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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project plan methodology

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

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 Content Example of a Column

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.

Image of Kanban board view project collaboration

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

Kanban board view

Use kanban boards in Teamwork.com to map out your workflow, quickly see the status of tasks, and automate your processes.

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.

Real time collaboration for the Teamwork content team

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.

project plan methodology

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 .

project plan methodology

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.

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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.

Project management template

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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

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"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.

project plan methodology

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.

project plan methodology

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

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Top 5 Project Management Methodologies

Laura Sima

What’s the best way to manage a project? Like with most things, the answer is: it depends as each project has requirements. This is where knowledge of project management methodologies comes in hand as it can help project managers figure out the best approach.

To this end, we put together an article about the most popular project management methodologies. But first…What’s a project management methodology?

What’s a project management methodology?

stakeholders involved

Briefly, a project management methodology is a systematic approach to designing, executing and delivering a project. Project management methodology is a clearly defined combination of related practices, methods, and processes which determine how to best manage workload . It is a model for planning and achieving task goals.

Project management methodologies guide the team through all the phases of a project, with guidance on processes and tasks. These start with help in planning, initiation and implementation, all the way to closure. By providing clear guidance with in-depth descriptions for every step, project management methodologies help teams reduce risks and avoid failure.

Top 5 project management methodologies

While there are over 17 project management methodologies, the ones listed below are the most popular.

Waterfall project management

The waterfall project management methodology is a sequential process. According to it, progress is seen as result flowing from previous steps. This project management methodology was first outlined in the 1950s. Still, the first use of the official “waterfall” name wasn’t until 1976 in a paper written by Bell and Thayer.

The initial waterfall model has 6 main stages:

  • Outlining and documenting requirements
  • Design & conception
  • Development
  • Testing/Quality assurance
  • Maintenance

As soon as each step is completed, reviewed and verified, project managers can move forward to the next step. Since waterfall implies a sequence of steps, you cannot go back to a previous step without starting all over from the beginning. This leaves little room for change, so outcomes and a very detailed plan need to be established early on then followed closely.

One of the strong points in waterfall project management methodology is that is stresses rigorous documentation – for example requirements or design document, along with source code. This way, project knowledge can be easily passed on to new team members – in case anyone leaves the project before completion.

Also, because it moves forward in a linear way, projects planned using waterfall are easy to understand and its phases are pretty much self-explanatory. It’s also easy to identify project milestones as moving forward always implies completing a step.

On the downside, in waterfall, you cannot go back to an earlier step to make changes. Also, if the initial requirements are faulty, the result is pretty much doomed, too. Additionally, waterfall leaves little room for changing or evolving needs. If client needs and demands change, projects will take longer and more money to complete. Also, testing or quality assurance take place only further down the line, which makes it harder to detect bugs and predict their overall impact.

Waterfall project management is recommended for projects with fixed scope and requirements or for fixed and stable projects with little change. Also, once the requirements are established, projects that run on waterfall don’t need extensive client presence.

Agile project management

Agile project management came about as a response to rapidly changing demands in software development. Since waterfall doesn’t do a good job accommodating changes, agile stepped in to address these constantly changing needs.

Compared to waterfall, which is linear, agile project management takes an iterative approach to managing tasks and processes. It stems from Toyota’s lean manufacturing approach in the 1940s. Agile focuses on ongoing improvement through continuous releases. Also, it incorporates feedback from previous versions in every new iteration. Speed, team input and delivering high-quality work are all key characteristics of agile project management .

Agile project management grew on software developers quickly as it helps reduce waste and it increases transparency. Also, with continuous releases, agile pushes teams to collaborate and to innovate faster.

Agile project management is based on four core 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

Besides the 4 core values, Agile also uses a list of 12 principles on matters of collaboration and self-organization. All these are covered in the Agile manifesto .

Agile has won praise because it allows for faster development while reducing waste of resources. Also, it has increased flexibility and is more adaptive to change, making it easier to focus efforts on a specific goal. Agile also allows for quick detection of issues and potential bugs, thus optimizing the development process. It also allows for increased collaboration and feedback and it puts customer needs at the forefront.

Scrum project management

There is a lot of confusion between Scrum and Agile. While Agile refers to a set of methods and principles, Scrum is a framework used to implement Agile methodology

In Scrum, teams work in iterative cycles called sprints. The product owner, the person in charge of creating the product outlines the product vision statement, product roadmap and the project backlog. Along with the development team, the product owner plans what will be delivered at the end of each sprint.

Once a new sprint begins, teams hold short, daily meetings. Here, each tells about what they’re working on and if they have encountered challenges. At the end of each sprint, there is a sprint review that demos the completed work. Next are sprint retrospectives where the team evaluates their way of working and discusses potential problems.

In Scrum, progress needs to be transparent and easily measurable. To this end, teams use six documents to outline requirements and track progress. These are:

  • Project vision statement: a document that outlines the main goals of the project
  • Project roadmap : a high-level overview or project requirements , along with a timeframe and milestones for delivery.
  • Project backlog: this is a list of all the tasks that need to be completed, ordered by priority.
  • Release plan: A high-level timeline for releases
  • Sprint backlog: A list of goals and task associated with the current sprints.

Toggl Plan Timeline

Implementing Scrum can be easily done with spreadsheets or post-its. That can work well for small teams that share a location. For remote or distributed teams, project managers need proper tools to make ensure transparency. Project planning and roadmap tools such as Toggl Plan allow project managers to run projects in Scrum effectively.

PRINCE2 project management

PRINCE2 stands for PRojects IN Controlled Environments. It is a process-based method for managing projects. Initially used by the UK government, the first framework for PRINCE was developed in the 1980s. After its approach was reviewed and updated in 1996, PRINCE2 became popular across a variety of industries, both in the UK and internationally.

As a project management methodology, PRINCE2 has 5 key features:

  • Focus on business justification
  • Defined organisation structure for the project management team
  • Product-based planning approach
  • Emphasis on dividing the project into manageable and controllable stages
  • Flexibility that can be applied at a level appropriate to the project.

Since it is a process-based approach, PRINCE2 is governed by principles that control the entire process from start to finish. These make sure that each stage is clearly structured and that there are no loose ends when completing a project. The 6 rules of PRINCE2 are:

  • All processes must have a clear business justification. They need to serve a clear need, a realistic customer and defined benefits.
  • Project teams should learn at every stage. Every step provides lessons that are recorded and that can be used to improve in the future.
  • Clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Every team member should know what they and their mates are responsible for.
  • Planning is done in stages. Tasks are splitted into individual phases, with specific milestones and checkups to confirm that everything is on track and according to requirements.
  • Project boards manage by exception. Generally, once the requirements are set, project managers have the authority to manage a project without additional input from senior management. However, if issues come up, they can be considered an exception and involve senior management.
  • Teams need to constantly keep an eye on quality, checking against requirements

In PRINCE2 there are also 7 stages: starting up, directing, initiating a project, controlling a stage, managing project delivery, managing stage boundaries and closing the project. Additionally, there are 5 roles: the customer, the user (can sometimes be the same as the customer), the supplier, the project manager, the team manager and the administrator.

Compared to previous project management methodologies, PRINCE2 requires experience in order to be implemented. What’s more, there are also available courses that allow project managers to get certification with this methodology.

Kanban project management

Kanban project management was conceived by a Toyota engineer back in 1953. Compared to other project management methodologies, it focuses more on visualizing the workflow in order to balance demand and spot potential bottlenecks.

In Kanban, work is divided into specific stages and steps. Each team member does his/her work then passes the task forward for the next stage to be completed. Kanban is somehow similar to a factory floor where a piece of metal goes through a series of steps to be turned into a finished part.

Kanban requires project managers to define each stage of the workflow. Also, project managers need a system to get a task from one stage to the other. While this sounds easier for physical goods, for knowledge work is can be something like cards – virtual or real. As work on the task progresses, the card is moved to different lists.

Kanban focuses on managing output and efficiency. By doing one thing at a time, it allows project managers to estimate better the workload a specific team member can deliver. Additionally, Kanban is pretty flexible, with only four guiding principles:

  • Cards (Kanban translates to “visual card”): Each task has a card with all the relevant information needed to complete the tas
  • Cap on work in progress: To avoid burnout, project managers need to limit how many cards are in play at once
  • Continuous Flow: Prioritize according to importance and make sure there always is a workload
  • Constant improvement: Analyze the flow to determine efficiency and what can be improved

project plan methodology

Compared to other project management methodologies, Kanban is a bit more laid back. With no sprints, assigned roles or specific milestones, team members can focus freely on the task at hand. Also, meetings are defined according to team needs, instead of regular process meetings.

Like Scrum, Kanban is great for teams that don’t need a lot of management and are self-motivated. It can also help project managers focus on efficiency, thus saving resources. If project managers are careful not to overload, projects can be completed in time and within budget. However, Kanban works best where skills are evenly distributed, sometimes overlapping in a team. If one team member has a specific in-demand skill, that can hold up the project.

Laura Sima

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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.  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.

Video preview

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.

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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.

PMP Certification? Use this List of Helpful PMBOK Guide Resources

20 Online Training Resources for Project Managers

What Project Management Books Should You Read?

Top Project Management Methodologies & Frameworks for Successful Teams

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
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  • Certification
  • Become Certified
  • PMP Certification
  • Best Certification

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  • Project management Milestones
  • Project Management Software
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What is a project plan and how to write a killer plan in 6 steps

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A project plan is an essential document for keeping your project on track. It states the purpose of your project and identifies the scope, structure, resources, goals, deliverables, and timelines.

Without a solid plan, projects typically get delayed and run over budget.

In this high-level guide, we’ll show you how to write a project plan in six steps and share five monday.com templates to get you up and running quickly. But first, let’s define a project plan and its various components.

What is a project plan?

monday.com board for a project management plan

A project plan is a formal document that outlines an entire project’s goals and objectives, specific tasks, and what success looks like.

In addition to setting the purpose of your project, it should include other materials and deliverables relevant to the project, such as:

  • Timelines and Gantt charts for key milestones — like start and end dates, getting your 200th customer, or launching an event or app.
  • Communication plans — to keep everyone informed of progress, achievements, and potential roadblocks.
  • Work breakdown structure — especially if you have multiple team members working on different or simultaneous tasks, in which case, you may also need a Project Planner .
  • Resources needed to complete the project — like project management tools, cash, freelancers, and more.

In short, your project plan serves as a central hub to define, organize, prioritize, and assign activities and resources throughout your project’s life cycle.

What is project planning?

Project planning is the second phase in the project management lifecycle :

  • PHASE 1: Project Initiation  — where you identify a business need or problem and a potential solution.
  • PHASE 2: Project Planning  — where you define specific tasks, assign responsibilities, and create the project schedule.
  • PHASE 3: Project Execution  — where you touch base with resources, monitor the timeline and budget, and report back to stakeholders.
  • PHASE 4: Project Close-out — where you review the success of the project.

During the project planning phase, you extend the project charter document from the initiation phase to create your detailed project plan. Typical tasks within the project planning phase include:

  • Setting a budget.
  • Defining a project schedule or timeline.
  • Creating work breakdown structures.
  • Identifying resources and ensuring availability.
  • Assessing any potential roadblocks and planning for those scenarios .
  • Defining project objectives , roles, deadlines, responsibilities, and project milestones .

Project plan elements

Here’s how a project plan differs from other project planning elements.

Project plan vs. work plan

Although similar, work plans are not as comprehensive as project plans. A work plan focuses on helping project teams achieve smaller objectives, whereas a project plan provides a high-level overview of an entire project’s goals and objectives.

Project plan vs. project charter

A project charter provides an overview of a project. It’s a formal short document that states a project’s existence and authorizes project managers to commence work. The charter describes a project’s goals, objectives, and resource requirements. You create it in the project initiation phase before your project plan and present it to key stakeholders to get the project signed off.

Project plan vs. project scope

Part of your project plan includes the project scope , which clearly defines the size and boundaries of your project. You document the project scope  in three places: a scope statement, work breakdown structure (WBS), and WBS dictionary. It serves as a reference point to monitor project progress, compare actual versus planned results, and avoid scope creep.

Project plan vs. work breakdown structure

A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a hierarchical outline of the tasks required to complete your project. It breaks down large or complicated goals into more manageable tasks so you can execute the project plan. The WBS breaks down the project scope into phases, subprojects, deliverables, and work packages that lead to your final deliverable.

Project plan vs. agile project

An agile project is the opposite of a traditional project plan. Agile projects use an incremental, iterative approach to deliver a project, whereas traditional projects — also known as a waterfall approach — use a cascading, step-by-step planning process. Agile projects are synonymous with software development teams, but you can use them in any field.

Why are project plans important?

Over a third of all projects experience something called scope creep . This is where the team ends up doing more work than originally planned. Much of this can be avoided by accounting for unexpected hold-ups or changes in circumstances within your project plan. A project plan also makes it easy to pinpoint when problems arose, so you can be better prepared for future projects.

If you look at the numbers related to project management, it’s easy to understand where a project management plan could have a positive impact— 45% of projects aren’t completed on time, and 38% of projects are over budget.

Project outcomes from the PMI Pulse 2021

A project plan can help to curtail wily overspending and late turnaround by identifying these issues early. This leaves no room for confusion and delays in the workflow and progress of your projects.

How to create a project plan in 6 steps

There are no hard-and-fast rules for a project plan. However, we recommend you use the following six steps as a springboard for creating one.

1. Start with an executive summary

The executive summary goes at the beginning of your project plan and should summarize the key points of the project plan . It should restate the purpose of the project plan, highlight the major points of the plan, and describe any results, conclusions, or recommendations from the project.

Even though it is at the beginning of your project plan , it’s something you will write last , as you’ll be pulling out the main points from the rest of your plan.

It should be no longer than a page, offering a brief overview of:

  • The project objectives and goals
  • Your chosen project methodology/framework
  • The final deliverables and acceptance criteria
  • Key scope risks and countermeasures
  • Summary of milestones
  • An overview of the project timeline and schedule-based risks
  • Resource and spending estimates

This snapshot of your project makes it easy for key stakeholders who aren’t actively involved in the mechanics of the project to understand it. For project managers, the executive summary serves as a quick reminder of the key project goal, scope, expectations, and limitations. Since almost a third of projects don’t meet their original goals, it’s important that project managers review the project plan regularly to stay on track.

2. Define the project scope

There are few things worse than starting on a project only for it to balloon. By defining a project’s scope , you set the boundaries for a project’s start and end dates as well as expectations about deliverables and who approves requests—and what merits approval— throughout a project.

It also involves outlining the potential risks associated with meeting these expectations and providing countermeasures to mitigate these risks. Identifying exactly who’s accountable for tracking these risks is essential.

This step will help you prevent scope creep, or how a project’s requirements tend to increase over a project lifecycle. Organizations complain that 34% of all their projects experience scope creep, yet only 52% of organizations go to the effort of mostly or always creating a scoping document every time.

3. Structure your project

There are several frameworks you could use to guide your project and this will affect your workflow’s organizations and how deliverables are produced and assigned.

For example, if you’re using the waterfall framework , you’ll be planning everything in advance, working through each stage of development sequentially, and specialized task owners executing their work at a defined time.

Remember that creating too many dependencies within your project structure can negatively impact success, so try to work out ways that teams can work autonomously to achieve deliverables in a timely manner. It’s also good to consider how many approvers are needed to maintain order but also to prevent bottlenecks.

Above all else, it’s important to incorporate set times for team knowledge-sharing, so your projects can be more successful. Make a note of the communication structures you’ll use to encourage collaboration .

4. Check what project resources you have available

Define the resources you have available for this project:

  • Physical resources

You need to be precise when you’re assessing what you’ll need, otherwise you’re baking a cake with all the wrong ingredients. A resource manager or project manager can lead this.

As an example, when teams have the right highly skilled people, projects are 30% more likely to succeed. Yet, a third of people don’t believe their teams have all the right skills for the project—a recipe for failure.

The quantity of team members is also important—if the ratio of work to available people is off, efficiency and quality will suffer. If you want to effectively allocate your resources to meet expectations, you’ll need to be realistic about resource limitations.

This may, for example, mean adjusting timescales if you’re short on staff or increasing your budget if you need more specialist equipment.

5. Map out your project timeline

Organizations that implement time frames into project plans are more likely to succeed. Despite this, 52% of projects don’t always set baseline schedules. That’s probably why 45% of organizations say they rarely or never complete successful projects on time.

In this sense, it’s wise to add a project schedule section to your project plan. This part of your plan should set expectations on when you’ll deliver and how you’ll stick to your project timeline.

Use a Gantt timeline to plan project activities and timings

Your project schedule will look a little different depending on which framework you choose.

The tasks that you have a ‘Work in Progress’ (WIP) will depend on your team’s capacity. In this section, you should set your maximum number of WIPs you can have in each column at each time.

6. Manage your project changes

Organizations put change control in their top three project challenges. If you don’t solidify a change management plan , your team will be clueless about what to do when unplanned change hits. A dynamic change management plan will outline the steps to follow and the person to turn to when unforeseen changes occur.

A key part of this is having a change management tool in place. And monday work management is flexible enough to help you manage all parts of the project life cycle — from planning and monitoring to reporting and resource management. Let’s take a look at a few of our templates that can help you get started.

5 project planning templates to help you write a good project plan

monday.com templates can be lifesavers when it comes to visualizing each section of your project plan, and they make it easy to get started. Try these 5 project plan templates to kickstart your project planning process.

1. Project Plan Template

Looking for a general project plan template? Try one of our project plan templates .

monday.com Project timeline template

Using this highly visual template by monday.com, you can structure your subprojects by set time periods and allocate accountable personnel to each phase.

Prioritize each project and add a timeline to show when deliverables are expected.

2. Resource Utilization Template

Resource management allows teams to focus on executing tasks, projects, and processes efficiently and achieve shared goals at scale.

monday.com resource management

You can allocate resources to individuals and tack on timescales so your staff knows what resources they’re responsible for in which phase. Adding a location makes it easy for teams to know where to hand over resources as they transition from one phase to the next—and they can check this on our mobile app.

Use the Workload view to manage your team’s time proactively and get an overview of the workload and capacity of each person on the team.

Use the Workload view to manage your team’s time proactively and get an overview of the workload and capacity of each person on the team.

3. Project Cost Management Template

It’s far easier to plan a budget when you can see all your costs in one place.

That’s why this Project Cost Management Template from monday.com is so incredibly handy.

monday.com Project Cost Management Template

Add each subproject and plan out projected costs, allocating totals to each department. You can use the document to estimate the budget you’ll need and to record your approved project budget. You can then use our dashboards or reports to see the information in a different, more colorful way.

4. Project Timeline Template

Plan out your schedules with this Project Timeline Template .

monday.com Project Timeline Template

While this dashboard isn’t really suitable if you’re working with the Kanban framework, it’s ideal for those operating under Waterfall or Scrum frameworks.

For Waterfall projects, add in your milestones, attach a timeline, and allocate a set number of workdays to complete the tasks for each milestone.

Tag the team leader for each phase so project managers know which milestones they’re responsible for.

During project execution, teams can use the status bar to track progress. They can also add updates to each milestone by clicking on each item, which encourages inter-team collaboration.

For Scrum projects, you can organize the dashboard by Sprints, adding in the specific tasks as they’re decided.

5. Program Risk Register Template

Visualize all your project scope and schedule risks in this Program Risk Register Template .

monday.com Program Risk Register Template

Use color-coded status bars to illustrate risk status, risk probability, and risk impact for your project scope and schedule.

You can even categorize risks, add a risk owner, and suggest mitigation strategies. That way other project team members know what to do if these risks start to blossom into real glitches.

Optimize your project management plan with the right tool

Project plans are an essential part of your team’s success.

While they are detail-oriented and complex, creating one and managing it shouldn’t be a struggle. Use monday.com’s pre-built planning templates to help you break down each section of the plan as you go and monitor everything in real-time.

Try monday work management, and see for yourself how much smoother your next project will run when you can consolidate all your project planning materials in one place.

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Popular project management methodologies

project plan methodology

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.

project plan methodology

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.

project plan methodology

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

Your Guide to Project Management Best Practices

Project Management Methodology: Definition, Types, Examples

project management methodology

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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How to Create a Realistic Project Plan with Templates & Examples

project plan methodology

As a project manager, a huge part of your role is to write project plans that help you keep projects on track. But that’s not all a project plan should do. 

A project plan is arguably the most important document you’ll create for a project. At its core, a plan should communicate your project approach and the process your team will use to manage the project according to scope.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can develop a rock-solid planning process that guides your team and projects to success.

What is a project plan?

Project plan example: what to include, why you should always write a project plan, 5 steps to an effective project planning process, how to create a project plan in teamgantt, free project plan templates.

A project plan is a document that maps out the tasks, effort, timing, and resources needed to meet project goals within a predefined scope. It’s often presented in the form of a gantt chart because it’s easy to visualize the project timeline and ensure work stays on track.

Any solid project management plan should answer the following questions:

  • What are the major deliverables?
  • How will we get to those deliverables and the deadline?
  • Who’s on the project team, and what role will they play in those deliverables?
  • Which stakeholders need to provide feedback on deliverables, and when?
  • When will the team meet milestones?

A project plan communicates this information in a simple, straightforward way so everyone clearly understands the objectives and how they contribute to project success. It may also be accompanied by other planning documents, such as a project charter , risk assessment , or communication plan .

While no two project plans are alike, they all share the same common building blocks. Be sure to include the following components in any project plan you create:

  • Project tasks : A detailed list of work to be done organized by project phase, process step, or work group
  • Project schedule : A visual timeline of task start dates, durations, and deadlines, with clear progress indicators
  • Key milestones : Major events, dates, decisions, and deliverables used for tracking forward progress
  • Dependencies : A line connecting tasks that need to happen in a certain order
  • Resources : Assignments that indicate the person or team responsible for completing a task

Here’s a simple example of what a project plan looks like with these basic elements highlighted:

An example of a project plan in gantt chart format with the following components highlighted: project tasks, project schedule, key milestones, dependencies, and resources.

Some people don’t understand the power of a good project plan. If you feel pressured to skip the plan and jump right into the work, remind your team and stakeholders that having a plan benefits everyone by making it easier to:

  • Build consensus before work begins : A detailed project plan ensures everyone has a clear understanding of—and agrees on—the overall process, scope, staffing, and even communications from the outset. That goes a long way in keeping project confusion and pop-up requests from gumming up the works.
  • Avoid scheduling conflicts : Project plans enable you to organize tasks so it’s clear who's responsible for what and when. If your team is juggling multiple projects, you can cross-reference other plans to see who’s available to take on new work before committing to a timeline.
  • Monitor project goals and scope : When new tasks creep in, it’s easy to lose sight of the original objectives. Spelling out the work you need to complete in a time-based plan keeps project goals front and center so you can ensure project scope stays intact.  ‍
  • Hold your team and stakeholders accountable : A good project plan sets expectations around the process and pacing you'll follow each step of the way. When plans are shared with teams and stakeholders, it keeps folks honest about what is—or isn’t—happening and forces you to resolve issues in a timely way.

Poor planning can lead to some pretty ugly consequences—from missed deadlines and budget overages to team burnout and client frustration. That’s why it’s important to establish a solid process you can use to plan any project. 

Planning a project doesn’t have to be difficult. These basic project planning steps can help you write a plan that’s both realistic and on target.

A chart that outlines 5 steps of the project planning process: 1. Discover & define; 2. Outline & draft; 3. Formalize & format; 4. Present & confirm; 5. Execute & adjust

  • Start with project discovery & definition
  • Draft a rough outline of your plan
  • Formalize your project management plan
  • Present & confirm your plan
  • Execute your plan & adjust as needed

Step 1: Start with project discovery and definition

A project plan is more than a dry document with dates. It’s the story of your project, and you don’t want it to be a tall tale! So make sure you know all the facts before you start creating a project plan.

Understand the project scope and value

Understanding the ins and outs of the project will help you determine the best process and identify any snags that might get in the way of success. Conduct your own research to dig deeper on:

  • Project goals and outcomes
  • Partnerships and outlying dependencies
  • Potential issues and risks

Review the scope of work , and dive into any documents or communications relevant to the project (maybe an RFP or notes from sales calls or client meetings). Be thorough in your research to uncover critical project details, and ask thoughtful questions before you commit to anything. 

Interview key stakeholders

If you want to dazzle stakeholders with a stellar project delivery, you’ve got to know how they work and what they expect. Schedule time with your main project contact, and ask them some tough questions about process, organizational politics, and general risks before creating a project plan. 

This will give project stakeholders confidence that your team has the experience to handle any difficult personality or situation. It also shows you care about the success of the project from the start.

Be sure to discuss these things with your stakeholders:

  • Product ownership and the decision-making process
  • Stakeholder interest/involvement levels
  • Key outages, meetings, deadlines, and driving factors
  • Related or similar projects, goals, and outcomes
  • The best way to communicate with partners and stakeholders

See a list of sample interview questions to ask stakeholders so you can develop better project plans.

Get to know your team

The last step in the research phase is to take time to learn more about the people who’ll be responsible for the work. Sit down with your team and get to know their:

  • Collaboration and communication styles
  • Availability and workload

Understanding these basics about your team will help you craft a thoughtful plan that takes their work styles and bandwidth into consideration. After all, a happy team delivers better projects.

Step 2: Draft a rough outline of your plan

Now that you’ve gathered the basic project details, the next step is to knock out a rough draft of your plan. Take some time to think about the discussions you had in the pre-planning phase and the approach your team might take to meet the project goals.

Sketch out the main components of your project plan

Sit down with a pen and paper (or a whiteboard), and outline how the project should work at a high level. Be sure you have a calendar close by to check dates.

If you’re at a loss for where to begin, start with the who, what, when, and how of the project. A first outline can be very rough and might look something like a work breakdown structure . Make sure your project outline includes the following components:

  • Deliverables and the tasks required to create them
  • Your client’s approval process
  • Timeframes associated with tasks/deliverables
  • Ideas on resources needed for tasks/deliverables
  • A list of the assumptions you’re making in the plan
  • A list of absolutes as they relate to the project budget and/or deadlines

Considering these elements will help you avoid surprises—or at least minimize them. And remember, you’re doing this as a draft so you can use it as a conversation-starter for your team. It’s not final yet!

Get input from your team on process, effort, and timing

You don’t want to put yourself or your team in an awkward position by not coming to a consensus on the approach before presenting it to your client. That's why a project manager can’t be the only one writing a project plan.

Once you’ve created a basic project outline, take those rough ideas and considerations to your team. This enables you to invite discussion about what might work rather than simply dictating a process. After all, every project must begin with clear communication of the project goals and the effort required to meet them. 

Be sure to get input from your team on how they can complete the tasks at hand without killing the budget and the team’s morale. As a project manager, you can decide on Agile vs. Waterfall approaches , but when it comes down to it, you need to know that the team can realistically execute the plan.

You can also use this review time to question your own thinking and push the team to take a new approach to the work. For example, if you’re working on a digital product, could designers start creating visual concepts while the wireframes are being developed? Or can you have two resources working on the same task at once?

Running ideas by the team and having an open dialogue about the approach not only helps you build a more accurate project plan. It gets everyone thinking about the project in the same terms. This type of buy-in and communication builds trust and gets people excited about working together to solve a goal. It can work wonders for the greater good of your team and project.

Step 3: Formalize your project management plan

You should feel comfortable enough at this point to put together a rock-solid project schedule using whatever tool works for you. 

Build out a detailed project schedule that’s easy to read

Any good online project planning tool will help you formalize your thoughts and lay them out in a consistent, visual format that’s easy to follow and track. (Ahem, TeamGantt works nicely for a lot of happy customers. ) 

Make sure tasks have clear start and end dates so there’s no question when work needs to happen to hit project deadlines. Organize work into phases, and use labels and/or color-coding to improve scannability. The easier your project plan is to understand at a glance, the better!

See how to create a project plan in TeamGantt

Consider how your team likes to work

Be as flexible as possible when it comes to how your project plan is presented. There's no absolute when it comes to how to format your plan as long as you and your team understand what goes into one.

Remember, people absorb information differently. While you might be partial to a gantt chart, others might prefer to view tasks in a list, calendar, or even a kanban board. You can make all of those variations work if you’ve taken the steps to create a solid plan.

For example, here’s an Agile project plan we built that lists each sprint as its own task group with milestones for sprint planning and deployment.

Agile project plan example with 2 sprints scheduled on a timeline

And here’s what that same project plan looks like if you turn it into a kanban board in TeamGantt. Simply click the Board tab and set up your columns so your team can manage their daily workflows more easily.

Sample Agile project plan in a kanban board view with columns for to do, in progress, and done

If your team currently prefers spreadsheets and isn’t quite ready to use TeamGantt yet, try our free Excel gantt chart template .

Step 4: Present and confirm your plan

You’re almost finished! Now it’s time to do your due diligence. It’s easy to throw stuff in a plan, but you have to make sure you get it right.

Run your final plan by your internal team

Your team needs to know the reality of your plan as it stands after you’ve built it out in TeamGantt. And you want to be sure they’re comfortable committing to the details. If they don’t, things will quickly fall apart!

Always review your final plan with your team before delivering it to stakeholders. Why? Because things like dates and tasks—and even assignments—will shift as you formalize the rough sketch of your plan. 

Here are a few things you’ll want to discuss with your team as you review the final plan together:

  • Review times
  • Team work times
  • Dependencies
  • Time off, meetings, and milestones
  • The final deadline
  • Any assumptions you’ve made
  • Major changes since your last talk

There’s nothing more embarrassing than delivering a plan with an error or a promise you can’t keep. Taking a few minutes to get buy-in from your team will give everyone peace of mind about your plan.

Review your project plan with stakeholders

Once you’ve confirmed the plan with your team and have their full sign-off, you’re ready to share your project plan with stakeholders . 

When delivering your project plan, make sure you provide an executive summary. This might come in the form of a project brief . A short recap of the overall methodology, resources, assumptions, deadlines, and related review times will help you convey what the plan means to the project and everyone involved.

Project plans can be daunting, so schedule time to present your project plan to stakeholders at a high level. Here are some things you’ll want to point out about your plan during this review:

  • Overall process and pacing
  • Major deliverables and timing
  • The time they’ll have to review deliverables
  • Overall timing for task groups or phases
  • How far off you are from the deadline
  • Wiggle room on the final deadline

If a stakeholder is interested in the day-to-day details, feel free to walk them through the plan line by line. Otherwise, start by explaining overall sections or phases, and be sure to come back to your plan at intervals throughout the project to remind them of tasks, next steps, and overall progress.

Step 5: Execute your plan and adjust as needed

Some projects are smooth and easy to manage, and others are a complete nightmare that wake you up at 3 a.m. every other night. Thankfully, having a solid project plan is your best defense against project chaos once work gets underway.

Keep in mind that project plans are living documents. Projects change constantly, and someone has to stay on top of—and document—that change. Remember to:

  • Update your plan regularly as work progresses and things change
  • Communicate changes to your team, partners, and stakeholders
  • Monitor and communicate risks as your project evolves

Ready to plan your project in TeamGantt? Follow these easy steps to build a plan that’s structured well and includes the elements you need for project success.

1. Enter your basic project details.

To create a new project plan in TeamGantt, click the New Project button in the upper right corner of the My Projects screen. Then enter your project name and start date, and select the days of the week you want to include in your plan. Click Create New Project to move on to the next step.

Example of the project creation screen in TeamGantt

2. List out your project tasks and milestones.

Now the real planning fun begins! Enter all the different tasks it will take to get the job done. If there are any key meetings, deliverable deadlines, or approvals, add those as milestones in your project plan.

List of tasks organized into 2 task groups in a project plan

3. Organize tasks into subgroups. 

Scrolling through one long list of tasks can be mind-numbing, even to the best of us. Break tasks down into phases or sections to ensure your project plan is easy to read and understand. 

4. Add task durations and milestone dates to the project timeline.

A visual project plan makes it easy to see exactly what needs to get done by when. Make sure every task has a start and end date so nothing falls through the cracks. TeamGantt’s drag and drop feature makes this planning step quick and easy.

Example of TeamGantt's drag and drop scheduling for task durations

5. Connect related tasks with dependencies.

Adding dependencies between tasks ensures work gets done in the right order and also helps you plan for delay risks. If your plan shifts and you need to move tasks around, dependencies speed up the process.

Example of a dependency line connecting a task assigned to Peggy to a subsequent task assigned to Don

6. Assign responsible team members to tasks.

That way there’s no confusion about who’s doing what, and your team can update and manage their daily tasks . Don’t forget to check team availability along the way to avoid overloading anyone with too much work.

Task assignment in TeamGantt

7. Use the RACI chart to define task roles more clearly.

This feature takes accountability one step further by letting you assign more specific roles to each task: Responsible , Accountable , Consulted , and Informed . Learn how RACI charts work and what each role means.

Example of RACI assignments in TeamGantt for a digital marketing campaign project plan

8. Add hourly estimates and/or points to each task. 

This makes it easy to see the lift each task involves at a glance. Including hourly estimates in your project plan also enables you to manage workloads and track overages more accurately.

Example of estimated hours for tasks in a project plan with actual vs estimated hours progress indicators

9. Color-code tasks for better scannability.

You can use colors to categorize tasks by project phase, priority, department, or team member—whatever makes visual sense to you and your team.

Example of color selection menu in TeamGantt for color-coding taskbars on the timeline

10. Add notes to clarify tasks or spell out important details.

There’s no such thing as too much information if it means your team has what they need to deliver quality work on time. Use the Notes section of your Discussion tab to enter any pertinent details your team will find helpful.

Task detail window example with notes on scope and word count, as well as a creative brief attached to the task

11. Upload important documents to the project.

This ensures project files are accessible to everyone in a centralized hub.  For example, you might attach your creative brief to the project so your content and design teams have clear direction for completing their deliverables.

If you’re planning a project for the first time or taking on a totally new type of project, you might be struggling to get your plan off the ground. We created a simple project management plan template to help you get started.

TeamGantt gives you the ability to quickly and easily build and adjust your plan using drag and drop scheduling. Plus, it comes with customizable views to fit every team member’s work style. 

Try our basic project plan template for free!

Basic project plan template in TeamGantt with placeholder tasks that can easily be customized

Looking for more specific project plan examples to jumpstart your process? Use these project planning templates to generate ideas and save time building out your plan:

  • Construction project plan template
  • Event planning template
  • Strategic marketing plan template
  • Tactical marketing plan template
  • Software development plan template
  • Video production schedule template
  • Website project plan template

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The 9 Stages of a Successful Project Planning Process

Find out what steps you can take to lay the foundation of a successful project.

Stella Inabo

Stella Inabo,   Content Writer

  • project planning

The project planning process is essential to laying the groundwork for a successful project. 

But planning a project is not linear. The project manager might need to change things on the fly to adjust plans to reality. For example, you could need to adjust the project timeline after planning your resources to avoid burning out your employees.  As a result, the project planning processes can quickly become complicated!  

In this guide, we’ll share a structured approach to project management planning that will help you plan your future projects better.

What are the stages in project planning?

There are nine essential stages in the project planning process that should be adhered to. Follow these steps to create your project plan:

1. Determine the project goals and objectives 

The first step in the project planning phase is to define the goals and objectives of your project. 

Project goals and objectives help you decide if the project should be prioritized (or even undertaken—essentially you need to use a proof of concept ). They also assist you in deciding what to deliver to the client and in identifying problems early on, e.g., a short deadline.  

Your project goals provide a broad idea of what you’re trying to accomplish and help dictate the direction of your project. 

Your project objectives are similar to your goals, but they define the project in more specific terms like cost, time, and quality. Once you have your project objectives, it's easy to determine the deliverables . 

To set your project goals and objectives, refer to the information gathered in the project initiation stage . For example, the project brief or project proposal state that the client needs an e-commerce store to handle the volume of orders on their social media pages. Their goal, in that case, is to launch an e-commerce website. Their objectives might be to launch a fast and user-friendly e-commerce website by the end of Q4 at a cost of $20,000.

If you're wondering where to start, take a look at our project planning templates or the more specific project charter templates that will help you save time and effort.

2. Determine the project scope 

Stakeholders often request extra tasks or significant changes in direction (sometimes several of them) during a project that could derail it. 

Your project scope protects you from unrealistic expectations, conflicting interests, and unattainable demands as the project progresses.  

To determine your scope, look at your project goals and objectives. What do you need to do to achieve them? What isn’t necessary? For example, the scope of a new housing project may be limited to erecting and finishing the building but might not include landscaping or the construction of an outdoor pool. And it certainly does not include switching the design to a skyscraper!

It’s normal to feel uncertain about all the details. Stephen Whitworth, co-founder of incident.io, recommends being flexible in your approach. “You can scope with different levels of detail in your scope. It’s helpful to start vague, get early feedback, and then go precise.”

Using a scope document or a scope statement ensures you can refer back to it if the need arises (this can be achieved in several ways). 

3. Build your work breakdown structure (WBS)

At this stage, start determining which tasks, subtasks, and deliverables must be carried out to complete the project. You can do this by referring to your scope and creating a work breakdown structure—a structured decomposition of tasks needed to complete a project. 

In his book Project Management for Humans , Brett Harned emphasizes the importance of work breakdown structure:  "Creating a work breakdown structure for any plan or set of tasks helps you get granular about the work that needs to be done on any given project."

You can create a written work breakdown structure by:

  • Breaking down your project using a Kanban board like Trello
  • Mapping out tasks and timelines using Gantt charts in a project management tool like Asana  

Start by taking the project itself and breaking it down into large chunks or workstreams. For example, your initial workstreams for an e-commerce website would be setting up the site infrastructure and authentication, creating the cart system, and connecting the payment gateway. 

You can go further by breaking your workstreams into smaller deliverables (don’t forget to add managerial tasks at each level!). For the e-commerce website, tasks like buying a domain name, instituting website hosting, and load balancing all fall under setting up the site infrastructure. 

If you’re using a project management tool like Asana or Trello to create your WBS, you can integrate with Float to easily allocate tasks based on your team’s skills, availability, and capacity.

4. Set timelines  

Now that you have individual tasks created, you can set timelines for each activity. 

Project timelines help you estimate the completion date and keep things on track. Timelines are usually plotted on a Gantt chart or in a resource management tool like Float .

A view of projects in Float that supports the project planning process

A view of projects in Float that supports the project planning process.

A view of milestones in Float

A view of milestones in Float.

You can set timelines by comparing the duration of tasks in similar projects or asking your team how long specific tasks take them.  

Remember to add a buffer period for unplanned events like switching hosting providers or delays in getting approval from building control inspectors. "If there's a project I can get done in a week, I'll estimate two and half weeks for it. In case of unforeseen circumstances, I'd like to overestimate so I'll have more time," says David Ibia, CEO of BoxMarshall LLC .

Here are some other things to keep in mind when creating timelines: 

  • Set milestones for project phases : An example of a milestone could be that 2 months from the start date, the engineers will have completed their work on the backend of the e-commerce site . 
  • Be conscious of time constraints : Your timeline might have to fit the deadline given by clients. In this case, you may need to follow the critical path. 

Learn more about project timelines in our brief guide to project scheduling.

5. Determine and plan resources 

For a project to succeed, you need the right people and resources. 

The resource planning process in project management involves a lot of project assumptions and making estimates . But from the past steps—especially your WBS, scope, and goals—you should have a rough idea of what resources you need. 

For example, if you’re building an e-commerce website, you’ll need a developer, a designer, and a copywriter.  You’ll also need to purchase hosting and a domain name for the website. If they are a co-located team, you should provide a meeting room for collaboration. 

For a new house construction project, you’ll need masons, plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and materials like sand, rocks, wood, pipes, and wires. 

When planning your resources, ensure you:

  • Determine the skills/criteria you need 
  • Confirm future availability of resources 
  • Identify costs of resources, e.g., hourly rates 
  • Find out about special requirements, e.g., do you need to find a contractor who is licensed through a guild?

You’ll want to make sure that you have the people with the right skills and capacity to make the project a success. Also, ensure your plan shows clear ownership of tasks. One easy way is to use your WBS to create an organizational structure.

6. Estimate costs 

One of the challenges in the project planning process is balancing your budget with your stakeholders' desire to save money.

However, if you underestimate costs, you might find yourself without funds in the middle of the project. To approximate the cost of the project , you can use: 

  • Ballpark estimation: What do you think the entire project will cost based on project objectives and client expectations? This is not an exact figure. It could cost less or more, so let your clients know. Use this method when you need to give a cost estimate before determining things like your WBS or resources. 
  • Parametric estimation: Use historical data in your resource management tool and the cost of variables to estimate costs. Turn your WBS into a cost breakdown structure. You can take the prices of a unit of labor, such as a mason working at $23 an hour, and multiply it by the amount of time the project will take.  

Choose your method and establish an initial cost baseline . Make sure to include details about the contact person and processes for releasing the funds. For example, the team lead could approve spending for limited amounts, while larger amounts must be approved by the finance department. 

A convenient way to manage project budgets

Easily manage project budgets with Float by selecting hourly or dollar-value options, tracking billable or non-billable tasks, and monitoring real-time progress through reports. Simplify your budgeting process and stay on target with Float!

7. Determine risks and constraints 

No project exists without risks or constraints. The key to avoiding a project failure is identifying the potential pitfalls and creating an action plan to handle them.  

One way to properly prepare is to create a risk register—a document that lists all of the potential risks and information about them. Also, include an action plan to counter each project risk in your risk register .

8. Plan out communication 

Creating a communication blueprint is essential in developing a project plan. "No matter what role you’re playing on a project, if you’re not making a strong effort to communicate with your team, you will likely fail," says Harned.

Be sure to include details about the following:

  • Communication channels: This may be via email for clients, while team members might communicate primarily over Slack.
  • Frequency: This may be weekly,  on-demand asynchronously, or per milestone.
  • Communication type/details: Execs typically need fewer details and more high-level information, while team members who are actively working on the project need more granular information. 
  • Contact persons: Define who you go to and with what type of information to avoid delays.

Did you know?

Float centralizes your people and projects, so everyone can always see who’s working on what and when. Automate notifications via Slack, email, and mobile to let the team know when plans change.

9. Make plans for quality control and assurance

Planning for project quality control involves providing guidelines for managing, assuring, and maintaining standards within the project. 

Without a plan, it will be very tough to achieve your desired results. You might end up with a slow e-commerce website or a leaky plumbing system!

To set quality control metrics, you should:

  • Leverage in-house experts' knowledge of best practices
  • Reference industry standards—for example,  e-commerce sites need to have a secure and fast payment system 
  • Work with key stakeholders to determine expectations of quality 

Your plan should also include acceptance criteria, define the people in charge of verifying work, and set any corrective actions.

What are the components of a project plan?

The elements will vary from project to project, but here are some essential components every successful project plan should have: 

  • Scope: Define the boundaries of your project. What will be included and excluded in the entire project? 
  • Deliverables: Define what products/deliverables need to be submitted at the end of the project. 
  • Budget: Define how much the project will cost. One easy way is to use your WBS to create a cost breakdown structure by assigning costs to each task. 
  • Quality: Define how quality will be assured and controlled on the project.  
  • Schedule: Assign time to each project activity and people to tasks.  
  • Resourcing: Define what human and material resources will be needed to complete the project. 
  • Stakeholder management/communication: How will you communicate with your stakeholders and keep them in the loop? Define which stakeholder will be given what information at what times.    
  • Governance: To keep your project transparent and compliant, define which team members are responsible for project monitoring and decision-making. 
  • Risk: Enter all risks in a risk register. Also, include details about each risk and plans to combat them. 

Learn about the factors to successful project planning .

Try the #1 project planning software

More than 400 of the world’s top teams choose Float to plan, schedule, and track their team’s time. Rated #1 on G2 for resource management, Float gives you the most accurate view of your resource capacity to plan project work.

Why is project planning software important? 

Planning a project involves a lot of guesswork. The truth is, as accurate as you try to be, your estimates may still end up a bit off track. 

Project planning software makes this work easier by providing a central place to document and share plans with stakeholders. It allows you to automate timeline planning and milestone setting. It also provides reliable historical data to inform decisions for future projects. 

With project planning software, you can forecast potential risks and resource shortages before they happen. You can track the availability and capacity of resources and find the right skills in your resource pool, effectively planning your project from start to finish.

Not sure which tool is best for you? Check out our listicle of project planning tools that helps you evaluate each tool and choose one that works.

Project plans are not set in stone 

The planning phase is iterative. More often than not, you will need to change your project management plan to match reality. 

Don't hesitate to find a way to redistribute resources or cut costs if you are falling behind schedule. If your communication plan isn't working, reassess and try new ways to keep your stakeholders informed .  

A successful project requires contributions from everyone involved, and that’s only possible with a solid project plan.

Related reads

Project timelines: how to deliver projects on time and on budget, it resource management: best practices and expert tips, how to create a work plan in 5 steps (+free templates).

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

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

Sarah Laoyan contributor headshot

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.

[inline illustration] Agile methodology (infographic)

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. 

Process Street

Project Management Project Plan Template

Define project scope, identify key stakeholders, create project schedule, determine budget, define communication strategy.

  • 4 Project Management Software
  • 5 In-person
  • 5 As needed

Identify Risks and Mitigation Strategies

Define project success criteria, approval: project manager for project scope.

  • Define Project Scope Will be submitted

Develop Detailed Project Plan

Set up project tracking tools.

  • 1 Project Management Software
  • 2 Spreadsheets
  • 3 Kanban Board
  • 4 Task Management Software
  • 5 Gantt Chart

Initiate Kickoff Meeting

  • 1 Project Manager
  • 2 Client Representative
  • 3 Team Members
  • 4 Stakeholders
  • 5 External Consultants

Assign Roles and Responsibilities

  • 2 Team Lead
  • 3 Subject Matter Expert
  • 4 Quality Analyst
  • 5 Technical Support

Monitor Project Progress

  • 1 Checklists
  • 2 Progress Reports
  • 3 Task Assignments
  • 4 Milestone Tracking
  • 5 Status Meetings
  • 5 Quarterly

Conduct Regular Project Status Meetings

  • 4 As needed

Maintain Project Documentation

  • 1 Project Charter
  • 2 Requirements Document
  • 3 Risk Register
  • 4 Meeting Minutes
  • 5 Change Requests

Apply Risk Management Practices

  • 1 Risk Identification
  • 2 Risk Assessment
  • 3 Risk Mitigation
  • 4 Risk Monitoring
  • 5 Risk Communication
  • 4 Quarterly

Facilitate Change Management

Approval: stakeholder for project deliverables.

  • Develop Detailed Project Plan Will be submitted

Conduct Project Closure Meeting

Analyze project performance.

  • 2 Key Performance Indicators
  • 3 Benchmarking
  • 4 Project Success Criteria Evaluation
  • 5 Stakeholder Feedback

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12 Project Management Methodologies: Your Guide

Set your project up for success by choosing the right project management methodology. Your choice of project management methodology defines how you manage a project. Learn about some common options (and how to choose the right one for your project).

[Featured image] A project manager in a pink dress holds a board with sticky notes at a conference table at which two other people are seated.

What is a project management methodology?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines methodology as “a body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline” or “a particular procedure or set of procedures” [ 1 ]. In the field of project management, this would be a set of rules and processes that define how you manage a project.

When discussing project management methodologies (PMMs), you will most likely encounter a variety of terms—some of them are true methodologies, and others would be more accurately described as principles or philosophies. For the purposes of this discussion, we will consider a variety of terms often referred to as PMMs, even if they do not technically satisfy the definition.

12 popular project management methodologies

Often one of the first decisions you will make as a project manager involves which methodology to follow. As the industry has evolved over the years, so have the PM methodology options. Keep in mind that there is no single option that works best—the best methodology is the one (or combination) that fits your project team and company. 

Before we discuss how to choose a methodology, let's take a look at some common options in project management.

1. Waterfall

The waterfall method, first designed by Winston W. Royce in 1970 for software development, is considered a more traditional, linear approach to managing a project. With the waterfall methodology, a project flows through a series of steps or phases. Generally, each must be completed before the next can begin. 

Stages of the waterfall model

1. Requirements: In this first phase, you will work with stakeholders in order to clearly define the project's requirements.

2. Design: The critical design phase is when you will plan what the final product will look like and what steps your team needs to take to get there. 

3. Implementation: This is where you can picture all your planning into action. For software projects, this is when programmers will write the actual code. 

4. Verification: During verification, your team tests the product to ensure it meets the requirements laid out in the first phase.

5. Maintenance: After the project is complete, the development team responds to feedback and makes any necessary modifications. 

When to use waterfall

The logical flow of waterfall makes it an excellent option for short, predictable projects where you have a clear vision of the finished product and fixed requirements that are not likely to change. It is best suited for teams and PMs that excel at planning and documentation. 

Agile takes an iterative approach to project management. The Agile Manifesto was created by several software development industry leaders as a way to adapt to quickly changing technology at the time. 

Although it is technically not a complete methodology — adopting Agile will not give you a comprehensive plan for how to manage your projects — Agile does offer a series of values and principles to promote agility and efficiency in the development process. 

Four foundational values of Agile

1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools: Managing a project around your Agile team rather than your tools can help make your team more responsive and adaptable.

2. Working software over comprehensive documentation: Robust documentation involved in older software development techniques often led to long delays. You will still produce documentation in Agile, but the focus shifts to functionality.

3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation: Instead of working out every detail of a project at the beginning, this method keeps clients and customers engaged in every stage of the collaborative development process. This is particularly helpful when a customer has unclear or changing requirements.

4. Responding to change over following a plan: Instead of front-loading all the planning of a project, Agile encourages short iterations that help make changes an improvement rather than an expense.

When to use Agile

An Agile approach works well on creative projects where requirements might change along the way and the final details of the product are not yet established. It is also a good option for projects where clients or stakeholders prefer to offer feedback regularly, rather than only when the final product is delivered.

Scrum is a lightweight Agile framework designed to help self-organising teams develop more complex projects. The framework includes a set of roles and meetings centered on the values of commitment, courage, focus, openness, and respect.

To better understand Scrum, let us take a look at some of its roles and practices.

Sprint: Short (usually one month or less) development cycle where a team creates a useable and (hopefully) releasable product increment

Scrum Master: Team leader responsible for coaching the team in the Scrum method, organising Scrum meetings and events, and ensuring team members have the support they need to succeed

Daily Scrum: 15-minute stand-up meeting held each day of a sprint where the team plans work for the next 24 hours

Product backlog: Prioritised list of work still to be done on a product

Product owner: Person responsible for maximising the value of the product by managing the product backlog

Development team: Roles responsible for the actual development work of a project

Sprint review: Informal session where the development team presents their finished iterations to stakeholders for feedback

When to use Scrum

The Scrum method, best for self-managing teams and a culture open to innovation, can help bring products to market more quickly. The short development cycles and frequent stakeholder involvement can often lead to a better-quality product.

Kanban is an Agile method of project management that helps visualise workflow to improve efficiency. The method got its start in the Japanese manufacturing industry before gaining popularity across many fields. 

At the center of the Kanban method is a Kanban board—a physical or digital tool that divides workflow into columns organised by development stage, such as to-do, in-progress, and completed tasks. This helps eliminate multi-tasking by encouraging teams to focus on only a few tasks at a time. It also makes it easy for both the team and stakeholders to quickly see where the team is in the development process.

Did you know? The word Kanban means billboard in Japanese. The method was developed by Toyota in the 1940s. 

Six Kanban practices

1. Visualise the workflow. The Kanban board visualises a team’s workload in a way that is easy to understand and execute.

2. Limit work in progress. Restricting the number of tasks a team is working on at any given time helps maintain focus.

3. Manage flow. This method switches the focus from managing people to managing a smooth flow of work.

4. Make policies explicit. Keep them simple, visible, and easy to understand.

5. Use feedback loops. Revisiting project goals regularly helps the team respond to changes and take advantage of new opportunities.

6. Improve collaboratively. Teams with a shared vision can work together to achieve continuous improvement. These evolutions should be based on metrics and experimentation.

When to use Kanban

If you want to limit planning and meetings and focus on continuous improvement, Kanban could be a good choice. It is particularly effective in helping teams work through big backlogs or deal with frequent requests from stakeholders.

The Lean methodology focuses on maximising value by reducing waste and improving efficiency. It is another method that came from Toyota and has expanded in popularity well beyond manufacturing. 

Five core principles of Lean

The Lean methodology centers on five principles, outlined in the book The Machine that Changed the World and Lean Thinking .

1. Understand value. Think about value from the customer’s perspective. What are they willing to pay?

2. Identify the value stream. Use visual techniques to map out the actions required to develop and launch a product. Use this map to identify areas of waste.

3. Create value flow. You can achieve this by eliminating waste due to things like excess inventory, time spent waiting, or performing more work than is necessary.

4. Use a pull approach. Deliver value as the customer requests it. This keeps the focus on delivering what the customer actually wants while eliminating time spent on features that might not be wanted or needed.

5. Continuously improve. Always seek perfection by assessing the project regularly for ways to reduce waste and enhance value.

When to use Lean

The focus on waste elimination makes Lean a natural fit for more traditional manufacturing projects. But it can also be effective in other industries, particularly when you want to keep the focus of development on the customer first.

6. Critical path method (CPM)

The critical path method defines the longest sequence of tasks that must be completed to successfully complete a project. These are the tasks that, if stalled, could cause delays in the entire project. The method also maps out the dependencies between tasks and an estimate of how long each task will take to complete.

Mapping out these elements can help establish important project deadlines and define a more accurate project schedule.  

When to use CPM

CPM is best for projects with a well-defined series of tasks that need to be performed in a set order (construction projects, for example). It is a good option to keep projects with a fixed deadline on schedule.

7. Critical chain management (CCM)

Where CPM focuses on time, the critical chain method (CCM) shifts the focus to the supply chain. This method is used to map out a critical path based on resource availability. These resources could include people, physical space, equipment, or other physical components. Unlike a CPM map, a CCM map includes scheduled buffers to remind a project team that a certain resource is necessary to finish a critical task. 

When to use CCM

CCM is well-suited for projects that rely on limited or time-sensitive resources to complete. Overestimating task durations by building in buffers helps teams meet deadlines even in the face of unforeseen circumstances.

PRINCE2 stands for Projects in Controlled Environments. It is a process-based project management methodology used to answer certain basic questions in product development:

What are you trying to achieve?

When will you start?

What do you need to complete it?

Do you need help?

How long will it take?

How much will it cost?

While used primarily by the British government, the PRINCE2 method has been applied to projects in a variety of industries around the world. The method is designed to be scalable to fit a variety of projects.

When to use PRINCE2

PRINCE2 is particularly popular outside the US — it is used in more than 150 different countries. If your project involves multinational stakeholders, it might be worth considering this method. The focus on robust organisation makes it more appropriate for complex yet predictable projects.

The Project Management Body of Knowledge, or PMBOK for short, is not so much a methodology as a collection of best practices and guidelines outlined by the Project Management Institute (PMI). 

Did you know? The PMBOK Guide is currently in its seventh edition, published in 2021. The reference was designed to be used alongside the Agile Practice Guide .

The book, regularly updated by PMI, breaks down projects into five stages, often referred to as the lifecycle of a project:

Controlling

While PMBOK is often associated with the waterfall method, its practices can also fit into an Agile framework. For large companies managing multiple projects, PMBOK can help standardise terminology and practices across different departments.

When to use PMBOK

Just about every company and project can benefit from the standardised practices outlined in PMBOK. Project managers who pursue the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification will want to be familiar with the material.

The Projects Integrating Sustainable Methods (PRiSM) model of project management places an emphasis on environmental sustainability. Specifically, the method focuses on minimising the ecological risks and increasing benefits that may impact the five Ps: people, planet, prosperity, process, and products.

Unlike other methodologies, PRiSM looks at projects beyond the scope of development to consider their impact beyond delivery.

Six principles of PRiSM

1. Commitment and accountability: Organisations should take responsibility for a clean environment, employee well-being, and equal opportunities. 

2. Ethics and decision making: All decisions should take into account the short and long-term impacts on both society and the environment.

3. Integrated and transparent: Projects should promote financial, environmental, and social benefits at all policy levels.

4. Principal and values-based: Projects should use technology to use resources more efficiently.

5. Social and ecological equity: Project managers should evaluate any impact a project may have on vulnerable populations or environmentally sensitive areas using demographic data.

6. Economic prosperity: Fiscal planning should balance the needs of company stakeholders and future generations.

When to use PRiSM

This approach is best for projects with an established environmental impact, such as real estate and industrial projects. It is not as useful for things like software development, where environmental impact is less of a concern.

11. Six Sigma

Six Sigma, a quality management process developed at Motorola in the 1980s, comprises a set of tools and techniques to eliminate errors in development. This can help reduce costs and customer complaints due to errors.

The method generally takes a five-phase approach to improve existing processes:

Define : Analyse a business problem from a customer perspective.

Measure : Measure the problem in terms of data and define a performance metric.

Analyse : Quantify your goals and determine if your process is efficient and effective.

Improve : Find ways to improve process implementation.

Control : Implement and maintain the solution.

When to use Six Sigma

Six Sigma tends to be most effective in large organisations with several hundred or more employees. 

12. Extreme Project Management (XPM)

Doug DeCarlo, the creator of Extreme Project Management (XPM), defines it as “the art and science of facilitating and managing the flow of thoughts, emotions, and interactions in a way that produces valued outcomes under turbulent and complex conditions” [ 2 ].

This flexible approach helps teams adapt to the unknowns that pop up during a project, including frequent changes to requirements and complex project needs. For software development projects, this is sometimes referred to as extreme programming.

When to use XPM

XPM works best for short development cycles with less-defined product specifications. Teams that like to experiment to see what works could thrive with this method.

Hybrid Methodologies

Just as there is no single best method for managing a project, you also do not have to limit yourself to just one option. Project managers have combined various approaches to come up with new hybrid approaches, such as Lean Six Sigma or Scrumban (Scrum and Kanban).

How to choose a project management methodology

The best project management method for you will depend on your project, team organisation, and tools. Let's take a quick look at some things to consider and questions you should ask yourself when choosing a PM methodology.

1. Evaluate the project. Does your project have fixed or flexible requirements? Is the finished product well-defined or will the team take a creative approach to defining it? How complex is it and how long will it take to complete? What physical resources are involved? Will the stakeholders or clients be readily available and how involved would they like to be?

2. Consider your team. Some methods work well with small, self-managing teams. Others lend structure to larger cross-functional teams. Also, take into account what method your team might already be used to. Would the benefits of implementing a new method outweigh the time cost of teaching it?

3. Look at the organisation. What are your company’s goals and values? You will want to choose a methodology that aligns with these elements. Some companies may prefer and employ a particular approach that you will need to adapt to.

4. Think about your tools. Some project management tools are flexible enough to work with various different methodologies. Others might be more specific to a particular approach. Make sure the tools and software you are proficient in are a good match for whatever methodology you select.

If you're considering a career in project management, be ready to learn job-oriented skills with a Professional Certificate in project management from Google .  Learn about traditional and Agile methods, access career resources to enhance your resume and interview skills, and get connected with top employers through the Google hiring consortium.

Article sources

Merriam-Webster. " Definition of methodology , https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/methodology." Accessed February 24, 2022.

XPM Group. "Process, https://www.xpmgp.com/process ." Accessed February 24, 2022.

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The Ultimate Guide…

Waterfall Model

Brought to you by projectmanager, the online project planning tool used by over 35,000 users worldwide..

ProjectManager's Gantt chart, showing a waterfall project

What Is the Waterfall Methodology in Project Management?

The phases of the waterfall model, waterfall software development life cycle.

  • What Is Waterfall Software?
  • Desktop vs Online Waterfall Software

Must-Have Features of Waterfall Software

  • The Waterfall Model & ProjectManager.com

Waterfall vs. Agile

  • Pros & Cons of the Waterfall Model

Benefits of Project Management Software for Waterfall Projects

Waterfall methodology resources.

The waterfall methodology is a linear project management approach, where stakeholder and customer requirements are gathered at the beginning of the project, and then a sequential project plan is created to accommodate those requirements. The waterfall model is so named because each phase of the project cascades into the next, following steadily down like a waterfall.

It’s a thorough, structured methodology and one that’s been around for a long time, because it works. Some of the industries that regularly use the waterfall model include construction, IT and software development. As an example, the waterfall software development life cycle, or waterfall SDLC, is widely used to manage software engineering projects.

Related: 15 Free IT Project Management Templates for Excel & Word

Gantt charts are the preferred tool for project managers working in waterfall method. Using a Gantt chart allows you to map subtasks, dependencies and each phase of the project as it moves through the waterfall lifecycle. ProjectManager’s waterfall software offers these features and more.

A screenshot of the gantt chart interface in ProjectManager

Manage waterfall projects in minutes with ProjectManager— learn more .

The waterfall approach has, at least, five to seven phases that follow in strict linear order, where a phase can’t begin until the previous phase has been completed. The specific names of the waterfall steps vary, but they were originally defined by its inventor, Winston W. Royce, in the following way:

Requirements: The key aspect of the waterfall methodology is that all customer requirements are gathered at the beginning of the project, allowing every other phase to be planned without further customer correspondence until the product is complete. It is assumed that all requirements can be gathered at this waterfall management phase.

Design: The design phase of the waterfall process is best broken up into two subphases: logical design and physical design. The logical design subphase is when possible solutions are brainstormed and theorized. The physical design subphase is when those theoretical ideas and schemas are made into concrete specifications.

Implementation: The implementation phase is when programmers assimilate the requirements and specifications from the previous phases and produce actual code.

Verification: This phase is when the customer reviews the product to make sure that it meets the requirements laid out at the beginning of the waterfall project. This is done by releasing the completed product to the customer.

Maintenance: The customer is regularly using the product during the maintenance phase, discovering bugs, inadequate features and other errors that occurred during production. The production team applies these fixes as necessary until the customer is satisfied.

Related: Free Gantt Chart Template for Excel

Let’s hypothesize a simple project, then plan and execute it with the waterfall approach phases that you just learned. For our waterfall software development life cycle example, we’ll say that you’re building an app for a client. The following are the steps you’d take to reach the final deliverable.

Requirements & Documents

First, you must gather all the requirements and documentation you need to get started on the app.

  • Project Scope: This is one of the most important documents in your project, where you determine what the goals associated with building your app are: functional requirements, deliverables, features, deadlines, costs, and so on.
  • Stakeholder Expectations: In order to align the project scope with the expectations of your stakeholders—the people who have a vested interest in the development of the app—you want to conduct interviews and get a clear idea of exactly what they want.
  • Research: To better serve your plan, do some market research about competing apps, the current market, customer needs and anything else that will help you find the unserved niche your app can serve.
  • Assemble Team: Now, you need to get the people and resources together who will create the app, from programmers to designers.
  • Kickoff: The kickoff meeting is the first meeting with your team and stakeholders where you cover the information you’ve gathered and set expectations.

System Design

Next, you can begin planning the project proper. You’ve done the research, and you know what’s expected from your stakeholders . Now, you have to figure out how you’re going to get to the final deliverable by creating a system design. Based on the information you gathered during the first phase, you’ll determine hardware and software requirements and the system architecture needed for the project.

  • Collect Tasks: Use a work breakdown structure to list all of the tasks that are necessary to get to the final deliverable.
  • Create Schedule: With your tasks in place, you now need to estimate the time each task will take. Once you’ve figured that out, map them onto a Gantt chart , and diligently link dependencies. You can also add costs to the Gantt, and start building a budget.

Implementation

Now you’re ready to get started in earnest. This is the phase in which the app will be built and tested. The system from the previous phase is first developed in smaller programs known as units. Then each goes through a unit testing process before being integrated.

  • Assign Team Tasks: Team members will own their tasks and be responsible for completing them, and for collaborating with the rest of the team. You can make these tasks from a Gantt chart and add descriptions, priority, etc.
  • Monitor & Track: While the team is executing the tasks, you need to monitor and track their progress in order to make sure that the project is moving forward per your schedule.
  • Manage Resources & Workload: As you monitor, you’ll discover issues and will need to reallocate resources and balance workload to avoid bottlenecks.
  • Report to Stakeholders: Throughout the project, stakeholders need updates to show them progress. Meet with them and discuss a regular schedule for presentations.
  • Test: Once the team has delivered the working app, it must go through extensive testing to make sure everything is working as designed.
  • Deliver App: After all the bugs have been worked out, you’re ready to give the finished app to the stakeholders.

System Testing and Deployment

During this phase you’ll integrate all the units of your system and conduct an integration testing process to verify that the components of your app work properly together.

Once you verify that your app is working, you’re ready to deploy it.

Verification

Though the app has been delivered, the software development life cycle is not quite over until you’ve done some administrative tasks to tie everything up. This is technically the final step.

  • Pay Contracts: Fulfil your contractual obligations to your team and any freelance contractors. This releases them from the project.
  • Create Template: In software like ProjectManager, you can create a template from your project, so you have a head start when beginning another, similar one.
  • Close Out Paperwork: Make sure all paperwork has been rubber stamped and archived.
  • Celebrate: Get everyone together, and enjoy the conclusion of a successful project!

Maintenance

Of course, the nature of any software development project is that, through use by customers, new bugs will arise and must be squashed. So, past the verification stage, it’s typically expected that you will provide maintenance beyond launch. This is an ongoing, post-launch phase that extends for as long as your contract dictates.

What Is Waterfall Project Management Software?

Waterfall project management software is used to help you structure your project processes from start to finish. It allows managers to organize their tasks, sets up clear schedules in Gantt charts and monitor and control the project as it moves through its phases.

Project management training video (fgc8zj1dix)

A waterfall project is broken up into phases, which can be achieved on a Gantt chart in the waterfall project management software. Managers can set the duration for each task on the Gantt and link tasks that are dependent on one another to start or finish.

While waterfall software can be less flexible and iterative than more agile frameworks, projects do change frequently—and there must be features that can capture these changes in real-time with dashboards and reports, so that the manager can clear up bottlenecks or reallocate resources to keep teams from having their work blocked. Microsoft Project is one of the most commonly used project management software, but it has major drawbacks that make ProjectManager a great alternative .

Desktop vs Online Project Management Waterfall Software

When it comes to waterfall software, you can choose from either a desktop application or online, cloud-based project management software. This might not seem to be a big issue, but there are important distinctions between these two types of offerings.

That’s because there are differences between the two applications, and knowing those differences will help you make an informed decision.

Desktop waterfall software tends to have a more expensive up-front cost, and that cost can rise exponentially if you are required to pay per-user licensing fees for every member of your team.

Online waterfall software, on the other hand, is typically paid for on a subscription basis, and that subscription is usually a tiered payment plan depending on the number of users.

Connectivity

Online software, naturally, must be connected to the internet. This means your speed and reliability can vary depending on your internet service provider. It also means that if you lose connectivity, you can’t work.

Although the difference is minor, desktop waterfall software never has to worry about connection outages.

If security is a concern, rest assured that both options are highly secure. Desktop software that operates on a company intranet is nigh impenetrable, which can provide your company with a greater sense of security.

Strides in web security, like two-factor authentication and single-sign have made online, cloud-based waterfall software far more secure. Also, online tools have their data saved to the cloud, so if you suffer a crash on your desktop that might mean the end of your work.

Accessibility

Desktops are tied to the computers they are installed to or, at best, your office’s infrastructure. That doesn’t help much if you have distributed teams or work off site, in the field, at home and so on.

Online software is accessible anywhere, any time—so long as you have an internet connection. This makes it always accessible, but even more importantly, it delivers real-time data, so you’re always working on the current state of the project.

Waterfall software helps to organize your projects and make them run smoothly. When you’re looking for the right software to match your needs, make sure it has the following features.

Phases & Milestones icon

Keep Your Project Structured

Managing a project with the waterfall method is all about structure. One phase follows another. To break your project into these stages, you need an online Gantt chart that has a milestone feature. This indicates the date where one phase of the waterfall process stops and another begins.

Phases & Milestones image

Control Your Task and Schedule

The Gantt chart is a waterfall’s best friend. It organizes your tasks, sets the duration and links tasks that are dependent to keep work flowing later on. When scheduling, you want a Gantt that can automatically calculate your critical path to help you know how much float you have.

Dependencies & CPM image

Have Your Files Organized

Waterfall projects, like all projects, collect a lot of paperwork. You want a tool with the storage capacity to hold all your documents and make them easy to find when you need them. Also, attaching files to tasks gives teams direction and helps them collaborate.

Attachments image

Know If You’re on Schedule

Keeping on track means having accurate information. Real-time data makes it timely, but you also need to set your baseline and have dashboard metrics and reporting to compare your actual progress to your planned progress. This makes sure you stay on schedule.

Planned vs Actuals image

Get an Overview of Performance

Dashboards are designed to collect data and display it over several metrics, such as overall health, workload and more. This high-level view is important, so you want to have a feature that automatically calculates this data and doesn’t require you to manually input it.

Dashboards image

Make Data-Based Decisions

Reports dive deeper into data and get more details on a project’s progress and performance. Real-time data makes them accurate. Look for ease of use—it should only take a single click to generate and share. You’ll also want to filter the results to see only what you’re interested in.

Reports image

The Waterfall Model & ProjectManager

ProjectManager is an award-winning project management software that organizes teams and projects. With features such as online Gantt charts, task lists, reporting tools and more, it’s an ideal tool to control your waterfall project management.

Sign up for a free 30-day trial and follow along to make a waterfall project in just a few easy steps. You’ll have that Gantt chart built in no time!

1. Upload Requirements & Documents

Waterfall project management guarantees one thing: a lot of paperwork. All the documentation and requirements needed to address for the project can quickly become overwhelming.

You can attach all documentation and relevant files to our software, or directly on a task. Now, all of your files are collected in one place and are easy to find. Don’t worry about running out of space—we have unlimited file storage.

2. Use a Work Breakdown Structure to Collect Tasks

Getting to your final deliverable will require many tasks. Planning the waterfall project means knowing every one of those tasks, no matter how small, and how they lead to your final deliverable. A work breakdown structure is a tool to help you figure out all those steps.

To start, use a work breakdown structure (WBS) to collect every task that is necessary to create your final deliverable. You can download a free WBS template here . Then, upload the task list to our software.

A screenshot of a gantt chart in ProjectManager

3. Open in Gantt Project View

Gantt charts are essential project management tools used for planning and scheduling. They collect your tasks in one place on a timeline . From there, you can link dependencies, set milestones, manage resources and more.

In the software, open the Gantt chart view and add deadlines, descriptions, priorities and tags to each task.

4. Create Phases & Milestones

Milestones are what separates major phases in a waterfall method project. Waterfall methodology is all about structure and moving from one phase to the next, so breaking your project into milestones is key to the waterfall method.

In the Gantt view, create phases and milestones to break up the project. Using the milestone feature, determine when one task ends and a new one begins. Milestones are symbolized by a diamond on the Gantt.

5. Set Dependencies in a Gantt Chart

Dependent tasks are those that cannot start or finish until another starts or finishes. They create complexities in managing any waterfall project.

Link dependent tasks in the Gantt chart. Our software allows you to link all four types of dependencies: start-to-start, start-to-finish, finish-to-finish and finish-to-start. This keeps your waterfall project plan moving forward in a sequential order and prevents bottlenecks.

6. Assign From Gantt Charts

Although you’ve planned and scheduled a project, it’s still just an abstraction until you get your team assigned to execute those tasks. Assigning is a major step in managing your waterfall project and needs to happen efficiently.

Assign team members to tasks right from the Gantt chart. You can also attach any related images or files directly to the task. Collaboration is supported by comments at the task level. Anyone assigned or tagged will get an email alert to notify them of a comment or update.

ProjectManager's Gantt charts are ideal for waterfall project management

7. Manage Resources & Workload

Resources are anything you need to complete the project. This means not only your team, but also the materials and tools that they need. The workload represents how many tasks your team is assigned, and balancing that work keeps them productive.

Keep track of project resources on the Workload view. See actual costs, and reallocate as needed to stay on budget. Know how many tasks your team is working on with easy-to-read color-coded charts, and balance their workload right on the page.

A screenshot of ProjectManager’s resource management window, each team member has a row that shows their workload

8. Track Progress in Dashboard & Gantt

Progress must be monitored to know if you’re meeting the targets you set in your waterfall method plan. The Gantt shows percentage complete, but a dashboard calculates several metrics and shows them in graphs and charts.

Monitor your project in real time and track progress across several metrics with our project dashboard . We automatically calculate project health, costs, tasks and more and then display them in a high-level view of your project. Progress is also tracked by shading on the Gantt’s duration bar.

ProjectManager’s dashboard view, which shows six key metrics on a project

9. Create Reports

Reporting serves two purposes: it gives project managers greater detail into the inner-workings of their waterfall project to help them make better decisions, and acts as a communication tool to keep stakeholders informed.

Easily generate data-rich reports that show project variance, timesheets , status and more. Get reports on your planned vs. the actual progress. Filter to show just the information you want. Then, share with stakeholders during presentations and keep everyone in the loop.

A screenshot of a project report generated by ProjectManager

10. Duplicate Plan for New Projects

Having a means to quickly copy projects is helpful in waterfall methodology, as it jumpstarts the next project by recreating the major steps and allowing you to make tweaks as needed.

Create templates to quickly plan any recurring waterfall projects. If you know exactly what it takes to get the project done, then you can make it into a template. Plus, you can import proven project plans from MSP, and task lists from Excel and Word.

The waterfall methodology is one of two popular methods to tackle software engineering projects; the other method is known as Agile .

It can be easier to understand waterfall when you compare it to Agile. Waterfall and Agile are two very different project management methodologies , but both are equally valid, and can be more or less useful depending on the project.

Waterfall Project Management

If the waterfall model is to be executed properly, each of the phases we outlined earlier must be executed in a linear fashion. Meaning, each phase has to be completed before the next phase can begin, and phases are never repeated—unless there is a massive failure that comes to light in the verification or maintenance phase.

Furthermore, each phase is discrete, and pretty much exists in isolation from stakeholders outside of your team. This is especially true in the requirements phase. Once the customer’s requirements are collected, the customers cease to play any role in the actual waterfall software development life cycle.

Agile Project Management

The agile methodology differs greatly from the waterfall approach in two major ways; namely in regards to linear action and customer involvement. Agile is a nimble and iterative process, where the product is delivered in stages to the customer for them to review and provide feedback.

Instead of having everything planned out by milestones, like in waterfall, the Agile software development method operates in “sprints” where prioritized tasks are completed within a short window, typically around two weeks.

These prioritized tasks are fluid, and appear based on the success of previous sprints and customer feedback, rather than having all tasks prioritized at the onset in the requirements phase.

Understanding the Difference Between Waterfall & Agile

The important difference to remember is that a waterfall project is a fixed, linear plan. Everything is mapped out ahead of time, and customers interact only at the beginning and end of the project. The Agile method, on the other hand, is an iterative process, where new priorities and requirements are injected into the project after sprints and customer feedback sessions.

Pros & Cons of the Waterfall Project Management

There are several reasons why project managers choose to use the waterfall project management methodology. Here are some benefits:

  • Project requirements are agreed upon in the first phase, so planning and scheduling is simple and clear.
  • With a fully laid out project schedule , you can give accurate estimates for your project cost, resources and deadlines.
  • It’s easy to measure progress as you move through the waterfall model phases and hit milestones.
  • Customers aren’t perpetually adding new requirements to the project, which can delay production.

Of course, there are drawbacks to using the waterfall method as well. Here are some disadvantages to this approach:

  • It can be difficult for customers to articulate all of their needs at the beginning of the project.
  • If the customer is dissatisfied with the product in the verification phase, it can be very costly to go back and design the code again.
  • A linear project plan is rigid, and lacks flexibility for adapting to unexpected events.

Although it has its drawbacks, a waterfall project management plan is very effective in situations where you are encountering a familiar scenario with several knowns, or in software engineering projects where your customer knows exactly what they want at the onset.

Using a project management software is a great way to get the most out of your waterfall project. You can map out the steps and link dependencies to see exactly what needs to go where.

As illustrated above, ProjectManager is made with waterfall methodology in mind, with a Gantt chart that can structure the project step-by-step. However, we have a full suite of features, including kanban boards that are great for Agile teams that need to manage their sprints.

With multiple project views, both agile and waterfall teams and more traditional ones can work from the same data, delivered in real time, only filtered through the project view most aligned to their work style. We take the waterfall methodology and bring it into the modern world.

Now that you know how to plan a waterfall project, give yourself the best tools for the job. Take a free 30-day trial and see how ProjectManager can help you plan with precision, track with accuracy and deliver your projects on time and under budget.

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5 Ways to Elevate Your Project Management Process in 2024 

project plan methodology

While no one can predict the future with 100% accuracy, we can make an educated guess on what will happen in 2024 in the construction industry.  

For the next year and beyond, we anticipate that construction project complexity will continue to increase, especially with the on-going labor crunch and supply chain uncertainty. And thanks to a recent KPMG survey , we also know that the large majority of owners (87%) report that their projects are coming under greater scrutiny.  

So what’s the key to managing increased stakeholder involvement and logistical challenges? It starts with efficient project management processes .  

Think of yourself as an orchestra conductor who brings together various moving parts and ensures everything works in perfect harmony. If one thing falls out of alignment, it can disrupt the entire project and lead to delays, increased costs, potential safety hazards, and increased pressure from clients.  

With this in mind, let’s shed light on best practices and tools that can help you keep all the balls in the air as well as level up your project management game in 2024 and beyond. These strategies and resources will enable you to more proactively manage project complexity and potential issues, ensuring the successful completion of your construction projects.  

Want to know more about managing construction projects in Autodesk Construction Cloud? Attend our Ask Me Anything on February 20 with our product experts.

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1. Prioritize centralized communication 

Teams that coordinate projects across various communication channels (e.g., email, phone conversations, chat, and sticky notes on desks) are not setting themselves up for success in 2024. When your communication is all over the place, it’s easy for critical information to be overlooked or lost. Without a shared place to store and access communication, you risk losing historical records completely after project completion or if someone leaves the company. 

Not to mention, the growing emphasis on remote and hybrid work means stakeholders need a central and accessible platform to collaborate.  

That’s why the first step to successful project management is ensuring all communications occur in a centralized platform. Doing so speeds up the flow and frequency of information, enhances transparency between team members, and improves decision-making. 

Additionally, a centralized system enables you to maintain a record of all communications so teams can retrieve information and track decision-making processes throughout a project—and beyond.  

With Correspondence in Autodesk Build and BIM Collaborate, teams have a dedicated tool to manage all project communication. Correspondence allows you to: 

  • Centralize project communication and reduce data loss. With flexible control, you can create, import, and organize internal and external communications directly from the platform. Correspondence reduces double-entry, so there’s less chance of errors and information loss.  
  • Connect your construction workflows. Link correspondence to relevant project information, including Files, Issues, RFIs, and more, so you’re no longer switching between programs.  
  • Organize and access project information. Maintain access to current and past project communication. Group, sort, filter, and search correspondence to quickly find what you’re looking for – so you can spend less time digging through conversations and more time taking action.  
  • Control correspondence visibility. Easily set permissions on correspondence to ensure the right level of visibility. 
  • Unrestricted and open-ended communication. Communicate freely with both internal teams and outside stakeholders 

Learn more about Correspondence .   

2. Navigate schedule complexity 

Construction project schedules are notoriously complex. From milestone due dates to material deliveries, each element has its own timeline that must be coordinated and integrated into the overall schedule. 

Projects involve multiple events and activities—many of which may take place at the same time. Without proper planning, you can run into delays, safety issues, or contractual issues. 

As such, you need to have a central source of key dates, deadlines, and more. This is where Schedule in Autodesk Build comes in. This tool gives you and your teams a central source for the project schedule so you can: 

  • Share the construction schedule instantly, keeping stakeholders in the loop. Plus thanks to our web and mobile-friendly views, teams can access the schedule in the field, office, or wherever they work.  
  • Connect the schedule to the entire project by linking Schedule activities to Files, Photos, Issues, Sheets and Assets. This capability enhances the integration and visibility of project components, which helps you coordinate various activities.  
  • Suggest edits. When changes happen in the field, teams can suggest updates to the schedule that are instantly shared with HQ so they can update the new schedule. Teams can adapt and act quickly, reducing delays.  
  • Compare versions.  When new schedule versions are issued, finding the updates can be like finding a needle in the haystack. With version compare, you can compare multiple versions of the schedule to understand what changed instantly.  

Learn more about Schedule .  

3. Keep everyone on the same page 

Project teams consist of different stakeholders, each with their own responsibilities. Delivering a quality project on time and within budget means keeping everyone working towards the same end goal. This is why high-performing teams have frequent and impactful check-ins to ensure everyone stays aligned.  

That’s all well and good, but not all meetings are created equal. To maximize meeting productivity, attendees need to know what tasks they are responsible for to keep the project moving.  

Meetings in Autodesk Build and BIM Collaboration makes this easy. It keeps project teams aligned before, during, and after your meetings so you can: 

  • Boost communication and transparency. With Meetings, all attendees can access the agenda, notes, and action items. 
  • Improve follow-through. The point of action items is to get things done. Meetings help you do this with features that let you assign and track critical tasks to stakeholders. 
  • Make better decisions, as a team. By connecting Meetings to other parts of the project—like RFIs, Submittals, Issues, and more—stakeholders have all the information handy to make confident and informed decisions. 

Learn more about Meetings .  

4. Make informed and proactive decisions 

Construction project success requires you to make the right decisions at the right time. Numerous choices must be made throughout the project, and to make the right call, you need to have all relevant information available. 

The traditional RFI process can be time-consuming and cumbersome. Communication through RFIs can be disjointed, with queries and responses passing through various channels, ultimately slowing down decision-making.  

Enter RFIs in Autodesk Build, which allows teams to clarify uncertainties and make informed decisions faster. With RFIs, teams can: 

  • Speed up the RFI process. You can set defaults for fields like watchers, location, due date, managers, etc. That way, the creation and submission of RFIs become more streamlined and efficient. 
  • Provide all relevant context. By referencing supporting Issues, Files, Sheets, Change Orders, Forms, and more, RFIs in Autodesk Build offer a comprehensive understanding of each query by integrating related documents and data. 
  • Track RFI progress and responses in one central location . Easily see which team or stakeholder has the ball in their court and the next steps. 
  • Collaborate with external collaborators. Not all stakeholders may have access to Autodesk Build. In this scenario, you can assign a non-members email address to the Ball-in-court, co-reviewer and watcher roles, ensuring all stakeholders are included in the process. 

Learn more about RFIs .  

5. Prioritize construction quality control 

Quality is the foundation of a safe, reliable, and successful project; sourcing and delivering top-notch work leads to less rework, repair, and early replacements. Moreover, firms known for quality work attract better clients and higher-value contracts, and are thus more likely to thrive in any economic environment.  

One of the ways to ensure quality control is to implement solid review processes for all project materials and methods. 

With Submittals in Autodesk Build, construction teams drive quality by ensuring the project is built according to specifications. This capability lets you: 

  • Verify quality and compliance effectively. Add documentation to ensure materials, products, and specifications meet your project’s specific requirements. 
  • Improve communication and collaboration. Easily bring in necessary stakeholders into the review process.  
  • Manage the submittal process in one place. Markup submittals , add comments, and attach relevant project references including Files, Issues, and Photos.   

Learn more about Submittals .  

Ready to streamline project management in 2024? 

Make 2024 your year to improve construction project management processes by adopting the right tools. Whether you’re looking to improve team collaboration, make better decisions, enhance the quality of projects—or all of the above—Autodesk can help.  

Our construction solution solutions enable you to build faster and smarter so you can focus on delivering top-notch projects and keep stakeholders happy.  

Learn more about Autodesk Construction Cloud and level up your construction game in 2024.  

Christine Acker

Construction trends, tips, and news – delivered straight to your inbox, you might like..., demystifying autodesk technology: unlocking efficiency for factory planning and factory design, less guesswork, more confidence: how to make better decisions in construction , behind the build: interview with georgia loadholt, operations analyst at clancy & theys construction company.

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Downtown South Bend Plan

project plan methodology

CITY ANNOUNCES DOWNTOWN PLAN

Tuesday November 13, 2023

Today, the City, along with community and business partners, announced its commitment to create a formal Downtown Plan , which will set a vision for the future of our downtown and outline concrete steps to get there.

“From the new Beacon Tower in the north to the rebirth of former Studebaker buildings in the south, the heart of South Bend will see roughly $1 billion of investment over the coming years for new homes, retail, and jobs of the future,” said Mayor James Mueller. “This downtown plan will create a vision and framework for how to expand opportunities for all and maximize the impacts of these transformational investments beyond the sum of each individual project.”

In addition to new jobs and record private investment, more than 500 new housing units are already in development in the downtown area, and the City also plan s major investments at the Morris, Four Winds Field, Century Center, and the Housing Authority.

“We’re excited to work with so many great partners who have been part of the resurgence and revitalization of South Bend’s downtown as we chart the future course,” said Caleb Bauer, Executive Director of Community Investment. “ Downtown is the economic engine of our community, and we want to make sure it continues to be a vibrant and welcoming place for all.”

The City team will work with stakeholders and community members during the first two quarters of 2024 to envision the future of South Bend’s downtown . Similar to recent neighborhood plan s, the downtown plan ning process will be facilitated by international urban design experts and the City's Plan ning Team in the Department of Community Investment.

The City aims to finalize a contract by the end of the year with outside experts and project lead Urban Design Associates, an international urban plan ning and community development firm based in Pittsburgh.

Downtown South Bend Survey

The Downtown South Bend 2045 Plan is a community-led planning process to shape the future of downtown. This survey has 20 questions , followed by an opportunity to provide written comments about topics not addressed in the survey.  All survey responses are anonymous and will directly inform the next steps in creating the Downtown South Bend 2045 Plan. This survey may take 5-10 minutes to complete and will be available to the public until Monday, May 20 , 2024 at  5 pm.  Please contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

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Planning Process

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Survey Open:  Now-May 20th at 5PM

Fill out a survey and tell us what your thoughts are about Downtown South Bend.

Hey Downtown...Are you surviving or thriving?

February 20th:   6 - 7PM

Join us as we kick off the planning process with guest speaker Casey Steinbacher. An expert in urban innovation strategies, she is a 27-year veteran of leading community-based organizations focused on business and economic development. Casey currently serves as Strategic Advisor to Made in Durham, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring Durham’s education to career system is aligned and equitable.

Leighton Auditorium

St. Joseph County Public Library Community Learning Center

305 S. Michigan Street, South Bend

Visioning Workshop

February 22nd:  12 - 6 PM

Discuss what a successful Downtown South Bend would look like in 20 years. Join to hear a presentation and participate in visioning exercises at 12pm or 6pm, or drop in any time between 12pm and 6pm to offer your thoughts.  

Beutter-Kernan Hall

March 5th:  12 - 6 PM

Discuss what a successful Downtown South Bend would look like in 20 years. Join to hear a presentation and participate in visioning exercises at 12pm or 6pm, or drop in any time between 12pm and 6pm to offer your thoughts.

Community Input Workshop Week

June 3-6: TBD

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College of Nursing

Driving change: a case study of a dnp leader in residence program in a gerontological center of excellence.

View as pdf A later version of this article appeared in Nurse Leader , Volume 21, Issue 6 , December 2023 . 

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) published the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Practice Nursing in 2004 identifying the essential curriculum needed for preparing advanced practice nurse leaders to effectively assess organizations, identify systemic issues, and facilitate organizational changes. 1 In 2021, AACN updated the curriculum by issuing The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education to guide the development of competency-based education for nursing students. 1 In addition to AACN’s competency-based approach to curriculum, in 2015 the American Organization of Nurse Leaders (AONL) released Nurse Leader Core Competencies (updated in 2023) to help provide a competency based model to follow in developing nurse leaders. 2

Despite AACN and AONL competency-based curriculum and model, it is still common for nurse leaders to be promoted to management positions based solely on their work experience or exceptional clinical skills, rather than demonstration of management and leadership competencies. 3 The importance of identifying, training, and assessing executive leaders through formal leadership development programs, within supportive organizational cultures has been discussed by national leaders. As well as the need for nurturing emerging leaders through fostering interprofessional collaboration, mentorship, and continuous development of leadership skills has been identified. 4 As Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nurse leaders assume executive roles within healthcare organizations, they play a vital role within complex systems. Demonstration of leadership competence and participation in formal leadership development programs has become imperative for their success. However, models of competency-based executive leadership development programs can be hard to find, particularly programs outside of health care systems.

The implementation of a DNP Leader in Residence program, such as the one designed for The Barbara and Richard Csomay Center for Gerontological Excellence, addresses many of the challenges facing new DNP leaders and ensures mastery of executive leadership competencies and readiness to practice through exposure to varied experiences and close mentoring. The Csomay Center , based at The University of Iowa, was established in 2000 as one of the five original Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence in the country. Later funding by the Csomay family established an endowment that supports the Center's ongoing work. The current Csomay Center strategic plan and mission aims to develop future healthcare leaders while promoting optimal aging and quality of life for older adults. The Csomay Center Director created the innovative DNP Leader in Residence program to foster the growth of future nurse leaders in non-healthcare systems. The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of the development and implementation of the Leader in Residence program, followed by suggested evaluation strategies, and discussion of future innovation of leadership opportunities in non-traditional health care settings.

Development of the DNP Leader in Residence Program

The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle has garnered substantial recognition as a valuable tool for fostering development and driving improvement initiatives. 5 The PDSA cycle can function as an independent methodology and as an integral component of broader quality enhancement approaches with notable efficacy in its ability to facilitate the rapid creation, testing, and evaluation of transformative interventions within healthcare. 6 Consequently, the PDSA cycle model was deemed fitting to guide the development and implementation of the DNP Leader in Residence Program at the Csomay Center.

PDSA Cycle: Plan

Existing resources. The DNP Health Systems: Administration/Executive Leadership Program offered by the University of Iowa is comprised of comprehensive nursing administration and leadership curriculum, led by distinguished faculty composed of national leaders in the realms of innovation, health policy, leadership, clinical education, and evidence-based practice. The curriculum is designed to cultivate the next generation of nursing executive leaders, with emphasis on personalized career planning and tailored practicum placements. The DNP Health Systems: Administration/Executive Leadership curriculum includes a range of courses focused on leadership and management with diverse topics such as policy an law, infrastructure and informatics, finance and economics, marketing and communication, quality and safety, evidence-based practice, and social determinants of health. The curriculum is complemented by an extensive practicum component and culminates in a DNP project with additional hours of practicum.

New program. The DNP Leader in Residence program at the Csomay Center is designed to encompass communication and relationship building, systems thinking, change management, transformation and innovation, knowledge of clinical principles in the community, professionalism, and business skills including financial, strategic, and human resource management. The program fully immerses students in the objectives of the DNP Health Systems: Administration/Executive Leadership curriculum and enables them to progressively demonstrate competencies outlined by AONL. The Leader in Residence program also includes career development coaching, reflective practice, and personal and professional accountability. The program is integrated throughout the entire duration of the Leader in Residence’s coursework, fulfilling the required practicum hours for both the DNP coursework and DNP project.

The DNP Leader in Residence program begins with the first semester of practicum being focused on completing an onboarding process to the Center including understanding the center's strategic plan, mission, vision, and history. Onboarding for the Leader in Residence provides access to all relevant Center information and resources and integration into the leadership team, community partnerships, and other University of Iowa College of Nursing Centers associated with the Csomay Center. During this first semester, observation and identification of the Csomay Center Director's various roles including being a leader, manager, innovator, socializer, and mentor is facilitated. In collaboration with the Center Director (a faculty position) and Center Coordinator (a staff position), specific competencies to be measured and mastered along with learning opportunities desired throughout the program are established to ensure a well-planned and thorough immersion experience.

Following the initial semester of practicum, the Leader in Residence has weekly check-ins with the Center Director and Center Coordinator to continue to identify learning opportunities and progression through executive leadership competencies to enrich the experience. The Leader in Residence also undertakes an administrative project for the Center this semester, while concurrently continuing observations of the Center Director's activities in local, regional, and national executive leadership settings. The student has ongoing participation and advancement in executive leadership roles and activities throughout the practicum, creating a well-prepared future nurse executive leader.

After completing practicum hours related to the Health Systems: Administration/Executive Leadership coursework, the Leader in Residence engages in dedicated residency hours to continue to experience domains within nursing leadership competencies like communication, professionalism, and relationship building. During residency hours, time is spent with the completion of a small quality improvement project for the Csomay Center, along with any other administrative projects identified by the Center Director and Center Coordinator. The Leader in Residence is fully integrated into the Csomay Center's Leadership Team during this phase, assisting the Center Coordinator in creating agendas and leading meetings. Additional participation includes active involvement in community engagement activities and presenting at or attending a national conference as a representative of the Csomay Center. The Leader in Residence must mentor a master’s in nursing student during the final year of the DNP Residency.

Implementation of the DNP Leader in Residence Program

PDSA Cycle: Do

Immersive experience. In this case study, the DNP Leader in Residence was fully immersed in a wide range of center activities, providing valuable opportunities to engage in administrative projects and observe executive leadership roles and skills during practicum hours spent at the Csomay Center. Throughout the program, the Leader in Residence observed and learned from multidisciplinary leaders at the national, regional, and university levels who engaged with the Center. By shadowing the Csomay Center Director, the Leader in Residence had the opportunity to observe executive leadership objectives such as fostering innovation, facilitating multidisciplinary collaboration, and nurturing meaningful relationships. The immersive experience within the center’s activities also allowed the Leader in Residence to gain a deep understanding of crucial facets such as philanthropy and community engagement. Active involvement in administrative processes such as strategic planning, budgeting, human resources management, and the development of standard operating procedures provided valuable exposure to strategies that are needed to be an effective nurse leader in the future.

Active participation. The DNP Leader in Residence also played a key role in advancing specific actions outlined in the center's strategic plan during the program including: 1) the creation of a membership structure for the Csomay Center and 2) successfully completing a state Board of Regents application for official recognition as a distinguished center. The Csomay Center sponsored membership for the Leader in Residence in the Midwest Nurse Research Society (MNRS), which opened doors to attend the annual MNRS conference and engage with regional nursing leadership, while fostering socialization, promotion of the Csomay Center and Leader in Residence program, and observation of current nursing research. Furthermore, the Leader in Residence participated in the strategic planning committee and engagement subcommittee for MNRS, collaborating directly with the MNRS president. Additional active participation by the Leader in Residence included attendance in planning sessions and completion of the annual report for GeriatricPain.org , an initiative falling under the umbrella of the Csomay Center. Finally, the Leader in Residence was involved in archiving research and curriculum for distinguished nursing leader and researcher, Dr. Kitty Buckwalter, for the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, the University of Pennsylvania Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing, and the University of Iowa library archives.

Suggested Evaluation Strategies of the DNP Leader in Residence Program

PDSA Cycle: Study

Assessment and benchmarking. To effectively assess the outcomes and success of the DNP Leader in Residence Program, a comprehensive evaluation framework should be used throughout the program. Key measures should include the collection and review of executive leadership opportunities experienced, leadership roles observed, and competencies mastered. The Leader in Residence is responsible for maintaining detailed logs of their participation in center activities and initiatives on a semester basis. These logs serve to track the progression of mastery of AONL competencies by benchmarking activities and identifying areas for future growth for the Leader in Residence.

Evaluation. In addition to assessment and benchmarking, evaluations need to be completed by Csomay Center stakeholders (leadership, staff, and community partners involved) and the individual Leader in Residence both during and upon completion of the program. Feedback from stakeholders will identify the contributions made by the Leader in Residence and provide valuable insights into their growth. Self-reflection on experiences by the individual Leader in Residence throughout the program will serve as an important measure of personal successes and identify gaps in the program. Factors such as career advancement during the program, application of curriculum objectives in the workplace, and prospects for future career progression for the Leader in Residence should be considered as additional indicators of the success of the program.

The evaluation should also encompass a thorough review of the opportunities experienced during the residency, with the aim of identifying areas for potential expansion and enrichment of the DNP Leader in Residence program. By carefully examining the logs, reflecting on the acquired executive leadership competencies, and studying stakeholder evaluations, additional experiences and opportunities can be identified to further enhance the program's efficacy. The evaluation process should be utilized to identify specific executive leadership competencies that require further immersion and exploration throughout the program.

Future Innovation of DNP Leader in Residence Programs in Non-traditional Healthcare Settings

PDSA Cycle: Act

As subsequent residents complete the program and their experiences are thoroughly evaluated, it is essential to identify new opportunities for DNP Leader in Residence programs to be implemented in other non-health care system settings. When feasible, expansion into clinical healthcare settings, including long-term care and acute care environments, should be pursued. By leveraging the insights gained from previous Leaders in Residence and their respective experiences, the program can be refined to better align with desired outcomes and competencies. These expansions will broaden the scope and impact of the program and provide a wider array of experiences and challenges for future Leaders in Residency to navigate, enriching their development as dynamic nurse executive leaders within diverse healthcare landscapes.

This case study presented a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of the DNP Leader in Residence program developed by the Barbara and Richard Csomay Center for Gerontological Excellence. The Leader in Residence program provided a transformative experience by integrating key curriculum objectives, competency-based learning, and mentorship by esteemed nursing leaders and researchers through successful integration into the Center. With ongoing innovation and application of the PDSA cycle, the DNP Leader in Residence program presented in this case study holds immense potential to help better prepare 21 st century nurse leaders capable of driving positive change within complex healthcare systems.

Acknowledgements

         The author would like to express gratitude to the Barbara and Richard Csomay Center for Gerontological Excellence for the fostering environment to provide an immersion experience and the ongoing support for development of the DNP Leader in Residence program. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

  • American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The essentials: core competencies for professional nursing education. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/AcademicNursing/pdf/Essentials-2021.pdf . Accessed June 26, 2023.
  • American Organization for Nursing Leadership. Nurse leader core competencies. https://www.aonl.org/resources/nurse-leader-competencies . Accessed July 10, 2023.
  • Warshawsky, N, Cramer, E. Describing nurse manager role preparation and competency: findings from a national study. J Nurs Adm . 2019;49(5):249-255. DOI:  10.1097/NNA.0000000000000746
  • Van Diggel, C, Burgess, A, Roberts, C, Mellis, C. Leadership in healthcare education. BMC Med. Educ . 2020;20(465). doi: 10.1186/s12909-020-02288-x
  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Plan-do-study-act (PDSA) worksheet. https://www.ihi.org/resources/Pages/Tools/PlanDoStudyActWorksheet.aspx . Accessed July 4, 2023.
  • Taylor, M, McNicolas, C, Nicolay, C, Darzi, A, Bell, D, Reed, J. Systemic review of the application of the plan-do-study-act method to improve quality in healthcare. BMJ Quality & Safety. 2014:23:290-298. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2013-002703

Return to College of Nursing Winter 23/24 Newsletter

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Members Sought for Danehy Park Improvements Plan Working Group. Application Deadline is 3-11-24.

Aerial View of Danehy

Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang seeks volunteers to serve on a new Working Group to help guide the Danehy Park Improvements Plan Project for the City of Cambridge. The application deadline is Monday, March 11, 2024. What is the Role of the Danehy Park Improvements Plan Working Group? Working Group members will have two general responsibilities:

  • Serve as community representatives to help guide the City Manager and staff on key issues related to the design of improvements to Danehy Park;
  • Help communicate the process and design of the project back to the larger community.

What are the Goals of Danehy Park Improvements Plan Project? Danehy Park is 30 years old and needs a fresh look. The City of Cambridge has contracted with a landscape consultant team to plan the next 10-20 years of improvements to the park. The goal is for Danehy Park to be an exceptional public park that residents of Cambridge will continue to be proud of and cherish.

The Capital Improvement Plan will identify improvements for Danehy Park that:

  • complement the essential natural, historic, and visual character of the site;
  • are based on a strong public engagement process that prioritizes outreach to traditionally underrepresented groups. In addition to the Working Group, there will be a community engagement process for additional public participation;
  • provide access to and protect the plants and animals of Danehy Park;
  • address future flooding and heat impacts due to climate change;
  • allow people of all ages, backgrounds and interests to relax, play, exercise and connect with other people in the park;
  • judge the condition and quality of the parks features and systems; and
  • propose a series of distinct projects and phased improvements to the park.

How many members are sought for the Danehy Park Improvements Plan Working Group? When will the Working Group meet? We expect the Working Group will be made up of 10-15 members, representing a diverse set of interests. This will help ensure that multiple perspectives are heard and that there is appropriate representation reporting back to the larger community. The Working Group will include residents, institutional representatives, and a variety of people that currently use Danehy Park. It is anticipated that the Working Group will meet six to eight times between April 2024 and December 2024. Meetings of the Working Group will be open to the public. Who can apply to serve on the Danehy Park Improvements Plan Working Group? Individuals who want to shape the future of Danehy Park and want to collaborate with City of Cambridge staff to realize the goals above are encouraged to apply. The City of Cambridge is committed to advancing a culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Working group members should have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Women, Black, Indigenous and other people of color, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. How Can I Apply for to serve on the Danehy Park Improvements Plan Working Group Persons interested in applying can do so through the City’s online application system at www.cambridgema.gov/apply and select “Danehy Park Improvements Working Group” in the list of Current Vacancies. A letter of interest can be submitted during the online application process. The deadline for submitting applications is Monday, March 11, 2024.

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    Construction project success requires you to make the right decisions at the right time. Numerous choices must be made throughout the project, and to make the right call, you need to have all relevant information available. The traditional RFI process can be time-consuming and cumbersome. Communication through RFIs can be disjointed, with ...

  25. Downtown South Bend Plan

    The Downtown South Bend 2045 Plan is a community-led planning process to shape the future of downtown. This survey has 20 questions, followed by an opportunity to provide written comments about topics not addressed in the survey.All survey responses are anonymous and will directly inform the next steps in creating the Downtown South Bend 2045 Plan.

  26. Driving change: a case study of a DNP leader in residence program in a

    The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle has garnered substantial recognition as a valuable tool for fostering development and driving improvement initiatives. 5 The PDSA cycle can function as an independent methodology and as an integral component of broader quality enhancement approaches with notable efficacy in its ability to facilitate the rapid ...

  27. Members Sought for Danehy Park Improvements Plan Working Group

    Help communicate the process and design of the project back to the larger community. What are the Goals of Danehy Park Improvements Plan Project? Danehy Park is 30 years old and needs a fresh look. The City of Cambridge has contracted with a landscape consultant team to plan the next 10-20 years of improvements to the park. The goal is for ...