed in 2001 by 13 industry leaders as part of the Agile Manifesto for software development. Since then, agile methodology has also proven itself as a project management framework. Agile project management questions the processes, tasks, and role distributions of traditional approaches and replaces them with a more flexible, future-oriented principle. The optimization of customer benefit is foregrounded.

The core principle of  the agile methodology is based on 12 guidelines and includes the following pillars:

• Direct and Open Communication

Agile project management methodologies are based on short, direct communication channels. When all team members are on the same level of knowledge, requests for changes can be responded to immediately and comprehensively.

• Implementation Cycles that Allow for Short-Term Changes

To optimize customer benefit, it must be possible to respond to short-term requests for changes. Instead of delivering a complete final package to the customer, which they may not be satisfied with, agile project management allows for regular feedback processes and constant improvement of the product – even during the project process!

• Implementation of Flat Hierarchies

Agile work can only be carried out in a familiar team atmosphere. Strict hierarchy prevents quick and flexible responses to requests for changes. In agile teams, each member acts on their own responsibility. Agile leaders must therefore be able to delegate tasks and responsibility and have trust in their employees.

Agile project management methodologies are flexible in their application. Therefore, they are excellently suited for large, complex projects whose requirements are unpredictable and which can entail high risks. Aligned with the principles of the Agile Manifesto, various agile implementation methods, such as Scrum and Kanban, have been developed. However, since these have also developed their own structures, roles, and terminologies, they are treated as distinct project management methods in the following. Another project management tool that is especially popular in agile project management are Mind Maps . They help organize complex information and promote creativity and collaboration within the team.

Unknown Fact: According to a survey by the PMI (Project Management Institute) , agile projects have a higher success rate compared to traditional projects. The study found that 71% of agile projects were rated as successful compared to 55% of non-agile projects.

3. Scrum Methodology

Scrum is also considered an Agile method but distinguishes itself through its own set of firm rules, roles, and processes. This project management methodology is based on the notion that extensive projects are too complex to plan precisely in advance. Thus, most of the potential risks and requirements are unclear at the start of the project. To counter this fact, Scrum involves setting up and discussing interim results.

At the beginning of the project, Scrum establishes a long-term plan (Product Backlog) . Unlike the traditional Waterfall methodology, this plan is regularly adjusted and optimized during the execution of the project. Tasks and actions associated with the project are implemented in repeating cycles (Sprints) . Each Sprint aims to present a functioning interim product.

To enable Scrum teams to achieve this, all project participants gather at the start of each day in Daily Scrums to discuss tasks, problems, and progress. The Scrum project management methodology defines the following roles within a team:

• Product Owner: A product expert who represents the project’s stakeholders and advocates the views and wishes of the customer
• Development Team: A project team (e.g., developers and designers) that is involved in the execution of the project and takes on tasks
• Scrum Master: Facilitates and supports the development team and is responsible for ensuring that Scrum is correctly implemented. He also mediates between the development team and the Product Owner. However, it’s important to note that the Scrum Master does not play a traditional boss role. He does not dictate who should complete which task

Scrum supports extensive, complex projects whose character is difficult to define in advance and therefore require a flexible project management methodology. Especially teams consisting of fewer than seven people benefit from Scrum.

Unknown Fact: Although Scrum originally emerged as a framework for software development, it was later successfully expanded to other industries, including marketing, HR, and even in the field of education.

4. Kanban Methodology

Kanban is based on regular feedback loops and teams that work independently. This Agile project management methodology was originally developed in the 1950s by Toyota in Japan . Kanban aims to optimally control each stage of a project to achieve faster throughput times.

The core principle of Kanban is effective teamwork . Short, daily stand-up meetings are practical, where all team members can discuss progress, successes, problems, and the next steps in the project.

The Kanban method visualizes project workflows using Kanban boards . Kanban boards can be created both physically and digitally.

In the classic model, tasks that are not yet being processed are listed as To-Dos in the left column of the board.

When you start working on a task, move it to the middle column of the board and mark it as Doing . The Kanban method allows all team members to decide in which order to process tasks.

Once a task is considered complete, it is moved to the right column of the Kanban board and marked as Done .

It’s important to work on only a limited number of tasks simultaneously. A key aspect of implementing Kanban in project management is that tasks are consistently prioritized to keep processes clear and organized.

If a so-called bottleneck, or task backlog, forms, your Kanban board will show a large number of Kanban cards in the To-Do or Doing column. Here you must intervene and analyze the problem.

Originally, Kanban was developed by Toyota for production and later adapted for software development by David Anderson in 2007. Nowadays, due to its transparent structures and high flexibility, Kanban can be used for any project that benefits from continuous improvements and feedback processes during its execution.

By the way: The Kanban project management methodology is perfect for personal and creative endeavours .

Unknown Fact: According to an internal analysis of companies that have implemented Kanban, the average cycle time for tasks has been reduced by up to 50%.

5. Lean Methodology

Lean aims to create value without waste. Customer benefit and process efficiency are optimized without wasting resources. The Lean project management methodology distinguishes between three different types of resource waste :

Muda refers to activities or processes that do not create value. Lean identifies potential resource wastage in seven original processes :

• Movement (of employees)
• Waiting times
• Overproduction
• Incorrect use of technology or poor manufacturing processes
• Waste and possibly rework

Mura refers to losses that occur due to unbalanced processes. If the individual process steps are not aligned, deviations, irregularities, and disruptions arise.

Muri refers to an unbalanced workload on employees and machines. According to Lean principles, processes should neither be too fast nor too slow. Ideally, Lean reduces monotonous activities without overburdening employees and overloading machines.

Since Lean (Project) Management is much more a project management philosophy than just a tool, this project management methodology is suitable for any company interested in transforming the values of their project management to save costs and other resources in the long term.

Key prerequisites for a comprehensive implementation of Lean project management are:

• Breaking up traditional thought structures and work processes
• The ability to design projects and processes flexibly
• A strong team culture
• Support from the entire leadership level
• A firm commitment to the company value of “customer proximity”

Unknown Fact: Lean project management is based on the principles of Kaizen , which means “continuous improvement” in Japanese. The constant pursuit of improvement at all levels of the company, from processes to work culture, contributes to strengthening the agility and adaptability of the organization.

10 popular project management methodologies, but only one home needed for all of them. Get the most out of your project

6. Six Sigma Methodology

The Six Sigma methodology was developed in 1987 in the USA by Motorola . Six Sigma is based on the assumption that every business process can be represented as a mathematical function. The description, measurement, analysis, control, and optimization of these processes are carried out using statistical means.

The main tool of this project management methodology is the DMAIC cycle . DMAIC aims to make business processes measurable and optimize them. The following actions determine the DMAIC cycle:

• D efine: Identification and documentation of the problem in the process to be improved. What should the target state look like?
• M easure: To what extent does the process meet the requirements?
• A nalyze: Identification of the causes of the problem
• I mprove: Resolution of the problem
• C ontrol: Ensuring the sustainability of the solution by monitoring the new process with statistical methods

The leadership of Six Sigma projects is undertaken by specially trained employees. The role designations in Six Sigma teams are based on the belt colors in Japanese martial arts, which serve as a ranking system. For example, there is the Master Black Belt (coach and trainer) or the Black Belt (project manager). A comprehensive explanation of all team roles in this project management methodology can be found here .

Six Sigma is especially popular in large companies. This project management methodology is favored in the manufacturing industry and the service sector. Variants of the Six Sigma method have also become established in software development and the financial industry. Six Sigma is ideally suited for projects with clearly measurable results and a duration of between three and six months.

Unknown Fact: The term “Six Sigma” refers to the statistical expression for a process’s ability to produce only 3.4 defects per million opportunities.

7. Critical Chain Project Management Methodology

Critical Chain project management (CCPM) is an effective project management methodology for managing projects based on the principles of the Theory of Constraints .

Unlike traditional project management approaches, CCPM focuses on the identification and management of bottlenecks in the project. The method concentrates on utilizing critical resources as effectively as possible to shorten throughput times.

The central idea behind CCPM is the creation of a critical chain of tasks, where buffer times are strategically used to account for uncertainties and fluctuations in the project’s progression.

CCPM is particularly suitable for projects with uncertain resource capacities and dynamic requirements. This includes companies from various sectors such as manufacturing, IT, construction, research, and development. The method emphasizes the prioritization of tasks and maximizing efficiency, leading to accelerated project execution. Companies that value lean and targeted project management will find CCPM a valuable method for optimal project results.

Unknown Fact: Critical Chain project management (CCPM) aims not only to identify bottlenecks but also to overcome psychological barriers. CCPM acknowledges that human uncertainty and behavior patterns can impact project performance. Therefore, the project management methodology integrates strategies to cope with uncertainty and promote a positive team environment.

8. PRINCE2 Methodology

Prince2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a proven project management methodology for structured project management that is recognized worldwide.

The method is characterized by clear processes, roles, and responsibilities. Prince2 defines detailed phases in the project cycle, starting with initiation, followed by planning, execution, control, and completion. It places great importance on the involvement of stakeholders and emphasizes the regular review and adjustment of the project status.

Prince2 is particularly suitable for projects with clear definitions, fixed structures, and comprehensive documentation requirements. The method offers flexibility to adapt to various project sizes and types. Large companies with complex projects that seek a methodical approach with clear governance structures will find Prince2 to be a robust method for ensuring project success.

Unknown Fact: Prince2, with its roots in IT projects, was originally developed in the United Kingdom and introduced by the British government.

9. Extreme Programming Methodology

Extreme Programming (XP) is an Agile methodology that focuses on software development and is based on principles such as flexibility and continuous improvement.

Originally developed in 1996, XP has evolved into a versatile project management methodology. XP emphasizes direct communication, collaboration, and customer orientation. With a focus on short development cycles (iterations), Extreme Programming enables rapid adaptation to changing requirements. Pair programming, Test Driven Development (TDD), and continuous integration are key elements of XP. These methods promote high code quality and early detection of errors.

XP is particularly suitable for projects where the requirements are not clearly defined from the beginning and high flexibility is required. Companies looking for an Agile method to quickly respond to customer feedback and deliver high-quality software will find an effective solution in Extreme Programming (XP).

Unknown Fact: Extreme Programming popularized the practice of “User Stories”. User Stories are short, understandable descriptions of features or requirements from the perspective of the end-user. This method helps to improve usability and ensures that the developed features provide clear added value for the users.

10. PMI/PMBOK

PMI stands for the project management Institute which is a not-for-profit membership association, project management certification, and standards organization. Through the PMI, comes the PMBOK which is not quite a methodology but a guide detailing a set of standards that characterize project management.

PMBOK stands for the project management Body of Knowledge and is a set of standard terminology and guidelines for project management. It states that there are five process groups that are prevalent in almost every project. They are:

• Initiating : Defining the start of a new project or new phase of an existing project.
• Planning : Where the scope of the project, objectives, and how the objectives will be achieved.
• Executing : Actually doing the work defined in the project management plan.
• Monitoring and Controlling : When you need to track, review, and regulate the progress and performance.
• Closing : Concluding all activities across all Process Groups to formally close the project or phrase.

Along with this, it includes best practices, conventions, and techniques that are considered the industry standard. Regularly updating their guide to ensure that they echo the most up-to-date project management practices, the PMBOK is currently up to its seventh edition which was published in print and online in 2021.

Because it’s more of a reference guide than an actual project management methodology, you can’t implement PMI/PMBOK to a project. However, it can be used when you want to weigh in on the best practices for your project.

Unknown Fact:  The PMBOK originated from an effort to standardize the information and practices in the field of project management and was first published as a white paper in 1987.

Have you found your Favorite?

Whether it’s a start-up, a corporation, a family business, or even for private projects – the presented selection of various project management methodologies includes solutions for (almost) every team size and project character.

If you have set your sights on one of the project management frameworks, you should familiarize yourself with it thoroughly once again. Especially complex project management methodologies like Scrum or Six Sigma fill entire books and must therefore be understood in the smallest detail.

Are you missing a specific methodology in our overview or would you like to learn more about one of the methods presented? Then leave us a comment. Have you successfully implemented one of the methods? Tell us and other readers about your experiences.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you.

See you soon!

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58 thoughts on “ 10 Most Popular Project Management Methodologies: An Overview ”

Projects that require flexibility and have a level of complexity or uncertainty. For instance, a product or service that hasn’t been built by the team.

Agile is a methodology that has methodologies within itself, such as Scrum and Kanban. While some may argue that they should be considered more as frameworks, they are used to develop and deliver a product or service and carry their own set of characteristics and terminology which I think makes them worthy enough to be included on this list.

Hello, What applications are best and worst suited for the use of Agile principles? What are the challenges in using this approach that Systems Analysts and Project Managers need to be aware of?

What about research projects in Information technologies? What is the typical approach or does it very much depend on the type of domain of research?

Hi Fernando, The approach really depends on the type of domain of research. But I’ve found that agile approaches are common.

Thank you for sharing.

Brilliant overview or Synopsis. There is so much changing in project management world that it does get confusing. This article does align all ducks in a row.

Thanks, Yogesh. Appreciate your support!

Hope this message finds you doing well!

I’m an aircraft engineer and currently interested I’m learning and being certified in QM systems. Now there is a lot of information available online on different methodologies being used hence too much information is not helping. I am currently working in the manufacturing industry where all sorts of vehicles are made.

So far I understand that the methodologies that will suit my industry would be six sigma, Kaizen and LEAN; please do correct me if I am wrong or if there are others available which I have not mentioned. Now with that said. I have 2 questions.

1. Which certification recommendations do you have for engineers in the manufacturing industry.

2. What methodology do you recommend for a startup manufacturing business and which methodologies should they evolve to.

Thank you so much for your time.

Regards, Danish

Hi Danish, Regarding certification, I would recommend enquiring with someone within the manufacturing industry as they’d have more knowledge about this kind of stuff. As for methodology recommendations, as you mentioned, LEAN and Six Sigma could work, but once again, I would advise doing further research.

what methodology is best suited for hospital management?

Hi Kiran, Like most projects, it all depends. There are instances where Waterfall would be ideal, but then there are other instances where agile methodologies would best suit. I would recommend doing research beyond this article as we’re not too acquainted with hospital management. 🙂

Could you please upload all of these as well ? ITIL, PYMBOK, PMI, Prince2. Lean, Waterfall, Six Sigma (I know some of them are mentioned and some of them are not)

PLEASE KINDLY UPLOAD THEM SOON !!!!

ESPECIALLY PRINCE 2 !!!!!!!

Hi Mitz, thanks for your suggestion. I’ll be sure to add it to our list. If you have further feedback, I’d recommend sending them to our customer service team at [email protected] 🙂

Is there a number I can reach you at. I am a general contractor submitting a bid on a large project and I need to provide an awful lot of information on project methodology. I would really appreciate if I could reach out to you for a quick call.

Hi Paul, The best thing to do would be to send a quick email to [email protected] – our team will be able to get back to you and set up a time to call.

Hello Dinnie, I am from finance field. But for my project book i need information of agile methodology. As i’m Non – IT background your article helps me to undestand it in a simple way & info which is in your article helps me to write it on my project book. Thank You..!!

Glad you’ve found the article helpful. Appreciate your support, Aditi.

What methodology would you recommend for a corporate email implementation? The current system needs updating to accommodate over 2,500 staff members.

Thank you for the concise explanation. I am currently in R&D and moving towards software development. I was not familiar with any software development methodologies before. Your article was very concise to get to know some of the well-known methodologies.

Thanks, Ali. Glad you found the article helpful 🙂

ITIL, PYMBOK, PMI, Prince2. Lean, Waterfall, Six Sigma are solid methods, structures or libraries used in conjunction.

Most of the other methodologies were invented due to the high cost of software development. Agile is really done in non regulated areas due to the high cost of documentation vs development so you find a great deal of in fighting in IT environments and then there are high rates of sacking until you find a team that works well in agile, scrum, kanban together. These methods are more a process requirements to me having studied most of the methods.

I am an IT specialist and I can tell you that any construction industry laughs at agile, scrum and kanban. Only suitable for IT and it creates bullying and discrimination. If you enforce ITIL then much of agile, kanban and scrum can be heaped into one name and that would be ‘continuous objectives’ which is not a project as the definition is one of a kind. The same type of software can be built numerous different ways and therefore fails the once off unique definition.

Great insight, Daffy. Thanks for sharing.

Pmi pmbok is not a methodology. P.2, 6 edt.

Hi, I did point out that they’re not methodologies but more guides that detail a set of standards that characterize project management. Appreciate your comment. 🙂

Thanks for the article. It is easy to understand!

Glad you enjoyed it, Christelle 🙂

methodologies outlined clearly. Helpful. thanks

Appreciate your comment, Nancy. 🙂

first of all; I would like to thank you for the amazing article. secondly; If I have a design project (architectural) do you think that the best methodology for that is the Aigle?

Hi Samar, Glad you enjoyed the article 🙂 Agile isn’t the most popular method to use for design projects, however, if you feel that it could work for yours, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a go.

Hii good afternoon……Nice Info……Which company use agile method for quality assurance in software development?

Hi Nithya, I’m sure many companies use agile methods for quality assurance in software development. Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell you which exactly. Thanks for reading 🙂

Hi Good afternoon. could you suggest the best methodology for a project in putting up IT infrastructure (Hardware setup).

Hi Jay 🙂 Considering a hardware setup is a pretty standard procedure, I would recommend something along the lines of the Waterfall method. There’s a lot of planning and documentation involved, so it could be fitting. Hope that helps!

Nice Info! Let me ask: and what about “CRISP-DM” methodology for Data Mining Projects? You think is a good option for? Regards from Perú!

Hi Juanalfieri, I can’t say I’m overly experienced with CRISP-DM, so I would recommend further reading elsewhere. Thanks for the note though, I will look this up and perhaps include it in a revised version of this article 🙂

Thanks for the article. It amazing how it articulates so much knowledge, on a succinct way and gives to the user a quick and sufficient overview of the PM methods as well as the initial boost for a further research deepening down, if needed. What do you would be the best mix methods or mix of them in an ERP implementation such as SAP? Thanks in advance for your reply!

Thanks, Yannis! I haven’t had any experience with ERP implementation myself, however, as they’re usually complex projects, perhaps something agile would be ideal. This is the part where I would suggest to do further research 🙂

Good overview in a prescise manner, easily understood…

Thanks Nazima 🙂

Thanks for the article, it was very helpful.

hye, what is the best methdology for gym management system? thank u

While I’m not all too familiar with gym management systems, I can recommend Kanban. It provides great flow management and the board and cards used offer a visual structure to track various tasks/items in the one place.

Hi Dinnie, great article and very informative. I currently work in a company and we execute contract both government and private contract. I was hired in February and there were 41 contract job being worked on. Ranging from road construction to procurement/supplies etc. I am having a hard time determining which methodology to use and how to track these projects. Most of them have been completed.

Hi Chris, Construction and procurement are traditionally associated with Waterfall, however, I would advise to do further research on whether or not this would apply to your situation. Thanks for the support 🙂

What about Dev Ops methodology? Can you check explain it .

Thanks for the tip, Abdulrahman. Sounds like something that could be included in a revised version of this article.

What methodologies best suit in establishing a retail shop?

Hi Aruni, Establishing a retail shop seems to me something that may involve a few uncertainties and surprises, so I would probably recommend something Agile as they provide leeway and flexibility.

excellent article. found it very useful. Thanks a lot

Cheers Abdul. Glad it could help 🙂

Good article, very informative and helpful. Good job @Dinnie.

Thanks, Prativa 🙂

What about PRINCE2? It seems to me that PMI and PRINCE2 are quite comperable, but PMI is more common in US, while PRINCE2 in in EMEA region. Very good overview btw, great work. 🙂

Thanks, Ivan 🙂 Ah yes, PRINCE2, perhaps I’ll have to include it in a revised version of this article. Cheers for the tip!

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5 Popular Project Management Methodologies and When To Use Them

With all the project management methodologies out there, how do you pick the right one? As a project manager, you know that selecting the correct methodology is an essential part of getting the project done correctly and on time. These processes provide you with guidance and a series of predefined steps that lead to task completion, but each one has its own set of rules, principles, and practices that enable progress and manage complications that may arise during project delivery.

So which one should you choose? It depends on your project scope, your project management tool and requirements: there is no such thing as a ‘right’ methodology for all situations. While there are different processes available (Six Sigma, Kanban, and Lean are popular examples), not all of them are a perfect fit for every project. Below is a list of 5 popular project methodologies and when they should be used for maximum efficacy.

Agile project management is well-named. It values individual interactions over impersonal processes and tools, so one of its core strengths is its ability to adapt to changing situations and ongoing feedback results. It uses iterative and incremental work sequences that are referred to as ‘sprints.’

When members of your team collaborate closely with upper management and clients, directions and solutions tend to evolve and change recognition is important. The Agile methodology is adaptable and flexible enough to allow for these face-to-face interactions and collaborative practices without sending the project off-track or even worse, stalling it completely.

Best suited for: Projects that involve a certain amount of uncertainty and complexity, such as software development. More emphasis tends to be on continuous improvement in the name of high-quality results and obtaining a competitive advantage for the client. IBM is one company that openly uses the Agile methodology to develop its software.

Although Kanban is technically an Agile framework, it is widely regarded as its own methodology. Originally developed to improve Toyota factory production lines during the 1940s, Kanban is a visual process that paints a picture of the project workflow system so that bottlenecks and similar problems can be detected during the early stages of product development.

Kanban visual cues are:

• A Kanban board that can be physical (such as a whiteboard drawing or carefully arranged sticky notes) or digital, like charts produced by web-based project management tools such as Trello . Its basic layout is three columns marked ‘ To Do’, ‘In Progress’ and ‘Done.’
• Kanban cards that each depict a task in the work process. They are used to visually convey information such as project status , upcoming deadlines, and overall progress.
• Kanban swimlanes that provide a good overview of the project workflow by categorizing tasks and deliverable and laying them out horizontally.

Best suited for: Software development and any other project that emphasizes continuous improvements in the development process. Many people also use it for personal productivity action plans.

The lean methodology aims to maximize customer value by using fewer resources, which minimized waste. Like Agile, it is a concept that evolved from the Japanese manufacturing industry, which emphasizes the elimination of waste as a method of improving quality and reducing both costs and production time.

Lean project management recognizes three types of waste, commonly known as the 3Ms:

• Muda :  Eliminating a process or activity that does not add value to the project. It can refer to a physical waste, such as raw materials and inventory, or a waste of resources, such as over-processing and overproduction.
• Mura : Trimming away workflow process delays that could affect scheduling and operations. Examples include a worker spending too much time perfecting a design, giving team members at the next stage in the timeline less time to do their work.
• Muri : Getting rid of excess baggage so that the process does not slow down. It refers mainly to project managers who slow their team members down via poor organization, micromanaging, and other time-wasting practices.

Best suited for: Companies that want to change the way that they do business. As a methodology, it addresses more operational than project processes.

4. Waterfall

One of the best-known and more traditional project management methodologies, Waterfall takes a sequential and linear design approach in which progress ‘flows’ downwards, in a single fluid direction, like a waterfall. It originally appeared in the construction and manufacturing industry, where plans are rigidly structured and change and experimentation cost money. The premise of the waterfall methodology is that the team can only move to the next stage in the project timeline after the present phase has been successfully completed. The phases are:

• System and software requirements

Best suited for: Bigger projects, such as public infrastructure, that require the team to maintain strict deadlines and move from one stage only after the previous one has been completed. Before Agile appeared, the Waterfall methodology was used to develop software, but it was later found to be too non-adaptive and not conducive to customer feedback.

5. Six Sigma

Originally introduced by Motorola engineers during the mid-1980s, Six Sigma strives to improve project quality and success by identifying what is not working and removing it from the process. Its main resources are quality management tools that rely on statistical and empirical data as well as expert input, to reduce the number of errors.

Six Sigma has two primary methodologies:

• DMAIC , an acronym for defining the problem and project goals, measuring the aspects of the process currently being used, analyzing data to detect core defects, improving the process, and controlling how it is carried out in the future.
• DMADV , an acronym for defining the project goals, measuring the essential parts of the process and product, analyzing the data to develop various process designs and choose the best one, designing and testing the new process and verifying its quality via simulations and other testing

Best suited for : Bigger organizations and companies that want to use data to improve their operating efficiency and output quality.

Choosing the right methodology for your project is critical to its success. When you find one that meets the needs of the project, industry, and / or organization your team will have the blueprint it needs to deliver quality results.

Rose Keefe is an author and technical writer who has over ten years’ experience in supporting project managers in the manufacturing and construction sectors. One of her primary responsibilities was developing product manuals that supported efficient use of industrial equipment. She continues to write on the subject of time management and commercial productivity for trade websites and publications.

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13 Efficient Project Management Methodologies to Simplify Tasks

February 16, 2023

by Grace Pinegar

In this post

What is a project management framework, 13 common project management methodologies, benefits of project management methodologies, challenges of project management methodologies.

A successful recipe never deceives. Likewise, a successful project management methodology never fails. 

A whiff of aromatic spices enters your room. Mesmerized, you follow the aroma, which leads you into the kitchen of your house.

Your mother is cooking up an aubergine curry. You plead with her to let you taste some. As you do, the blissful taste takes you to the seventh heaven.

What met your eyes was a finished curry. But what you didn't see is the effort. From washing the aubergines to cleaning them to cooking them on an open fire, the curry was a concoction of several processes. Pretty much like a project, which needs an apt project management methodology.

In the business scenario, project management methodology is an evaluation of a company's financial and team skillset. It contains a site plan, project brief, front runners on a project, and back-end synchronization of the involved teams. Software projects differ from financial or HR projects, but the end goal is the same; profit.

Over time, project managers have developed a plethora of methodologies for how they orchestrate and control their projects, with the inclusion of project management software .

What is a project management methodology?

A project management methodology is a charted-out roadmap that leads to the successful execution of a project. It contains tools, software, guidelines, and resources that project managers require to plan, manage and monitor deliverables successfully.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the list of possible methodologies grows constantly as innovative leaders think of new ways to conduct their projects efficiently. It can feel overwhelming just looking at a list of these methodologies, wondering which will lead your team to project success . 

The first step is to pan out your project requirements. Analyze your team bandwidth, resources, software requirements, time, and labor. All these requirements fit snugly into a project management framework.

The project framework consists of important steps, guidelines, and policies that shape the course of your project. It draws a fine line between each individual process so that no two processes overlap with each other. Each team member within the project team is assigned a task by the project manager, which they need to complete within the deadline.

It can be grouped into six major steps.

• Project Initiation: The first stage is about research, ideation, feasibility analysis, and prototyping of the project structure. Team members are handed over a brief and assigned responsibilities. Each team member sows an idea, which the management team brainstorms on. 
• Planning: In this stage, you collate the necessary project requirements, collaborate with team members, and set a budget. You appoint a leader who will run the operational aspect of your project. You also plan short-term and long-term goals and how you wish to accomplish them.
• Execution: This stage consists of the actual production of project deliverables, content, and design inventory of the project. Each team member owns and delivers on their tasks from start to end. 
• Management: This stage focuses on creating knowledge repositories, documentation, and key progress metrics. As you kick off milestones of your project, share the learnings with your teams. It motivates your teams to perform with more enthusiasm. 
• Review : Project managers finalize the drafts, prepare for the launch, and conduct tests and trials. This is the stage when the efforts of project contributors are rewarded and appreciated.

Once you have prepared a comprehensive plan, it is time to figure out which project management method will help you hit these targets sooner. 

Every list you’ll find on the internet regarding project management methodology types will vary. That’s because this term is fairly fluid, and everyone’s definition of “methodology” is different.

In this article, I’ve compiled 13 of what I believe are the most commonly used methodology types in the hopes that you can find something that works well for your team.

Kanban falls under the lean project management umbrella and is most closely compared to the scrum methodology. Kanban focuses on maintaining strict processes so as to make the project go smoothly.

Kanban requires real-time communication through something called a Kanban board, a project management scheduling tool that makes work transparent between departments. Kanban board resembles a pinboard, where you can pin your queued, in progress, validated, and completed tasks chronologically. Kanban is Japanese for “visual signal,” which makes sense as you understand how necessary the vision board is to the methodology. 

Kanban is most typically used to implement agile software development, as well as in lean manufacturing projects like just-in-time . As you can see from the image above, a kanban board consists of visual signals, columns, commitment points, delivery points, and work-in-progress limits.

Some professionals swear by kanban boards, while others aren’t so keen. Kanban is a great methodology for teams looking to reduce the amount of time it takes to get a project from start to finish. Kanban is also a good fit for production support.

When to use kanban

Kanban is generally used to indicate supply replenishment levels. It can visually represent your project supply requirements, work in progress, and completed tasks. You can get "at a glance" updates, shift focus from completed to WIP tasks and schedule necessary supervision runs. If you function on a constant "pull" basis without any downtime or overstocking, kanban is for you.  

Scrum is a popular project management methodology and is a feature of the agile method. Therefore, it is not a standalone methodology. “Scrum” is originally a rugby term. That’s right; even project managers use sports analogies. Scrum is a rugby play in which teammates lock arms with their heads down and push against the opposition together.

The project management definition varies. The scrum framework, in a professional setting, focuses on teamwork, personal accountability, and group progress toward the same objectives. 

Scrum has three pillars: transparency, inspection, and adaptation. Teams who choose scrum operate their projects in two-week or month-long increments referred to as “sprints.” With a focus on accomplishing short projects constantly, the scrum methodology makes large, multi-faceted projects feel easier to accomplish. 

Within the scrum methodology, teams manage themselves. The team divides the work between project members, the scrum master, and the product owner and projects a rough timeline or sprint. Bountiful project overruns, monitoring, and final checks are all completed within that sprint.  The deadline and workload are always clearly communicated, allowing employees to divide responsibilities as needed.

One important aspect of the scrum methodology is the daily morning standup meetings wherein team members deliver updates on progress, blockers, or ideas. They also discuss the day's ad hoc tasks, which need adherence and focus. With such teamwide transparency, a project manager is not needed 24/7, leaving managers to control project direction and focus.

Scrum is a fast-paced methodology that works best within flexible teams who can quickly adjust. This is true not only of the project but also within the company as a whole. 

Scrum is best for teams with experienced managers who are skilled in prioritization. This methodology works well for independent leaders who can navigate their projects without hand-holding.

Because of its swift deadlines and narrowed focus, scrum is not ideal for larger teams that have to manage a multitude of employees. It is, however, an effective methodology for organizations with smaller, more focused groups who are ready and willing to take on larger projects.

When to use scrum

You can use scrum if you strive for continuous improvement within your teams. With a consistent streak of task delivery, one gets better at the skill. Be it design, content creation, or email marketing, scrum makes you an expert at your job. Switching to scrum as effective means of project management can help you get more done in less time. 

Top 7 scrum certifications 

Let's look at seven famous types of scrum certifications you can complete to become a scrum master and lead high-end projects.

• Certified Scrum Master:  This certification is meant for professionals who engage in cross-collaboration and solve complex problems.
• Certified Scrum Product Owner:  This certification trains you to be a full-fledged product owner rather than training you on a specific project.
• Professional Scrum Master:  This certification is divided into two parts. PSM 1 validates your understanding of the Scrum framework, while PSM 2 and 3 train you on complex developmental processes.
• Certified Scrum Professional:  This certification improves your understanding of scrum and agile processes from a software developer's point of view. 
• SAFe Scrum Master (SSM):  This is a remote administration scrum certification where you'll learn lean, agile, and DevOps concepts. 
• Professional Scrum Product Owner 1 (PSPO 1):   This certification helps you study your product from all angles and craft agile strategies to bring value to it. 
• Certified Scrum Developer:  This certification includes core scrum and agile concepts, which, if you learn and adapt, would strengthen your product lifecycle knowledge.

3. Scrumban

Scrumban is, as you may be able to tell, a combination of the scrum and kanban methodologies. 

Why would you want to combine two separate methodologies, you ask? Project management is all about finding what works for you and your team. If you get there by taking the best features of two varying methods, so be it. 

Scrumban is being used more and more within the service industry, which has to focus on both upkeep and production. Scrumban takes hints from the scrum methodology so as to remain agile and flexible. It combines that agility with the continual improvement philosophy from kanban in order to create the scrumban method.

When to use scrumban

Scrumban is a good idea for maintenance-type projects and teams that work in sprints to develop new products or services. As new product sprints don't have fixed timelines, scrumban's flexibility and agility would give your product teams a relaxed atmosphere.

4. Critical Path Method (CPM)

This methodology is driven by an algorithm that determines a project’s schedule and activities. Project administrators who utilize CPM are required to understand the activities that a project needs to accomplish, the time allowed for each task or activity within the work structure, project deliverables , and dependencies. 

Once you have a grasp on the variables, you can use estimated durations for each task, plus any dependencies, to help structure the project. This extrapolates a project’s overall timeline and delegates tasks more efficiently. CPM allows you to determine what can be completed in tandem and which tasks depend on prior steps’ completion.  The critical path method installs one particular service at a given timeframe while assigning other services a fixed turnaround. 

Source: workamajig.com

Organizations waste a lot less time when they provide detailed project schedules. CPM is, unfortunately, not a great choice for beginners. It necessitates the experience of those who have been around the block. If you’re leading a project for the first time, this is not the right methodology. 

CPM is a good methodology for projects with interconnected responsibilities. One good example would be residential construction. It’s impossible to put carpet in a home while you’re still laying the foundation. However, team members can take to working on other aspects of home building, such as cutting wood or creating more insulation.

When to use CPM

The critical path method can be used when important product updates are at stake. If you are stuck with necessary approvals on projects, you can use CPM to schedule your tasks in accordance with tentative dates. This project management method takes into account the criticality of the problem and provides a relevant solution. 

5. Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)

Critical chain project management does not go as far back as many of the other methodologies. Rather, it was developed more recently as an alternative for those who weren’t getting their money’s worth with the critical path method (CPM). 

In this methodology, you work backward to go forward. Essentially, you take your deliverables — or the items you want this project to produce — and use those to create a detailed and accurate project schedule. 

In critical chain project management, planning revolves around resources or the people and equipment you have available to carry out tasks. This methodology takes stock of task order and deadlines but doesn’t use those parameters as its driving force. CCPM is a relatively newer methodology that asserts a focus on the sustainability of resources.

Administrators are responsible for analyzing a project’s deliverables and working backward to find out which resources are necessary for a job’s completion. CCPM is an effective way for companies with limited resources to accomplish their goals. CCPM has been known to help organizations scale projects faster and without spending as much working capital .

In CCPM, the focus is placed on mono-tasking or allocating energy to one task at a time. This is the opposite of multitasking, which requires people to split focus between varying project components. Studies have proven that multitasking is an inefficient way to get things done, as it’s impossible to devote your attention to separate things at the same time.

When to use critical chain project management

CCPM would be a fitting methodology for a company trying to roll out a live-chat solution. Such a project requires one team’s full attention as they work to deploy a new tactic. It is difficult to enact CCPM across departments and teams because there will always be conflicting priorities.

Critical chain project management prioritizes task handling among teams to get more done in less time. It doesn't let you divert your focus from the project. For companies looking for greater efficiency and accuracy, this is the right choice.

6. Lean methodology

Lean project management is all about maximizing value and minimizing waste. Every business, everywhere, hopes to increase profits and decrease the number of resources spent to produce its goods and/or services. 

Source: kanbanize

Lean management can help you do this with its five principles. These principles aim to help companies reduce costs, improve the quality of their goods and services, and increase consumer happiness. Whether that’s happiness with the product or happiness in life, I’ll let you decide. 

The lean methodology’s five principles are as follows:

• Understand project value
• Map your value stream
• Ensure the flow of the value stream
• Let the customer determine the pull
• Continually improve process

When to use lean methodology

This methodology is a great option for companies that have limited resources or wish to reduce their resource usage. Lean management enables organizations to reduce costs without reducing quality.

Lean management can help you reduce factory waste and maximize shelf production. This technique has unwrapped newer ways of efficient production. It boosts workers' motivation as they do not have to rake in long hours dealing with heavy-handed machinery. The technique is now being adopted into software as a service (SaaS) business applications to manage communication and vendor outsourcing.  

7. Extreme Programming (XP)

Extreme programming (XP) is an agile approach to software development. Its main goal is to improve software quality while also improving the lives of those who are working on the projects, i.e., the developers. This is what the process looks like:

                                                          Source: dataMiner dojo

According to Don Wells, extreme programming should be used in times of:

• Dynamically changing software requirements
• Risks caused by fixed-time projects using new technology
• The small, co-located extended development team
• The technology you are using allows for automated unit and functional tests

XP has five core values: communication, courage, feedback, respect, and simplicity. These core values keep the ship running tight and prioritize the treatment of team members in pursuit of achieving goals. 

XP is conducted through varying practices, which Ron Jeffries originally outlined . The practices of XP continue to value a team effort and care for the individual. 

When to use extreme programming

If you want to give your software teams a respite from constant product iterations, you can use this methodology. Extreme programming can weather harsh conditions, like changes in system configuration or functionality. It can shift your product as per consumer requirements and let you heave a sigh of relief. Extreme programming lessens the aftermath of project runs and mitigates data risks. 

8. Waterfall

The waterfall methodology is one of the oldest tricks in the book. This method of project management was developed in the 1970s and is still being used today, more widely in the software and engineering industries.

The waterfall strategy consists of creating a sequential order of stages or steps to proceed. Those leading a waterfall project should have the stages and steps they intend to follow laid out beforehand. Project managers and team leaders are required to have a clear understanding of the project design from the beginning. 

This strategy is not flexible to change and should not be used for projects with an extensive timeline. The stages used will vary depending on your team structure and preferred workflow, but they can look something like this:

                                                           Source: Instagantt

Have you ever made plans to train for a marathon? Plan a wedding? Buy a new house? Then you may have used this method without even knowing it. 

The waterfall method can be used in any such situation. It’s simply the process of listing deliverables and completing them sequentially. 

If you’re working with a project team, some tasks might be delegated to other employees. Each step in the waterfall method is completed before you continue to the next, which provides enough time to check the results and ensure everything is done correctly.

This method does not allow for doubling back and redoing previous steps. It requires you to get the right things done at the right time, making it a risky choice for projects riddled with uncertainty. You will want to take this into account when deciding if the waterfall method is right for you and your team. 

When to use waterfall

As the waterfall model meanders only forward and not backward, you can use it for projects that have fixed requirements, time, cost, and resources. The waterfall methodology doesn't give you a second chance to go back and re-adjust your project parameters. Each step in the project management framework should be approved and finished before hopping to the next one. 

If something is agile, it is able to move quickly and easily. If you have a rapidly developing strategy and employees who need to be able to keep up, your project management methodology should be agile too. 

The agile structure is more cyclical, as opposed to other methodologies, which are more linear. It is the opposite of the waterfall method and instead puts a focus on continuous improvement.

The order of things in the agile method can look something like this: Plan - Design - Create - Test - Analyze - Launch - Plan

Like any project, you begin with an idea. Then you implement that idea and make changes and improvements in real-time. The agile methodology is quite flexible, giving employees space to collaborate and create better solutions.

For example, VistaPrint, a photostat company, recently turned agile from the traditional waterfall model. The main incentive was the slowdown of the product development lifecycle. Researchers found that it took almost 2 months for a product to move from the ideation stage to the implementation stage, which was alarming. As the waterfall model doesn't look back once started, no one counted the amount of work and days consumed! 

Agile methodology eliminated long creative lead times and unclear decision-making. It decreased peer feedback times, optimized business processes, and introduced daily standups with Kanban flashcards. These newfound practices helped them to come down to 15 days from 60 days!

                                                                              Source: Medium

One challenge with the agile methodology is that everything is an educated guess. Your deadlines aren’t hard and fast, and neither is your budget. As time goes on, you may need to rewire some strategies, change due dates, or even ask your stakeholders for additional resources.

When to use agile

This methodology may not be a good choice for those operating with fixed resources and bandwidth, like creative teams.

This strategy requires constant communication, so project managers are able to fix what’s gone wrong. If you’re on a team that utilizes agile, you are also responsible for speaking up when processes aren’t working or could be better. Agile systems run on lean production and inventory, so you need to do away with stagnant components or practices. 

A hybrid methodology refers to a combination of waterfall and agile. This strategy consists of front-loading a lot of the work. There is a heavy analysis and a focus on discovering the problem. 

                                                                       Source: ZenTao

Once the problem is registered, hybrid develops into an agile workflow. Some professionals refer to the hybrid approach as “structured agile.”

Hybrid requires teams to take their time before jumping into a project. This allows teams to remain coherent with project needs in the first leg of the project management framework but flexible in later project stages. 

Hybrid projects are structured while remaining flexible. The project’s problems may be mapped out in advance, but helpful iterations can be continually added on. This keeps teams from having to restart projects completely to make a few changes. 

To some, this strategy can feel like a compromise. It’s neither completely structured nor completely freeform. This approach is a good choice for teams that generally know what they want but aren’t 100 percent sure how to get there. 

When to use hybrid

This approach is a good choice for teams that generally know what they want but aren’t 100 percent sure how to get there. This approach is also effective for teams with a clear budget in place and can iterate without going off the deep end.

PRiSM is an acronym that stands for Projects integrating Sustainable Methods. The PRiSM approach uniquely focuses on how a project can and will affect the environment. Originally developed by Green Project Management (GPM), this methodology has achieved awards for its green focus and overall resource maximization. 

The PRiSM strategy challenges people not just to consider the project life cycle, but also to think about the after-effects. The PRiSM methodology is more commonly used in communities that prioritize environmental protection and green computing.

Source: Green project management

This doesn’t mean that all PRiSM projects are centered on environmental preservation. PRiSM can be used in any project. However, it certainly is popular within organizations that generally prioritize sustainability efforts.

What kinds of industries, then, might utilize PRiSM? Is there one type of organization that should consider the environment when drafting its project plan? Or should this be a more universal practice? 

Oil and gas are just two industries that could make a huge difference by considering long-term environmental effects in their project charters . Any company that requires deforestation should also consider the PRiSM methodology. Examples of these are real estate companies, construction industries, and manufacturing companies.

When to use PRiSM

If your business strives for a greener future, PRiSM should be your curtain call. PRiSM derives utility from every potential angle of your product lifecycle and strategizes sustainable outcomes. It abides by socio-economic and environmental welfare practices. It ensures a promise that one day, the world will be a greener, healthier, and less smoky place.

12. PRINCE2

PRINCE2 is an acronym for Projects in Controlled Environments. (Project management has a LOT of terms —acronyms are necessary!) This methodology was, funnily enough, developed for and used most often by government officials in the UK. It is now more widely distributed and has spread to other European countries, as well as Australia. 

PRINCE2 requires users to divide projects up into smaller, more approachable stages. This is the standard methodology for information systems projects in the U.K. PRINCE2 is a structured methodology with seven principles that are consistent across any organization. 

The seven principles of PRINCE2 are:

1. Continued business justification: Is the project continually viable?

2. Manage by exception: Communication is utilized when necessary (i.e., when a problem arises). 

3. Learn from experience: Team members maintain a consistent lessons log throughout the project. Project team members should refer to the current and previous lessons logs to speed up processes. 

4. Defined roles and responsibilities: Individuals may take on many roles. The four levels of roles are corporate or program management, project board, project manager level, and team level.

5. Manage by stages: The PRINCE2 plan is controlled one stage at a time. Before they can transition into a new stage, team members must document new risks, the overall plan, or any updates to the next stage concerning recent discoveries. 

6. Focus on products: Focus on what a project has to deliver or its deliverables as defined by executives and/or consumers. Everyone working on the project should be making moves toward one desired outcome. 

7. Tailor to suit the project environment: This methodology should be tweaked according to its environment. In other words, continue to operate according to your normal structures.

 Like the waterfall method, PRINCE2 does not accommodate change as easily as other methods. Any change made in the middle of the project requires a redo of almost all documentation. As a document-heavy methodology, this could add up to hours of work. Project managers should consider this before choosing the PRINCE2 method.

When to use PRINCE2

This method is primarily suited for government projects in the U.K., considering that is its intended purpose. However, it can also be a useful method for projects with pre-sorted requirements. Again, with so much necessary documentation, PRINCE2 is not something you’ll want to get into as you go.

13. Integrated project management (IPM)

In integrated project management, companies fully standardize their project management strategies. This is an especially relevant strategy in creative industries so as to structure the development of various collaterals.

This strategy makes way for clarity across the board by having employees across departments follow the same structure. It simplifies progress communication, as all teams operate on a similar agenda. 

When to use IPM

IPM might be a good strategy to choose if your organization plans to publish content across various platforms and devices. The “integrated” aspect means all parts of the process work together to make each other more effective. You can plan your go-to-market strategy and align it with IPM. All your videos, promotional teasers, trailers, ebooks, and other collaterals can be centralized in one GTM sheet that every team member can access.

Nothing sounds better than having a set system for project errands. Project management methodology is a soft tool that standardizes, structures and organizes your work queues. This recollects your focus in one single direction and keeps things moving down the funnel without external stoppage.

When you're deploying any of these methodologies, lean into their work mechanism. There can be infinite successful outcomes if you work closely with your peers, adhere to your methodology, and work diligently. Following this practice would reap numerous benefits. You can

• Organize and streamline project cycles at the outset of every quarter.
• Automate project management workflows without manual intervention.
• Manage and mitigate security risks associated with projects.
• Make room for cost-benefit analysis of financial and implicit resources.
• Utilize alternate opportunistic methods for project delivery
• Speed up your team's learning curve by training them on tools in advance
• Bring your teams closer to each other, and enhance collaboration and team bonds.
• Real-time interaction with clients at every stage of the project lifecycle for valuable inputs.

Things seem on the up and up, there is no going up before going down

While project management removes the albatross around your neck, it does come with a few challenges. 

1. Conflict of interest: Not everyone would be on board with the project management methodology.

2. Goal setting:  Failure to distinguish goals can result in a host of problems, including vendor mismanagement and poor resource allocation.

3. Scope creeps: Clients may request unexpected changes at later stages changes, resulting in scope creep. You can handle this by either asking for a fund increase or a time extension.

4. Budget restrictions : If you initialize your project with a fixed budget, chances are you might readjust it later. It all depends on what resources you need to bring in and the approvals you need to take. The budget is directly proportional to the return on investment (ROI). So the more you invest, the higher could be promised.  

5. Lack of communication:  Lack of communication might overshadow your employee's working ability. If the employees don't interact, they won't know what the other is working on, resulting in less efficiency and missed deadlines.

6. Team conflict:  If things got sour between project stakeholders, the whole project would face the music of failure. Constant vendetta can put each team's efforts at risk and sabotage the entire organization.

7. Team performance:  If the leader doesn't track team performance, he won't know who is looking after what. A foggy mindset would neither empower employees to do better nor churn any profits in the long run.

Now you can take the lead

Phew - that was a lot of information. Hopefully, you understand your options and are a few steps closer to choosing the methodology that is right for you.

The best part? You don’t have to stick with one of these after deciding. If you try it out for a while, only to realize it’s not fit, you can go back to the drawing board. Just try not to do that too many times, as you’ll end up depleting vital resources, patience being one of them!

Wondering whether a project is right for you right now? Learn how to conduct a feasibility study to save you time and money in the long run.

This article was originally published in 2019. The content has been updated with new information.

Make your projects count!

Automate your project management workflows and scale the scope of success with project management software.

Grace Pinegar is a lifelong storyteller with an extensive background in various forms such as acting, journalism, improv, research, and content marketing. She was raised in Texas, educated in Missouri, worked in Chicago, and is now a proud New Yorker. (she/her/hers)

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Project Management Methodologies

Project Management Guide

• 1.  Project Management Basics

A. The traditional, sequential methodologies

B. the agile family, c. the change management methodologies, d. the process-based methodologies, e. other methodologies, f. the pmbok “method”.

• 3.  Project Management Life Cycle
• 4.  Best Project Management Software
• 5.  Team Collaboration Tips
• 6.  Agile Methodology Basics
• 7.  Agile Project Management Tools & Techniques
• 8.  Project Management Frameworks
• 9.  Resources
• 10.  Glossary
• 11.  FAQ

The top project management methodologies

“You mean there’s more than one project management methodology?” There are quite a lot of them, actually, and some even combine to form new hybrid approaches. But what are they exactly? How do they help project teams work better? And what makes one methodology better than another?

Project management methodologies are essentially different ways to approach a project. Each one has a unique process and workflow.

Here, we look at some of the top project management methodologies, grouped by similarity and popularity.

Before we begin, you can unlock a free trial with Wrike right now to try out our powerful features, collaborate with colleagues in real time, and streamline all your projects in one platform.

Waterfall project management methodology

The most common way to plan out a project is to sequence the tasks that lead to a final deliverable and work on them in order. This process is also known as the waterfall methodology — the traditional method for managing projects and the one that is simplest to understand. You have to complete one task before the next one begins in a connected sequence of items that add up to the overall deliverable. It’s an ideal method for projects that result in physical objects (buildings, computers), and you can easily replicate project plans for future use.

The power of this methodology is that every step is preplanned and laid out in the proper sequence. While this may be the simplest method to implement initially, any changes in stakeholders’ needs or priorities will disrupt the series of tasks, making it very difficult to manage. This methodology excels in predictability but lacks in flexibility.

Critical path method (CPM)

The critical path method was developed in the 1950s, based on the idea that there are some tasks you can’t start until you finish the previous one. When you string these dependent tasks together from start to finish, you plot out your critical path.

Identifying and focusing on this critical path allows project managers to prioritize and allocate resources to get the most important work done and reschedule any lower priority tasks that may be clogging up your team’s bandwidth. This way, if you need to make changes to the project schedule, you can optimize your team’s work process without delaying the results.

This way, if you need to make changes to the project schedule, you can optimize your team’s work process without delaying the results. A Gantt chart is one of the most common ways to visualize the critical path in project management.

Further Reading:

Critical Path Is as Easy as 1-2-3

How to Calculate Critical Path in Project Management

Critical chain project management (CCPM)

Critical chain project management takes the critical path method one step further. CCPM is a methodology that focuses on the resources needed to complete the project’s tasks by adding resource availability to the critical path. It also builds buffers of time around these tasks in the project’s schedule, ensuring the project meets its deadlines.

Agile project management methodologies are growing in popularity, thanks to a highly competitive business environment and increased innovation. In general, Agile methodologies prioritize shorter, iterative cycles and flexibility.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular Agile frameworks.

Agile project management methodology

The core of the Agile methodology was developed in 2001 with four central values:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

The Agile Manifesto of Software Development put forth a groundbreaking mindset on delivering value and collaborating with customers. Today, Agile can refer to these values as well as the frameworks for implementing them, including Scrum, Kanban, extreme programming, and adaptive project framework.

What do these various Agile frameworks have in common?

Project objectives are made clear by the customer (internal or external), while the final deliverable can change as the project progresses. The project team works in iterative cycles, always evaluating results at the end. Depending on the results of these evaluations, the final deliverable may be modified to better answer the customer’s needs. Continuous collaboration is key, both within the project team and with project stakeholders .

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Scrum is the most popular Agile development framework because it is relatively simple to implement. It also solves many problems that software developers struggled with in the past, such as convoluted development cycles, inflexible project plans, and shifting production schedules.

In Scrum, a small team is led by a Scrum master whose main job is to clear away all obstacles to working efficiently. The team works in short cycles of two weeks called “sprints,” though the team members meet daily to discuss their work and any roadblocks that need clearing. This methodology allows for rapid development and testing, especially within small teams.

Fundamentals of the Scrum Methodology

Scrum in Wrike: Making Software Development More Agile

Kanban is another framework for implementing Agile based on a team’s capacity. It originated in Toyota’s factories during the 1940s. The departments used a visual system of cards (“Kanban”) to signal that their team was ready for more raw materials and had more capacity to produce.

Today, this visual approach to managing a project is well-suited to work that requires steady output. Project teams create visual representations of their tasks, often using sticky notes and whiteboards (or online Kanban boards ), moving the notes or tasks through predetermined stages to see progress as it happens and identify where roadblocks could occur.

Extreme Programming (XP)

Extreme programming (XP) is another offshoot of Agile. XP is a methodology designed to enhance software quality (and simplicity) and a development team’s ability to adapt to customers’ needs. Much like the original Agile formula, XP features short work sprints, frequent iterations, and constant collaboration with stakeholders. Change can happen within a sprint. If work hasn’t started on a specific feature, it can be swapped out and replaced by a similar task.

Adaptive Project Framework (APF)

Adaptive project framework grew from the difficulty in managing most IT projects using traditional project management methods due to uncertain and changing requirements.

APF begins with a requirements breakdown structure (RBS) to define strategic project goals based on product requirements, functions, sub-functions, and features. The project proceeds in iterative stages, and at the end of each step, teams evaluate previous results to improve performance and practices. Stakeholders can also change the project’s scope at the start of each stage so the team can produce the most business value.

Some methodologies deal with managing projects, but with an extra focus on change management — especially planning for risks and taking control of change when it happens. Notable methods include:

Event chain methodology (ECM)

The underlying idea behind event chain methodology is that potential risks often lie outside the project’s scope. It’s essential to prepare for these risks and plan your response since unexpected events will impact your project’s schedule, deliverables, and potentially its success.

Extreme Project Management (XPM)

Extreme project management (XPM) is the opposite of waterfall. It offers you a way to manage massive change and still move forward to project completion. In XPM, you can alter the project plan, budget, and even the final deliverable to fit changing needs, no matter how far along the project is. It’s a good option when managing projects with a short timeline of anywhere from a few weeks to mere days.

What Is Extreme Project Management and Is It Right for Your Team?

Next, we have the project management methods that practically veer into business process management (BPM), where each approach focuses on work as a collection of processes. While project management purists may argue that these methods belong on a different list, we think these are still good ways to plan and execute a project.

Lean is a methodology focused on streamlining and cutting out waste. The first step is to create a work process breakdown to identify and eliminate bottlenecks and delays. The goal is to do more with less — to deliver value to the customer using less manpower, less money, and less time.

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Six sigma is a statistics-based methodology seeking to improve the quality of a process by measuring the defects or bugs present and eliminating as many as possible. A process can attain a six sigma rating if 99.99966% of the final product — your project deliverable — is defect-free.

Lean six sigma

Combining the minimalist approach of lean (“no waste!”) and the quality improvement of six sigma (“zero defects!”), lean six sigma focuses on eliminating waste so that projects are more efficient, cost-effective, and truly answer customers’ needs.

Process-based project management

Process-based project management is a methodology aligning all project objectives with a company’s larger mission and corporate values. All project goals and tasks remain strategic and must roll up to the larger corporate objectives. The steps involved include defining the process, establishing metrics, measuring methods, adjusting goals when these prove unstable, planning improvements, and implementing them.

PRINCE2 stands for Projects In Controlled Environments. It’s a method for managing projects used by the UK government and characterized by a product-based planning approach. In PRINCE2, a structured project board is in charge of high-level activities such as setting the business justification and resource allocation. A project manager takes care of the lower level, day-to-day activities like scheduling. This methodology gives teams greater control of resources and the ability to mitigate risk effectively.

PRINCE2 Explained

PRiSM stands for Projects Integrating Sustainable Methods and aims at managing change while incorporating environmental sustainability into its processes. The goal with PRiSM is to complete tasks while reducing a company’s negative environmental and social impact. It is, quite literally, green project management.

Benefits realization

From conception to execution to delivery and beyond, the benefits realization methodology focuses on whether your deliverables satisfy the benefits the customer expects, and not just whether you delivered it on time or within budget. This methodology ensures that you provide real value to customers and stakeholders.

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While it may be debatable whether this is a true project management methodology, you will find organizations that say they use the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK) method for managing projects.

While not an official methodology, this system involves breaking down projects into the five process groups agreed upon by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and documented in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). The five stages include:

• Controlling

What’s inside the PMBOK guide

WThe PMBOK collects set processes, best practices, terminologies, and guidelines that the project management industry accepts as standards. You’ll find it documented in the book, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) , compiled and overseen by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

The PMBOK Guide provides project managers with guidelines and best practices, defining everything from the project life cycle to project management strategies and concepts. The PMBOK Guide details the various project management processes that interact and overlap throughout a project’s life cycle.

The 10 project management knowledge areas of PMBOK

PMBOK officially recognizes 47 typical project management processes, organized into 10 knowledge areas:

• Project communication management: Processes that disseminate information among team members and external stakeholders, ensuring that data is exchanged continuously, and more importantly, understood by all concerned.
• Project cost management: Processes regarding budgets, funding, spending allocation, and timing. Cost management is dependent on activity estimates from time management.
• Project human resources management: Processes involving managing your project team, like sourcing, hiring, assigning roles, professional development, and fostering team spirit.
• Project integration management: Processes necessary to define, consolidate, and coordinate all the other processes and project management activities. These processes are vital in setting expectations and keeping communication lines open.
• Project procurement management: Processes for planning, budgeting, and purchasing resources — whether physical or informational — to complete work.
• Project quality management: Processes that define a project’s success or criteria for considering the task complete. The team manages quality at every stage of the project, from planning to continuous performance improvement.
• Project risk management: Processes involved with preparing for and managing unexpected risks.
• Project scope management : Processes managing the scope or parameters of a project. These processes ensure the range is well-defined and that all requirements remain within the limit.
• Project stakeholder management : Processes that identify who will be impacted by the project and manage relationships with them, including strategies for collaborating with stakeholders on project direction and execution.
• Project time management: Processes needed to ensure the project is completed before the specified deadline.

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Empower your project management methodology with Wrike

In conclusion, choosing the right project management methodology can make a significant difference in the success of your project. Each methodology has its unique characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages, and selecting the appropriate one depends on various factors such as project size, complexity, and team expertise. 

Wrike offers an extensive range of features that cater to different project methodology needs and objectives, from Agile to Waterfall. With customizable workflows, pre-built templates, time-saving automation, and a user-friendly interface, Wrike makes it easy to implement new methodologies from scratch.

Whether you run a small business or a large enterprise, Wrike can help you manage your tasks more efficiently and tick off your to-do list. Use Wrike to increase your team’s productivity and deliver projects on time, every time.

Choose the Right Project Management Methodology

How to choose the right project management methodology.

How do you choose the right methodology for your project with so many different options available? You should pick based on the needs of your project and your team. Two tips are relevant here:

A. Start with the end in mind

Take a look at your requirements, project goals, and objectives. What does your final deliverable need to look like? What benefits should it provide? Here are some examples:

• If it’s a physical object, such as a building or a household product with very definite materials and stakeholder expectations, it may benefit from a sequential methodology such as waterfall or critical path.
• If it’s a software product or app that is not set in stone, a flexible Agile methodology may be just what the project needs. 
• If environmental sustainability is a core value of your organization and essential to the delivery of your product, try PRiSM. 
• Process-based methodologies such as lean or lean six sigma support the rapid development of a minimum viable product.

B. Assess what’s already working

Don’t forget to look at the processes you already have in place that have proven successful for your team. In what kind of work environment does your team excel?

• If they thrive on collaboration, incorporating new ideas as they work, and even last-minute pivots due to changing needs, consider methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, XP, or APF.
• Or do they prefer an orderly, structured plan that accomplishes tasks sequentially? Then look at methodologies such as waterfall, critical path, and critical chain project management.

Now that you’ve been introduced to the various methodologies, the next step is to understand each phase of the project life cycle, so you can start planning your project from start to finish.

In the next section, we outline everything you need to know about the project life cycle.

Basic Project Management

• Project Charter
• Project Management Stakeholders
• What is a Project?
• Work Breakdown Structure
• Project Objectives
• Project Baseline
• Project Management Scheduling
• Project Management Work Packages
• Project Management Scope
• Scope Creep

Advanced Project Management

• What is PERT?
• Network Diagram
• Risk Management
• Cost Estimation
• Feasibility Study
• Monte Carlo Analysis
• Project Integration
• Cost Management
• PMI Project Management
• What To Do With Certification
• Certification
• Become Certified
• PMP Certification
• Best Certification

Software Features

• Critical Success Factors
• Capacity Planning
• User Role Access Permissions
• Time Tracking
• Budget Tracking
• Request Forms
• Work Assignments
• Version Control
• Dependency Managements
• Project management Milestones
• Project Management Software
• Project Management Tools
• Project Management System
• Gantt Charts

Filter by Keywords

Project Management

Top 18 project management methodologies.

Erica Golightly

Senior Writer

February 7, 2022

Have you considered how a project management methodology can help you and your team achieve long-term success?

If you’re thinking, “I don’t work in industries like technology or construction, so this doesn’t apply to us,” think back to the last project you worked on. Did the team feel motivated? Productive from start to finish? Or did every day feel like this? ⬇️

We understand. As a project manager , it’s hard to deliver projects with often unclear direction from clients and stakeholders, let alone manage the process in between.

Project management methods establish a system of principles, standard processes, and control to manage multifaceted projects that come in all shapes and requirements— across all industries.

By the end of this article, you’ll learn:

• How to optimize the five phases of a project lifecycle
• The top 18 project management methodologies used across wide geographies
• Recommended features in ClickUp for specific project management methodologies

We invite you to ditch the messy, complicated, and inflexible processes for proven methodologies to leverage project management tools and various techniques for success. ⚙️⚖️🚀

The 5 Phases of a Project Lifecycle

Adaptive project framework (apf).

• Agifall/Hybrid
• Critical Path Method
• eXtreme Programming (XP)

Get Things Done (GTD)

• Integrated Project Management (IPM)
• New Product Introduction (NPI)
• Outcome Mapping
• Package Enabled Reengineering (PER)

Project Management Institute’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMI’s PMBOK)

Projects in controlled environments (prince2), rational unified process (rup), 100+ powerful tools in clickup for any project type.

Whether you’re a new or seasoned project manager, let’s refresh our minds on the five fundamental project lifecycle phases you need to know to run successful projects. This will help you in your decision to choose the right project management methodology.

👾 Phase 1: Initiation

A project always begins with a conversation. When you come out of the first meeting with a client or stakeholder , you should fully understand the project purpose, SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals, communication expectations, and budget.

👾 Phase 2: Planning

The planning phase goes more in-depth than determining the project scope and schedule (which is only the beginning). If you’re using a timeline or Gantt chart tool, it’s critical also to disclose these key project details in a project charter :

• Estimates and cost for people and software resources
• Potential risks, assumptions, and blockers
• Dependencies
• Project teams (roles and workflows)
• Change process requirements
• Success criteria
• Did we mention dependencies?

👾 Phase 3: Execution

Dependencies are an absolute necessity for controlled project execution . If you’re a coffee person and you skip your morning cup and head straight to work, chances are, you make your day a little more difficult than it should be.

As you’re on the path to assigning individual tasks, have an open discussion with the project team about what can or can’t be started until a specific task is completed. You’ll save time and money with transparency and set everyone up for success from start to finish.

👾 Phase 4: Monitoring

Data is your north star metric to manage people, resources, budgets , and risks during the execution phase. Make sure you’re using a powerful productivity tool like ClickUp to know what project contributors are working on and what they need to do next.

Even more, track project goals and communicate with stakeholders and clients within ClickUp.

👾 Phase 5: Closing

After you turn in the final deliverables and wrap up loose ends, it’s advantageous to assess the performance of team members and resources. This reflection period will help improve the next project.

Have all deliverables been completed, validated, and archived?

Were issues and risks effectively managed?

Which processes were easy/challenging, and what would they change?

Relate: Project Management Examples !

Welcome to your pocket encyclopedia of the top 18 project management methodologies! 📘

A nod to agile project management methodology, the adaptive project framework is an iterative approach to satisfy a project’s goals and outcomes. Meaning, a project’s plan is broken into short iterations (or cycles) of tasks. This helps structure task dependencies and establishes clear deadlines.

The five steps in the adaptive project framework are:

• Project Scope : document the project plan with a project charter (download ClickUp’s Project Charter Template )
• Cycle Plan: define each task with all dependencies
• Cycle Completion : after one cycle completes, another begins
• Control Point : the client or stakeholder meets with the team to assess the quality and potential room for improvements in the next cycle
• Final Report : determines if results were achieved and successful

🟢 Adaptive Project Framework Pros

• Less time is spent on the first phase (defining project scope)
• Client and stakeholder satisfaction increases because of their involvement
• Teams create the most value with learnings in short cycles

🟡 Adaptive Project Framework Cons

• The project scope will potentially change throughout the lifecycle, reverting from a client or stakeholder’s original vision
• Too much flexibility for teams accustomed to fixed schedules
• Limited control over business processes

The hybrid model is the best of both Agile and Waterfall methods . Commonly used in product development companies, the planning phase uses waterfall method techniques but applies agile practices during execution .

🟢 Agifall/Hybrid Pros

• Continous collaboration and communication amongst different teams within a project
• A gateway to a complete transition into Agile methodology
• Using the best techniques of both methods to create a custom approach

🟡 Agifall/Hybrid Cons

• A good amount of time is required to plan a clear, clean, and understandable project approach

Today, one of the most popular project management methodologies, the agile methodology , is an incremental and iterative approach to managing projects in phases . Each iteration has a fixed scope (between 1-3 weeks) to maintain product release consistency, stability, and on-time delivery.

At its core, release management minimizes risks, tracks and audits requirements , and secures consistent implementation—in the least disruptive approach .

The five steps in the Agile methodology are:

• Defining the release plan and product roadmap
• Designing and building product feature(s)
• Testing and iterating
• Closing and maintenance

🟢 Agile Pros

• Increases customer satisfaction and retention
• Software code and testing standards are used repeatedly
• Specific roles with multiple project drivers to meet the same goal

🟡 Agile Cons

• Some organizations might find agile workflows to be a poor culture fit
• Potential lack of understanding in workflow flexibility
• An experienced agile professional might be necessary for teams new to agile

Project managers use the Critical Path Method to define the critical and non-critical tasks for timely delivery. After listing every activity and task required for completion, they will note dependencies and write a sequence of times for each.

Planning with the Critical Path Method allows teams to pinpoint opportunities to shorten task times and flag potential shifts when changes can affect critical tasks.

🟢 Critical Path Method Pros

• Identifies the most important activities and tasks in a project
• Displays the complexities of whether a project is small or substantial
• Easily explained with a chart or graph

🟡 Critical Path Method Cons

• Mid-changes could disrupt the overall stability of the project
• Requires time and effort to build the CPM chart successfully
• Client and stakeholders must be comfortable with estimates on progress and delivery

Note : Critical Chain Project Management, a related project management methodology, focuses on managing resources and buffer duration between task chains and improving upon the Critical Path Method.

Test out these critical path templates !

The eXtreme Programming methodology takes elements of traditional software engineering practices to, well, extreme levels. However, it’s familiar to the agile framework like specific planning approach, on-site customer participation, and continuous testing.

Standard software development practices found in the eXtreme Programming method are:

• Pair Programming : two developers work together simultaneously on code
• Refactoring : implementing a feature without changing the behavior of the system
• Continuous Integration : integrating as soon as you identify issues decreases the number of bugs that could arise in production
• Short Release Cycles: every day is optimized, so by the end of the cycle, tested features are deployed for customer feedback
• The Planning Game : Customer and developers meet to discuss the upcoming release
• 40-Hour Week: developers must work fast and efficiently to maintain product quality, so keeping to a manageable work supports a healthy work-life balance
• Non-Complex Design : when design complications are found, it’s removed so developers can articulate product intention

🟢 eXtreme Programming Pros

• Fixed timeline length, typically 1-2 weeks
• Flexible to changes during the sprint cycle
• Higher customer satisfaction

🟡 eXtreme Programming Cons

• Requires engaged customer(s) to make informed project decisions
• Stressful if teams don’t fully understand the demanding workflow
• Geared towards product delivery businesses

The GTD (Get Things Done) method is a project management methodology less concerned with technical activities such as coding and testing. Instead, it emphasizes personal productivity to create the best systems for approaching life and work.

The five simple steps in the GTD method are:

• Capture : record your notes to make room for more headspace
• Clarify : review your notes and determine whether they should be converted into tasks, filed for referenced, or tossed
• Organize : dedicate a single place for your collection of ideas and tasks
• Reflect : visit your collection frequently to update for relevancy and opportunities
• Engage : use the system you’ve built to take action on your items

If you’re looking for a productivity tool to help gather your thoughts, tasks, schedule, and workflow in one place, learn how to use ClickUp with the GTD project management methodology. ⬇️

🟢 Get Things Done Pros

• Large or intimidating projects are broken down into manageable tasks
• Easily view which tasks take priority over others
• Entirely customizable for whatever season of life and work you’re in

🟡 Get Things Done Cons

• Requires time to set up a system for long term success
• Recording changes with the most up to date information are necessary to prevent backtracking

Check out these GTD apps !

The Integrated Project Management (IPM) project management methodology oversees the cross-functional communication and hand-off during all project phases . Since cross-functional teams have different processes and workflows, IPM helps resolve schedule conflicts, bottlenecks, and team bandwidths.

👉 Check out these project management communication resources to assist with Integrated Project Management planning:

• 7 Project Management Challenges And How To Solve Them
• How Toyin Olasehinde Uses ClickUp Comments to Streamline Communication
• 20+ Project Management Tips for Marketers
• Here’s How To Improve Your Team Communication
• 16 Unmissable Benefits of Project Management Software

🟢 Integrated Project Management Pros

• Projects are appropriately monitored and controlled
• Productivity accelerates to complete projects on time
• Complex resource planning becomes simple

🟡 Integrated Project Management Cons

• No cons to cohesive team communication and collaboration! 🤝

The Lean project management methodology focuses on tools and practices heavily centered on product value for customers . The commitment to constantly improve the reliability and quality of products helps businesses deliver faster . In addition, understanding the specific tasks and activities that need to be completed at a given time minimizes the chances of wasting time and resources.

The five principles of lean methodology are:

• Define Value : align processes to deliver on customer needs
• Map the Value Stream : remove barriers that disrupt the flow
• Create Flow : manage team member workloads and production steps to maintain a smooth process
• Establish Pull: remove overproduction of inventory by implementing a system for on-demand delivery
• Seek Perfection : continuously improve to make steps towards eliminating all mistakes

🟢 Lean Pros

• Understands all aspects of customer demands
• Promotes involving team members closest to the work
• Removes inventory waste, process barriers, and defective products

🟡 Lean Cons

• Not suitable for teams that don’t use a dashboard tool
• Not a culture fit for organizations resistant towards full transparency
• Experienced resource management professionals might be necessary for some teams

Bonus: Lean vs. Agile Project Management 💜

The New Product Introduction methodology is used by companies that continuously release new products . NPI streamlines time and efforts to achieve desired results by carefully vetting new ideas and surveying customers .

The six phases of New Product Introduction are:

• Ideation : brainstorming a product concept influenced by business risk and market research
• Product Definition : gathering product requirements
• Prototyping : building a model for the hardware or software product for performance analysis
• Detailed Design : refining the product model and fully designing to its final form
• Pre-Production (Validation/Testing) : validating the product to ensure high-performance results
• Manufacturing : all design, marketing, and sales efforts are carried out to deliver the final product

🟢 New Product Introduction Pros

• Creates a culture of development
• Drives higher value proposition
• Increases opportunities for businesses to innovate and grow within their industry

🟡 New Product Introduction Cons

• Not suitable for projects that are small in scale
• Product ideas can fail unexpectedly

The Outcome Mapping methodology is an approach for planning, monitoring, and evaluation developed by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) , a Canadian grant-making organization. It’s distinct from all other methodologies mentioned in this list because it focuses on behavior changes of people and groups the project or program works with directly . (Organizations within policy development and research communication typically use this method.)

Outcome Mapping blends social learning, self-assessment, and adaptive management within an organization. The process allows organizations to gather data and encourage reflection about development impacts.

The three stages of Outcome Mapping are:

• Intentional Design : determining the vision, partners, tangible changes (outcomes), and contribution efforts
• Outcome and Performance Monitoring : using an Outcome Journal (tracking progress markers), Strategy Journal (testing strategy in wavering circumstances), and Performance Journal (recording practices and opportunities for improvement) to provide data
• Evaluation Planning : a detailed progress review to influence an evaluation plan and bring strategic benefits to the project

🟢 Outcome Mapping Pros

• Successful results contribute to sustainable improvements
• Incorporates being reflective about organizational and social learnings
• Flexible model to tailor to project needs

🟡 Outcome Mapping Cons

• Requires organizations to take a hard look at their views about development
• Regular communication and participation is necessary for success
• Not suitable for short software development lifecycles

The Package Enabled Reengineering methodology focuses on the original functionality of software packages as a framework for rethinking the design. It requires an analysis of challenges within the current process, management, people, and design to shape new systems.

Check out how to jumpstart your management and design workflows in ClickUp so you can organize your planning with the PER project management methodology. ⬇️

🟢 Package Enabled Reengineering Pros

• Optimizes productivity, resources, and communication strategically

🟡 Package Enabled Reengineering Cons

• Not suitable for organizations with already successful systems

Written by the Project Management Institute, a global “for-purpose” organization , the Project Management Body of Knowledge is a collection of tools, techniques , and best practices for a project manager to align with the evolving changes of project management.

🟢 PMI’s PMBOK Pros

• Resource for project managers studying for project management certification : CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) or PMP (Project Management Professional)
• Includes practices guides and comprehensive project management terms glossary

🟡 PMI’s PMBOK Cons

• Extensive 700+ page book not meant for reading cover to cover

The PRINCE2 project management methodology is globally adopted because of its practical and adaptive framework to divide projects into controllable stages . It focuses on an orderly approach in a project’s lifespan from beginning to end. The PRINCE2 methodology directly impacts day-to-day routines to deliver successful projects, from construction development projects to launching social campaigns.

🟢 PRINCE2 Pros

• PRINCE2 certification is available
• Improves project management skills with proven best practices
• Adapts to any project type and scale

🟡 PRINCE2 Cons

• Documentation heavy
• Without certification or experience, it might take longer to see results

The Rational Unified Process methodology is built on well-documented software processes focusing on an iterative approach throughout development. This allows for quick changes on high-risks throughout every stage . As a result, RUP’s structure lends itself to assembling high-quality software production .

The four project phases are:

• Inception : outlining the scope of work or statement of work , impact analysis, identify key use cases, and cost estimates
• Elaboration : designing an architected foundation for the product
• Construction : completing the bulk of the work to develop all software components
• Transition : introducing the product to the end-users, handling bug issues, and reviewing outcome goals

🟢 Rational Unified Process Pros

• Reduces time for initial integration as it’s built in the project stages
• Repeatable steps to apply to future projects
• Emphasizes documentation

🟡 Rational Unified Process Cons

• Not suitable for teams that are unable to keep up with documentation
• The project’s success rate is higher with experienced team members

Scrum project management adds to the agile approach by including a prominent role called the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master conducts a sprint planning meeting with the Product Owner and Development team. Then, they select the high-priority items from the Product Backlog —a list of collected feedback from customers and stakeholders—to release in one sprint. These high-priority items become a Sprint Backlog for the development team to build, test, and release.

Throughout the sprint cycle, a daily scrum meeting is held (typically at the start of the workday) for each project contributor to share: what they did yesterday, what they will do today, and any blockers in the way.

At the end of the sprint, a Sprint Review meeting is held with the Scrum Master, Product Owner, stakeholders, and development team to walk through accomplishments and changes. This review helps improve the performance of future sprints .

🟢 Scrum Pros

• Flexible timeline length, typically 2-4 weeks
• Teams are aligned around tasks and progress through daily scrum meetings
• Short sprints support faster changes from customer and stakeholder feedback

🟡 Scrum Cons

• Daily meetings might not be a culture fit for some teams
• The success rate is higher with experienced agile team members
• Adopting the Scrum framework in larger teams is difficult

Scrumban is the combination of Scrum and Kanban. Kanban adds metric visuals and process improvements to the Scrum methodology. For example, a distinct feature of the Scrumban method is the WIP (work in progress) board to help visualize all tasks from start to finish .

This board, divided into three sections—product backlog, work in progress, and completed—shows the collective work in a given section . With this data, the Scrum team can make adjustments to monitor workloads.

🟢 Scrumban Pros

• Adds a process improvement attribute to the Scrum methodology
• Issues can be pinpointed and resolved quickly on a progress board
• Promotes full transparency for all project team members

🟡 Scrumban Cons

• Boards that are not updated in real-time cause delay and confusion
• A fairly new methodology
• Daily standups are optional, which can be an advantage or disadvantage to a preferred workflow

Motorola introduced the Six Sigma methodology in the 1980s to bring down the defects in its manufacturing process. However, it’s suitable for all industries . It emphasizes a data-driven approach for continuous business transformation . Six means six standard deviations (a statistical benchmark), and the sigma symbol represents a standard deviation.

There are two models of the six sigma methodology:

Six Sigma DMAIC

• D efine the current problem, goals, and deliverables
• M easure the current process and performance
• A nalyze the causes of the problem
• Improve the process by proposing and testing solutions
• C ontrol the outcome by implementing changes in place if problems arise

Six Sigma DMADV

• D esign a process that meets customer expectations and needs
• V erify the design meets customer needs and it’s appropriately

The DMAIC and DMADV models in the six sigma methodology ensure each step is followed to achieve the best results.

🟢 Six Sigma Pros

• Reduces wastes and costs
• Enhances value and improves the quality of a company’s output
• Six Sigma certification is available

🟡 Six Sigma Cons

• An implementation period is necessary for success
• Complicated and requires statistical analysis
• It can get costly in the long run

Bonus: Check out the Top 10 Six Sigma Templates

The Waterfall methodology is one of the traditional project management methods. It has two main attributes: thorough initial planning and fixed-end requirements . Waterfall project management is predictive , meaning each stage starts when its predecessor ends. After a project has begun, it’s nearly impossible to make changes. (This characteristic of Waterfall is off-putting for organizations that experience altering project requirements while in progress.)

On the flip side, for businesses that need predicted outcomes , such as construction and manufacturing, this rigid framework is the best approach for their needs.

The stages of the Waterfall methodology are:

• Requirements Gathering
• Development

🟢 Waterfall Pros

• Easy and familiar to understand for new and seasoned teams
• No overlap between project phases
• Clear deadlines are determined and adhered to at the start of the project

Check out our Waterfall Management Template !

🟡 Waterfall Cons

• Top-down communication model
• Not suitable for software development or complex projects
• Not best for ongoing projects

Now that you know your best project methodologies options, where can you keep your people, processes, and projects organized? 🤔

One of the best ways to add value to your work and optimize your time is to use a software tool. Our recommendation? ClickUp! ✨

ClickUp is the ultimate productivity platform allowing teams to manage projects, collaborate smarter, and bring all work under one tool. Here are a few ClickUp features among the hundreds available that can be customized to any team size for consistent collaboration:

📊 Dashboards

ClickUp Dashboards are a time-saving resource to share high-level views with project stakeholders or project progress with anyone in their Workspace! Track sprints, task progress, portfolio management, and more with customizable widgets. 

A must-have tool for these project management methodologies:

• Rational Unified Process
• Adaptive project framework (APF)

🤖 Automations

With ClickUp Automations , you’re able to set up combinations of Triggers and Actions to help automate repetitive actions—saving time and allowing you to focus on things that matter. Does your team use workflow software with external applications like GitHub? Automate your workflow within ClickUp using the GitHub integration ! 

🗒 List view

ClickUp’s powerful and flexible List view can sort, filter, or group columns in any way. Columns can be customized to show important information—task assignees, start and due dates, project briefs , website links, task comments—it’s up to you!

Subtasks in ClickUp add a layer to your work structure, allowing you to define more detailed goals inside of your tasks. This is a perfect solution for: action items that don’t warrant a new task, objectives that need to be completed to finish an overall task, and task dependencies. 

🏃‍♀️ Sprint

Sprints in ClickUp are packed with additional ClickUp features to help teams better understand and manage their product roadmaps. Available on every ClickUp plan, Sprints use tasks as items of work so teams don’t have to rely on other software to get their work done. 

🟫 Board view

Choose whether you want to zoom in on a single List, an entire Folder, or even all Spaces across your Workspace in Board view . For teams that prefer Kanban project management, Board’s view powerful drag-and-drop interface is perfect for visualizing tasks in progress. 

ClickUp: A Powerful and Friendly Tool 

Your ClickUp Workspace can be fully customized to optimize any project management methodology so you can do your best work and take it anywhere you go . Change the way you build and manage projects with ClickUp today!

Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.

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Popular project management methodologies

From information technology to marketing, teams operating across a diverse range of industries and disciplines rely on project management methodologies to deliver for their organizations.

While project management methods are widely used, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Rather, there are dozens of different ways to manage projects. If you want to set the stage for the success of your project while also ensuring that your time and resources are used efficiently, it’s vital that you choose the right management framework.

With that in mind, here’s an overview of 23 of the best project management methodologies. Armed with this information, you’ll be able to identify the approach that best serves your business.

This post will also touch on the following topics:

• What a project management methodology is

23 popular project management methodologies

How to choose a project management methodology, what is a project management methodology.

A project management methodology is a set of tools and guidelines that help you organize projects in a way that optimizes efficiency and performance. More specifically, a given project management method helps you more easily manage a project by providing a repeatable series of steps and principles. The goal of any framework is to promote collaboration, increase operational efficiency, keep the project on budget, and enhance the quality of the final deliverable.

While there are many methodologies within project management , the following are some of the most well-known.

1. Waterfall methodology

Alternatively referred to as the software development life cycle (SDLC), the Waterfall method is a linear approach to project management. In this methodology, each phase of work “cascades” into the next.

When using this approach, project managers connect each task to the previous one with a dependency, meaning teams can’t move on to the next piece of work unless they’ve addressed outstanding tasks. This approach promotes collaboration and ensures that the team stays focused on the task at hand.

Who should use it? Because of the Waterfall method’s thorough, detail-oriented nature, this technique is best suited for large teams working on big projects involving multiple clients and stakeholders.

2. Agile methodology

The Agile methodology is one of the most commonly used project management frameworks, surpassing even Waterfall in popularity. However, it isn’t actually a formal methodology but a principle that focuses on speed, agility, collaboration, and iterative processes. Typically, teams will apply the Agile concept to a specific project management methodology, such as Kanban, Scrum, Crystal, or Extreme Programming.

You may find that using a hybrid approach that combines Agile and another framework is the best project management strategy for your team. As such, it’s important to use flexible project management software that can handle a variety of methods, including a singular Agile framework or multiple techniques.

Who should use it? Marketing teams find Agile appealing, as it provides more flexibility and promotes better creativity than more rigid frameworks like Waterfall.

3. Kanban methodology

The Kanban methodology uses a “Kanban board” to visualize project backlogs. Agile teams frequently use the Kanban framework to track project progress and avoid bottlenecks.

Traditionally, project managers built Kanban boards using physical items, such as bulletin boards or whiteboards. Today, Kanban boards are created using digital tools that allow users to drag assignments from column to column as the team completes assignments.

Kanban is a very loosely defined methodology, meaning teams can adapt it to their needs. This attribute also makes it a great pairing with Agile.

Who should use it? Kanban is a good fit for teams of any size, especially if the group is composed of hybrid or remote workers.

4. Scrum methodology

Short bouts of work known as “sprints” are a foundational component of the Scrum methodology. Each sprint lasts one to two weeks and involves a team of no more than 10 people.

Scrums are run by a Scrum master, who is tasked with leading daily meetings, overseeing sprints and sprint retrospectives (work recaps), and presenting demos to stakeholders. Like Kanban, the Scrum methodology is often used with Agile principles.

Who should use it? Any team that’s using or has considered adopting Agile principles should try the Scrum methodology.

5. Critical Path Method

The Critical Path Method (CPM) is a framework for identifying and scheduling key tasks within a long-term project. Project managers use CPM to create task dependencies, identify project goals, and track progress toward those objectives.

The core function of this framework is to help managers map out milestones and deliverables so they can meet important deadlines.

Who should use it? The CPM framework is best suited for small-to-midsize teams. Its simplistic approach may not be a good match for complex projects.

6. Lean project management methodology

The Lean project management methodology prioritizes eliminating waste via its simple framework.

Under the traditional Lean methodology popularized by Motorola and Toyota, “waste” referred to physical materials. Today, waste refers to any practice that consumes resources but doesn’t add value, any task that over-taxes existing resources (including team members), or overproduction in general.

Who should use it? Lean is an excellent methodology for teams that frequently encounter efficiency challenges. Using Lean to reduce waste will have a major impact on big companies, but it can also benefit smaller organizations.

7. Six Sigma methodology

Six Sigma is primarily used for quality-management purposes. It isn’t a methodology in the traditional sense but rather a philosophy designed to support continual procedural improvement and remove product defects.

Six Sigma is often combined with the Agile framework or the Lean methodology. These hybrids are known as Agile Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma, respectively.

Who should use it? Six Sigma aligns well with organizations that have at least several hundred employees and want to remove waste from projects to increase profitability.

8. Critical Chain Project Management methodology

The Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) methodology is a more detailed variation of CPM. In addition to providing a breakdown of each piece of work, CCPM also sets specific time constraints for each task.

CCPM makes it apparent when a piece of work is exceeding the amount of time allotted to it. This framework also incorporates resource-leveling principles, which quickly resolve large workloads by distributing tasks across the team.

Who should use it? CCPM can be a good option for large and small teams alike and is most effective for resolving project efficiency issues.

9. Event Chain Methodology

Event Chain Methodology (ECM) acknowledges that any number of outside events or factors can impact a project’s progress.

ECM strives to account for and manage these factors so project leaders can meet important deadlines and stay on budget. As inevitable hurdles arise during the project lifecycle, managers can update their ECM strategy as needed to stay on track.

Who should use it? Teams that have struggled to meet deadlines or have had projects derailed by external factors may want to consider the ECM framework.

10. Extreme Programming methodology

The Extreme Programming (XP) methodology is designed for fast-paced projects facing stringent deadlines. XP features short development cycles and a large number of releases. This approach optimizes productivity and yields quick turnarounds on deliverables.

XP’s core values include feedback, respect, communication, simplicity, and courage. The framework encourages team members to take calculated risks and pursue project objectives.

Who should use it? The Extreme Programming framework can be applied with results to small or midsize teams facing tight deadlines. It should be used sparingly, however, as the rigorous nature of the method can lead to burnout.

11. Crystal methodology

Like the Agile framework, the Crystal methodology focuses on team members, not processes and tools. By prioritizing interactions between individuals, Crystal promotes collaboration and team chemistry to optimize productivity.

The Crystal methodology assigns defined time spans to each bout of work. After each round, the project manager gathers feedback from the team and makes adjustments to avoid bottlenecks.

Who should use it? The Crystal methodology is good for small teams that want a lightweight, customizable framework.

12.Feature Driven Development methodology

Feature Driven Development (FDD) also borrows heavily from the Agile framework. FDD works in repetitive rotations while prioritizing features that the client is looking for in the final deliverable.

The FDD methodology includes five steps:

• Develop a model.
• Build a feature list.
• Plan by feature.
• Design by feature.
• Build by feature.

After each rotation, the team repeats the above steps to optimize the final product and add on must-have features.

Who should use it? The FDD methodology is a good fit for teams that tend to work with highly involved clients.

13. Dynamic Systems Development Method

Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) also incorporates many Agile principles. However, it distinguishes itself by calling for time, quality, and cost requirements to be defined before work gets underway.

Once work begins, the DSDM framework prioritizes tasks into four categories — musts, shoulds, coulds, and won’t-haves. Tasks can be recategorized to meet project deadlines.

Who should use it? DSDM is a good match for teams that want the flexibility of Agile but are also required to define cost, quality, and time constraints in the project brief.

14. Adaptive Software Development methodology

As the name implies, the Adaptive Software Development methodology is designed for technology developers. It recognizes that processes must be continuously adapted and modified to align with the work that needs to be completed.

The Adaptive Software Development method is based on three cyclical steps — speculate (plan), collaborate (balance changing external factors and work), and learn (gather feedback and implement changes).

Who should use it? This framework should be employed by software development teams that need a relatively simple yet adaptable set of processes to facilitate project completion.

15. Rational Unified Process methodology

Rational Unified Process (RUP) consists of three foundational elements — roles (who’s involved in a project), work products (what’s being created), and tasks (units of work assigned to a role).

RUP also features four phases — inception (developing a raw project idea and evaluating its viability), elaboration (defining clear project objectives and identifying what resources you will need), construction (completing the software development project), and transition (beta testing, gathering feedback, and optimizing the user experience).

Who should use it? The Rational Unified Process methodology is well-suited for managing smaller projects and organizing compact teams. Due to its simplistic nature, it can be difficult to adapt to larger, enterprise-level projects that involve bigger teams and multiple stakeholders.

16. PRINCE2 — PRojects IN Controlled Environments methodology

PRojects IN Controlled Environments (PRINCE2) was developed by the UK government. Based on the Waterfall methodology, PRINCE2 is comprised of seven core principles:

• Starting the project
• Directing the project
• Initiating the project
• Controlling the project
• Managing delivery of the project
• Managing the stage boundary
• Closing the project

Due to its rigidness, it’s best suited for large, big-budget undertakings as opposed to more fast-paced projects.

Who should use it? PRINCE2 is a great approach for large-scale IT projects that involve multiple stakeholders.

17. Scrumban methodology

Due to Kanban’s loosely defined framework, it can be — and often is — combined with Agile. But recently, project managers have begun combining Kanban with Scrum, creating the hybrid Scrumban methodology.

Scrumban uses sprints to quickly achieve tasks and frequent meetings to promote collaboration. However, it also includes a project board to visualize work and help keep team members apprised of upcoming deadlines.

Who should use it? Scrumban may be a good fit for teams that need a way to visualize work but like the concept of dividing a project into short bouts of work.

18. Adaptive Project Framework methodology

Alternatively referred to as “Adaptive Project Management” (APM), the Adaptive Project Framework (APF) accounts for unknown factors that can emerge during a project. It’s designed to help teams prepare for the unexpected and respond in a way that keeps the project on task and under budget.

The APF methodology features five phases:

• Project scope
• Cycle build
• Client checkpoint
• Final review

Who should use it? The APF methodology supports collaboration with stakeholders and ensures that they’re satisfied with the final results. It’s a good fit if your stakeholders are highly involved.

19. New Product Introduction methodology

The New Product Introduction (NPI) methodology is a multistep strategy for taking a product from concept to market-ready deliverable.

The NPI framework involves frequent assessments throughout the project lifecycle to verify that it’s progressing as planned. Representatives from each department will participate in these reviews, as will the stakeholders.

Who should use it? The New Product Introduction methodology is effective for managing large teams that may have conflicting interests, goals, and ideas. The frequent reviews help achieve synergy across departments and teams to yield a higher quality deliverable.

20. Package-Enabled Reengineering methodology

The Package-Enabled Reengineering (PER) framework helps businesses revamp existing processes or products.

PER facilitates business transformation by giving a different set of team members the opportunity to redesign processes and past project deliverables.

Who should use it? Businesses should use the PER approach if they need to completely overhaul core products, services, or processes. It isn’t a good fit for incrementally optimizing existing systems.

21. Outcome Mapping methodology

Outcome Mapping (OM) shifts the focus away from deliverables and instead prioritizes measuring the impacts or outcomes of a project.

The Outcome Mapping framework was created by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) as a means of gauging the efficacy of social projects. It’s primarily used to modify behavior to achieve desired outcomes.

Who should use it? If your project’s top priority involves modifying behavior rather than producing deliverables, you should consider using the MP methodology.

22. Rapid Application Development methodology

Designed to facilitate faster software development, the Rapid Application Development (RAD) methodology is based on the Agile framework. Under this framework, developers rapidly release software iterations, gather feedback, and apply that information to improve the deliverable.

The RAD methodology allows developers to present clients with a functional model (albeit an imperfect one) much sooner. By doing so, they can gather vital feedback from the stakeholder and ensure that the final product aligns with their expectations.

Who should use it? Your team should consider the RAD methodology if you have an experienced team of software developers, prioritize speed, and want to keep the client directly involved in the project.

23. Project Management Body of Knowledge methodology

The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) methodology was created by the Project Management Institute . This set of principles and best practices outline core development processes that are a staple of any project. The framework outlines five project management phases, which are:

• Performance

One caveat of the PMBOK is that it isn’t as detailed as many other project management methods, meaning you’ll need to prioritize tasks on your own. However, the freedom to prioritize tasks on your own can be advantageous, such as if your team is working on nontraditional or nonlinear projects.

Who should use it? The PMBOK methodology can serve as a standalone project management tool for small teams working on relatively straightforward tasks. However, it should be paired with a more comprehensive framework if you’re working on a complex project.

Now that you know what options you have regarding project management methodologies, it’s time to find the right framework for your organization.

Numerous factors combine and interact to determine which project management method is the best fit for a particular team and organization. Here are some variables you should be mindful of when exploring different methodologies:

• Client or stakeholder collaboration. If a client or stakeholder is going to be closely involved, you’ll need a more flexible framework, as they’ll likely suggest last-minute changes to the project. Conversely, if your client will be involved minimally, a rigid framework can provide the guidance your team needs to expedite operational efficiency and streamline tasks.
• Flexibility. Ensure that your methodology provides the necessary flexibility for the project’s scope to change after work has begun. Some methods are rigid enough to prevent anyone, including the stakeholder, from changing the scope or goals once work has started. If you want to keep the scope or objectives from evolving mid-project, choose a stringent methodology. Conversely, more flexible methods allow your team to alter course, which is beneficial if you work with dynamic goals.
• Timeline. If you are working under tight time constraints, you need a fast-paced methodology that will keep everyone on task and apprised of upcoming deadlines. However, if you are prioritizing product quality above all else and have the room to stretch deadlines, you can leverage a looser project methodology.
• Risk tolerance. Taking on any project involves incurring some degree of risk. However, large, big-budget endeavors involve significantly more risk to your team and the organization. Smaller projects often have more leeway to explore out-of-the-box solutions. Choosing the right methodology will help your team mitigate risks and protect stakeholders’ interests.
• Budget. Some methodologies require you to set and closely monitor your budget for the entire project lifecycle, whereas others offer some degree of flexibility. If you might need additional resources mid-project, make sure your methodology leaves room to pull in more funding or team members.
• Team size. Consider whether your team is small and compact or large and scattered across multiple departments. Some methodologies are especially effective at managing small teams, whereas others are better suited for organizing large, multidisciplinary groups.

By considering these factors, you can quickly rule out project management methodologies that are a poor fit for your team and shift your attention to frameworks that are aligned with your goals. In doing so, you stand to acquire a better defined and more well-organized view of your project, boost team morale, and enhance efficiency exponentially. Streamline project management with Adobe Workfront Learning about project management methods can help you find the right one for your projects. After familiarizing yourself with the various frameworks available, choose a project management methodology that aligns with your business goals and industry-specific needs. Once you’ve selected a methodology, the next step is to optimize its efficiency by pairing it with intuitive project management software, such as Adobe Workfront . Workfront unifies your teams and empowers your brand to deliver personalized customer experiences at scale. From IT initiatives to marketing campaigns, you can run any business project with Workfront. As a customizable solution, you can customize your Workfront experience to align with your chosen project management methodology. Schedule a Workfront product tour or watch our overview video to learn more.

https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/what-is-project-management

https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/kanban-board-examples

https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/agile-frameworks

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12 essential project management charts.

• What is a project management chart?
• 12 essential project management charts
• Use Workamajig to complete your project management toolkit

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Projects have many moving parts, and keeping up with them can be a lot of work. Enter the project management chart, which is a range of tools managers can use to organize, simplify, and effectively communicate information about a project to the team.

In this article, we explain a project management chart and share 12 essential project management charts you can use in almost any project.

What is a Project Management Chart?

A project management chart can refer to any visual reference to information on a project. It can be designed for a wide range of uses, primarily for planning, tracking progress, or reporting. This also means a chart will look wildly different depending on its purpose and the information it presents.

Project management charts are essential for many reasons, tied mainly to their visual component; graphics make complex information easier to digest, especially for stakeholders who might be less involved in the day-to-day work that goes into a project. Making information more approachable to the whole team can also improve communication and alignment. This improves collaboration and makes for more informed and highly efficient decision-making.

It’s important to note that no single project management chart can ensure success—various types of resources need to synergize in order to achieve your best work.

The term ‘project management chart’ casts a wide umbrella of options, which can be overwhelming for almost anyone. Below are 12 of the most commonly used project management chart types across different industries:

1. Gantt Chart

Gantt charts are one of the most popular tools for visualizing and scheduling work—its defining feature is the horizontal bar graph, which illustrates when tasks are expected to start and finish. An effective Gantt chart outlines a clear set of tasks and shows their start and end dates, as well as any dependencies between tasks.

Pros and cons: Gantt charts are great at illustrating how tasks fit into the big picture. They help managers determine a critical path, which are the tasks absolutely required to get a project from start to finish and how long that would take. When coupled with information about who’s assigned to various tasks, bottlenecks in resource allocation can also be more quickly resolved. However, Gantt charts can be tedious to maintain, especially at scale.

Ideal use case/s: Most, if not all, projects benefit from a Gantt chart as a planning tool. Build one early into your project to identify important milestones, plan resource allocations, and ensure that important dependencies are addressed on time. We have a free template you can use to get started.

Click here to learn more about the Gantt chart.

2. PERT Chart

A PERT chart, short for Program Evaluation (and) Review Technique, is a visual tool for outlining tasks and dependencies—its defining feature is the use of arrows to determine the order and possibilities for work to progress, as well as estimates for each step in the process.

Pros and cons: PERT charts are great for making high-level projections on when milestones should be completed, and their flexible layout makes it easier to update dependencies on more complex projects. However, because they are usually created at the start of a project, they can be highly subjective and dependent on a project manager’s skill at estimating work. There is also greater room for error.

Ideal use case/s: For best results, create your PERT chart at the start of the project, but maintain it in tandem with a Gantt chart, as that helps improve your coverage of the project life cycle.

Workamajig has created an easy PERT chart template just for you so that you can manage your project efficiently. For a closer look into the concept of PERT charts, check out our article .

3. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A work breakdown structure, WBS for short, is a planning tool used to outline deliverables related to a given project or objective. Contrary to its name, a WBS doesn’t actually break down work; it instead breaks down output.

Pros and cons: The WBS is a relatively simple structure to follow—information is broken down into levels, translating into more detailed deliverables tracking back to the original goal. This essentially allows for limitless detail when planning work. It also makes it easier to visualize where a large concentration of deliverables needs to be accomplished. On the other hand, because the structure is so simple, it often presents a limited perspective of how work relates to one another, except for higher-level goals. Interdependencies between different outputs are often not clear in a WBS, so changes in the project can make it difficult to maintain a WBS, as a change in one area often requires updates to the project in many directions.

 Ideal use case/s: The WBS is best used in the initiation phase of a project, where it is critical to inform as much of the scope as possible. This makes it easier to determine resource allocations and potential roadblocks, and it helps the team get a good sense of their workload.

Read more about the work breakdown structure here .

4. RACI Chart

RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed. It is a chart that displays exactly that: a list of stakeholders and their level of involvement in and responsibility for various tasks within a project. Some might refer to this as a RACI matrix , which refers to its layout—a grid that labels intersections between tasks and stakeholders with the appropriate type of responsibility.

Pros and cons: The RACI chart is excellent for aligning stakeholders’ expectations on their involvement in the project. This helps avoid having too many inputs where it isn’t necessary and clarifies lines of communication between teams. However, the structure of an RACI matrix can be rather rigid and can make it difficult to thoroughly outline certain team members’ stake in the project, especially when they juggle multiple roles.

Ideal use case/s: Use a RACI chart when you have multiple teams or disciplines working on a project—these teams often work very differently, so having a unified code for how they should contribute to a certain task is essential for optimizing coordination between them. RACI charts also pose a specific advantage when the team is relatively static but works on complex, long-term work.

5. SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This chart gauges a company’s position in the market by understanding these four factors, which then inform upcoming strategy. Effective planning capitalizes on strengths and opportunities while resolving weaknesses and minimizing the impact of threats to the company.

Pros and cons: A SWOT analysis helps create a thorough understanding of a company’s position by exploring both internal (strengths, weaknesses) and external (opportunities, threats) factors. However, it can also be subjective when not paired with substantial research.

Ideal use case/s: A SWOT analysis is essential to almost any project, at any scale, because of competition—rarely, if at all, is there a truly “new” product or service today, with so many options available. Use the SWOT analysis to guide your research into these competitors to carve out the most unique approach possible to your strategy.

6. Power-Interest Matrix

The power-interest matrix is a tool used in stakeholder analysis and management to determine how best to approach certain stakeholders on a project. This is a four-way grid separated on two axes, and key stakeholders are identified when they hold both high power and high interest in the project. Other stakeholders are then either monitored, pampered, or informed, as is appropriate to their level of involvement.

Pros and cons: The power-interest matrix is great for optimizing communication on a project, especially when reporting to stakeholders who might be less involved. However, this can become tedious on larger projects, where more parties have varying levels of interest.

Ideal use case/s: The power-interest matrix is great when working with external partners or clients and when you have more stakeholders who don’t work directly on the project. This helps optimize your reporting strategy and is especially useful when working with stakeholders with less technical know-how than your team.

7. Flowchart

A flowchart is one of the more generic chart types available. As the name suggests, it outlines the flow of information, whether that’s steps in a process or milestones that need to be delivered. Its unique feature is a standardized set of symbols that distinguish between actions and decisions, as well as the start and end points of a given flow.

Pros and cons: Because flowcharts follow a standard symbol convention, they are more easily understood across different industries and disciplines, which makes them great collaboration tools. They also work well in identifying prerequisites and dependencies and, with the right amount of detail, highlighting specific stakeholders responsible for key actions or decisions in a system. At scale, a single flowchart doesn’t lend itself well to a complex system, especially when there are many decision points or potential outcomes.

Ideal use case/s: Flowcharts are best used in bulk, creating many smaller flowcharts to illustrate large, complex systems. This way, there are clear start and end points, making it easier to maintain over a single web of actions and decisions. Flowcharts are great for charting steps covering single-use cases, such as navigating from one web page to another, or a singular process, such as publishing an article. This is also great when decisions are answerable with ‘yes’ or ‘no.’

8. Kanban board

Kanban, famously originating from Toyota’s production systems, is a tool for visualizing the status of work items by classifying them into a given phase in the workflow. Its unique feature is the use of columns for each stage in the workflow, while cards representing tasks are sorted under each to match. Kanban is used in various industries and implemented in physical and digital methods.

Pros and cons: One excellent principle Kanban offers is the limit on work-in-progress (WIP) items—by sorting tasks into columns, teams have a clear picture of their workload and can better allocate for efficiency. Teams can also easily look for potential bottlenecks in the pipeline, which often happens during execution or the review/approval stage. The biggest risks to Kanban are over-engineering and a lack of clarity on the flow of work, making it needlessly difficult to move tasks to a completed state.

Ideal use case/s: Use Kanban with flowcharts to build a solid pipeline at the start of your execution phase. This makes it clear to the team how work is handed over from one team to another, especially when there are strict approval requirements. Kanban is also great for small or medium-sized teams, where it is easier to deal with a larger footprint since visualizing tasks as cards takes up more space than a typical list-type approach.

Workamajig has built-in features for managing projects using Kanban boards and other project management styles without creating separate backlogs.

9. Burn-Down or Burn-Up Chart

Burn-down and burn-up charts are two relatively similar tools for tracking work progress over a given time frame. The main difference is that burn-down charts map how much work remains, while burn-up charts map how much work is completed. Both charts are based on the line graph, where time is represented on the horizontal axis, while work is represented vertically. Work is often measured in either sprint points, the total number of tasks, or the total time/budget estimate.

Pros and cons: Burn-down and burn-up charts are useful for measuring project health and can be used to inspect for scope creep or low-efficiency instances. These charts help project managers adjust the workload across time periods according to the team’s performance, or they may work to address bottlenecks that create inefficiencies when the project falls behind. These charts are limited, however, because they only focus on quantitative data; it ultimately falls on the project manager and the team to provide proper context for why a project might be ahead or behind its goals.

Ideal use case/s: Both charts are dedicated reporting tools and are often deployed at the end of sprints or important milestones to check whether a project is on track to meet its goals.

10. Bar Chart

A bar chart is a reporting tool used to illustrate a given category value against a scale—by definition, and these are represented by one or multiple bars. The key components of a bar chart include:

• Title - for labeling what the chart measures
• Axes - one for identifying categories being measured, the other for value increments. The placement of the categories on either the horizontal or vertical axis also dictates the bar chart’s orientation.
• Bars- are used to measure a category's value; a longer bar often dictates a higher value or frequency.

Pros and cons: Bar charts are extremely flexible reporting tools. They offer a simplified look into performance data and can be stacked to show more complex relationships. In most cases, the only substantial risk to using bar charts is that they consume a lot of space as a visual. Other chart types can achieve similar results with a smaller footprint.

Ideal use case/s: Compared to other generic chart types, bar charts are best used when reporting data that requires ranking based on a given value, as the bars are clear visual indicators for value or frequency.

11.Pie Chart

A pie chart is a reporting tool used to illustrate the distribution of certain parts towards a whole, represented by slices of various sizes. Larger slices represent a greater percentage.

Pros and cons: Pie charts, especially in color, summarize how related data contributes to a larger picture.

Ideal use case/s: While fairly limited, pie charts are excellent and specifically designed to show how various parts contribute to a whole. This is excellent in finance reports to show how money is distributed, such as how different income sources contribute to total earnings or how different spending categories make up the total cost.

12. Line Graph

• Title: Unit Sales
• Blue line = In-Store (feel free to change these colors to suit your branding)
• Orange line = Direct Online
• Add new lines for Affiliate Online and Retail
• Time Range should be changed to only show the years 2018-2023
• Note: Please feel free to decide on the specific values, but make sure to show these trends:
• In-store sales should plummet from 2020 to 2021, then begin rising again by 2022
• Direct Online sales should steadily rise across the entire period
• Affiliate Online should be stagnant, then rise in 2021, then continue relatively stagnant
• Retail should mirror in-store, but at a generally lower value (i.e., it should appear lower on the graph but follow the same rise and fall)

A line graph is a reporting tool characterized by data points connected by line segments. It is commonly used to show trends over time and, in cases where multiple lines are present, can illustrate relationships between two or more data sets.

Pros and cons: Line graphs are relatively lightweight compared to bar and pie charts, especially visually, yet can densely pack more information, as line graphs can easily overlap. This chart type also makes identifying cause-effect relationships between related data easy. The main risk is overloading a single graph with too many categories, especially when they don’t have meaningful relationships.

Ideal use case/s: Line graphs are best used to identify trends over time, as line segments connecting each time and data point are mostly unique to the line chart. This will also serve you well when reviewing how changes in one data point might affect another, such as how ad spending might increase sales of a related product or service. Similar cases where two or more variables have relationships are good to illustrate using line graphs.

Use Workamajig to Complete Your Project Management Toolkit

Project management charts are a versatile solution to making sense of a project's many moving parts. Knowing the right resources to use, when to use them, and how will be essential in fulfilling your role as a project manager. Furthermore, your projects can be further equipped for success when you have robust management software to match.

With Workamajig, the premier agency management software , you have an all-in-one solution for planning, organizing, and delegating these efforts and easily transitioning between the phases of every project. Easily adjust your schedule or modify task requirements and assignees to ensure efficiency, and use native reporting tools to measure your progress and identify and address roadblocks along the way.

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Engineering faculty researching solutions for the safe storage of spent nuclear fuels, pradeep menezes and mano misra lead $500,000 nrc-funded project.

New process to repair containers used to store nuclear fuel is designed to increase safety.

Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Pradeep Menezes and Chemical & Materials Engineering Professor Mano Misra have been awarded a $500,000 Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) grant for their project to strengthen storage canisters used for nuclear waste. The project, "Manufacturing of Spent Fuel Storage Canisters with Superior Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance using Advanced Hybrid Laser-Arc Welding and High-Pressure Cold Spray Additive Post-Processing," was funded in early 2024.

This project addresses chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking (CISCC) of stainless-steel containers used to store used nuclear fuel. The professors say their work promises to significantly advance nuclear safety and engineering, ensuring a more secure future for nuclear waste management.

“The project will elevate the University’s visibility in nuclear science and engineering both nationally and globally,” Menezes said.

This research also involves graduate students and provides opportunities for undergraduates from minority-serving institutions, fostering the development of the next generation workforce in nuclear science and engineering.

Novel concept put into action

The United States currently has over 80,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuels stored in approximately 1,500 dry storage canisters across 63 independent interim storage locations. With storage durations expected to exceed 50 years, these canisters, made from a special type of welded stainless steel, face significant challenges. Over time, these canisters are exposed to environments where salty liquids that attract moisture from the air form on the surfaces of containers, leading to CISCC. Such failures could eventually cause nuclear radiation leakage, endangering nearby populations.

Historically, gas metal arc welding (GMAW) has been used to repair CISCC in the fusion-welded regions of the dry storage canisters. However, GMAW involves high heat input, melting and solidification, which are undesirable for the safety of on-site canister manufacture and repair.

Menezes and Misra's research introduces a novel concept combining advanced hybrid laser-arc welding (HLAW) with high-pressure cold spray (HPCS) post-processing. This HPCS additive deposition method enhances surface structural integrity by using the kinetic energy of powder particles, which impinge on the substrate at high velocity and pressure. Unlike traditional thermal energy-based methods, HPCS does not generate thermal stress, oxidation or other detrimental effects, making it a cost-competitive alternative. The proposed technique is expected to significantly enhance the performance of dry storage canisters, delaying CISCC initiation and propagation.

The HLAW process is anticipated to produce weld joints with superior resistance to pitting corrosion and CISCC compared to conventional GMAW joints. Additionally, the HPCS coating acts as a barrier, further mitigating CISCC. The enhanced resistance and longevity of the dry storage canisters achieved through this research could save millions of dollars in repair and rework costs, while also increasing safety and security for spent nuclear fuels storage applications. The project involves both experimental and computational work.

Related work with the DOE

Misra and Menezes have been collaborating for the past three years on a similar project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, which is responsible for research and development into the long-term disposition of spent nuclear fuel.

This other project, supported by $799,000 in DOE funding, focuses on mitigating stress corrosion cracking in nuclear storage canisters through various peening techniques. The project offers an alternative approach to extending the lifespan of the welded areas in dry storage casks by applying mechanical and thermal peening techniques.

Menezes brings over 20 years of research experience in surface modification techniques, degradation analysis, HPCS and finite element modeling. He has written over 180 refereed journal publications, 10 books and holds one issued U.S. patent. Recognized as a leading scientist, Menezes boasts a Google Scholar citation count exceeding 10,000 and an H-index of 50. He was listed among the top scientists by Research.com in its 2024 national rankings and is also featured in Elsevier's top 2% of scientists worldwide, both for career-long and single-year contributions.

Misra, with over 200 papers published in refereed journals and 14 issued U.S. patents, is a longtime collaborator of Menezes’. Their partnership has previously secured several significant grants, including those from the National Science Foundation, NASA, the DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office and the Nuclear Energy University Program.

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