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Theresanoverwhelmingchoiceofdi
fferentprojectmanagementmethodologies.Knowingwhich
oneswillworkbestforyoucanbeaschallengingastheprojectitself.

BMoiraAlexander | Follow
CIO | Jul21,20155:49AMPT

Thinkofprojectmanagement(PM)methodologiesasblueprints,step-by-stepinstructionsthat
guideyourteamonhowtobuildasuccessfulproject.Withsomanydifferentandinsome
cases,overlappingapproachestomanagingthecomplexitiesofanygivenprogram,howcan
youknowwhichoneisrightforyourproject,teamororganization?
LetsstartbytakingalookatsomeofthekeyPMmethodologies:
Agilewasdevelopedforprojectsrequiringsignificantflexibilityandspeedandiscomprisedof
sprintsshortdeliverycycles.Agilemaybebest-suitedforprojectsrequiringlesscontroland
real-timecommunicationwithinself- motivatedteamsettings.Agileishighlyiterative,allowing
forrapidadjustmen tsthroughoutapr oject.
Waterfallmethodologyissequen tialinnature;itsusedacrossmanyindustries,most
commonlyinsof twaredevelopment.Itscomprisedofstaticphases(requirementsanalysis,
design,testing,implementationandmaintenance),executedinaspecificorder.Waterfallallows
forincreasedcontrolthroughouteac hphasebutcanbehighlyinflexibleifscopechangesmay
beanticipatedlater.
CriticalPathMethod(CPM)isastep-by-stepmethodologyused forprojectswith
interdependentactivities.Itcontainsalistofactivitiesandusesawork-break-downstructure
(WBS),atimelinet ocompleteanddepe ndencies,milestonesanddeliverables.Itoutlinescritical
andnon-criticalactivitiesbycalculatingthelongest(onthecriticalpath)andshortest(float)
timetocompletetaskstodeterminewhichactivitiesarecriticalandwhicharenot.
CriticalChainProjectManagement(CCPM)differsfromCriticalPathMethod(CPM)inthatit
focusesontheuseofr esourceswithinaprojectinsteadofprojectactivities.Toaddress
potentialissueswithr esources,buffersarebuiltintoensureprojectsareon-timeandthatsafety
isnotcompromised.
SixSigmawasoriginallydevelopedbyMotorolatoeliminatewasteandimproveprocessesand
profits.Itisdata-drivenandhasthr eekeycomponents:DMAIC(define,measure,analyze,
improveandcontrol)DMADV(define,measure,analyze,designandverify)andDFSS(which
standsforDesignforSixSigmaandcanincludethepreviousoptions,aswellasothers,like

IDOViden tify,design,optimizeandverify).Sixsigmaissometimesdebatedasamethodology
inthePMcommunity.

Scrum(namedaf terrugby)isapar toftheagileframeworkandisalsoiterativeinnature.

Scrumsessions or30-daysprintsareusedtodetermineprioritizedtasks.AScrumMasteris
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usedtofacilitateinsteadofaProjectManager.Smallteamsmaybeassembledtofocuson
specifictasksindependen tlyandthen meetwiththeScrumMastertoevaluateprogressor
resultsandreprioritizebackloggedtasks.

[Related:4warningsignsthatyourteamisnotagile]
TherearealsoseveralothermethodologieslikeEventChainMethodology(ECM),Crystal,FDD
(FeatureDrivenDevelopment),DSDM(DynamicSystemsDevelopment),AdaptiveSoftware
DevelopmentandRUP(RationalUnifiedProcess),LeanDevelopment(LD)PRINCE2andothers.
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Good,better,bet?
Whilethereisnobestmethodologythatworksforallbusinesstypes,sizesorindustries,there
arewaystodeterminewhichmethodologytouseandhowtoeffectivelyapplyit.When
evaluatingmethodologies,theseareonlyafewofthemanyfactorsthatshouldbecarefully
considered:
Organizationalstrategicgoalsandc orevalues
Keybusinessdr ivers
Constraints

Stakeholders
Risks

Complexity
Projectsize&cost

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Toassistinthisregard,theProjectManagementInstitute(PMI)developedtheOrganizational
ProjectManagementMaturityModel(OPM3)nowagloballyrecognizedstandardtoenable
organizationstoidentify,measureandimprovePMcapabilities,standardizeprocesses,help
solidifysuccessfulprojectoutcomesandultimatelydeterminebestpracticesandstrengthen
theconnectionbetweenstrategicplanningandexecution.OPM3focusesonoverall
organizationalstrategiceffectivenessandincorporatesproject,programandportfolio
management.Thisstandardwasupdatedin2008andagainin2013andisrecognizedbythe
AmericanNationalStandardsInstitute(ANSI)asanAmericanNationalStandard.
[Related:Whyagileskillsaremorevaluablethancertifications]
IntheirImplementingOrganizationalProjectManagementPracticeGuide,thePMIdiscusses
somehigh-levelprocessesfortailoringPMmethodologies.Organizationsshouldcarefully
evaluatewhichmethodologiesworkforvariousprojectsbasedonfactorsinthePMI
MethodologyTailoringProcessinordertomaximizestrategicbenefits.

PMI.

ImplementingOrganizationalProjectManagementPracticeGuide. (Clickforlargerimage.)

Bene tofOrganizationalProjectManagement(OPM)

OPM3isaimedatachievingsuccessfulstrategicalignment.Andsincesuccessfulproject
outcomesdependheavilyonsuchalignment,itmaymakesenseforyourbusinesstoadopt
OPM3.OrganizationswillneedincludeEPMOs(EnterpriseProgramManagementOffices)in

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high-levelplanningsessionsinordertoensuretherightmethodologiesaredeployedfor
specificprojectstoincreaseproductivityandcustomersatisfaction,gainacompetitive
advantage,improvecostcontrolandcommunicationsandpredictperformance.Ultimately,this
willimproveandexpeditedecisionmakingaswellassupportalignmentwithcompany-wide
goals.
DifferentPMmethodologieshavetheirstrengthsandweaknesses;organizationsmaywantto
considerselectingmultipleprojectmanagementmethodologiesbasedontheprojectand
otherfactorspreviouslymentioned(amongothers)andalsodevelopsomestandardizedbest
practicesthatcanbetweakedasvariousfactorschange.
Thekeyistofigureouthowspecificprojectsalignwiththeover-allorganizationobjectives,and,
onceyoudeterminewhatfactorsimpactthesuccessorfailureofthosegoals,findthemost
suitablemethodologiesthatwillenableyourorganizationtoeffectivelyandefficientlyreach
thedesiredbusinessresult.
TocommentonthisarticleandotherCIOcontent,visitusonFacebook,LinkedInorTwitter.

MoiraAlexanderiaco-founderanddirector,informationtemandtechnologadvior,at
ContureBuineAdvior.SheialoaprojectmanagerandcontributorforPriceofBuine
TalkRadio1110KTEK(homeofBloombergRadio),Houton,Texa.Sheha18-pluearin
buine(IS&T)and nanceformalltolargebuineeintheU.S.andCanada.

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