PROJECT LIFE CYCLE

The span between the two ends of

the project is called project life
cycle.
The project life cycle consists of four
phases, initiation, planning,
execution (including monitoring and
controlling) and evaluation.
The various phases in a project are:

Executi
Concept Analysis Plannin Completion Stage
on
Stage Stage g Stage
Stage

Project Life
 Concept Stage
Idea generation
Screening of ideas
Analysis Stage
Market Analysis
Technical Analysis
Financial Analysis
Risk Analysis
Social cost benefit analysis
Planning Stage
Capital budging allocation (Capital rationing)
Resources planning
Contracting (Contract management)
Preparation of DPR
Execution Stage
Constructing work-packages
Action and coordination
Monitoring and controlling
Completion Stage
Project transfer
Project completion report
Post completion audit
 Project Management Life Cycle Models
Each project is unique. The characteristics of the project,
business and organizational environment determines the
project management approach.The author defines five
different project management life cycle models
Linear
Incremental
Iterative
Adaptive
Extreme
There are four categories of projects.
Traditional Project Management (TPM) : The goal and solution
are clear.
Agile Project Management (APM) : The goal is clear
but solution is not.
Extreme Project Management (xPM) : Neither goal nor
solution is clear.
Emertxe Project Management (MPx) : The goal is not
clear but solution is.
Traditional Project Management (TPM):
In TPM, the goal is clearly specified and the
project team defines how they will reach
that goal. Typically infrastructure projects
fall under this category. These projects are
less complex and low risks in nature as the
hardware, software and telecommunications
environments are familiar to the team. The
tasks are repetitive and skilled, competent
developers/ technicians are available to
handle such projects. There are few scope
changes and projects are plan driven. The
linear and incremental approaches are used
in this type of project.
Linear project management life cycle
Model:
The five process groups are executed in
linear manner. The scope change upsets
the resource schedule. There is no
looping back.
Linear Project Management Life Cycle Model:
Incremental Project Management Life Cycle
Model:
In this model, deliverables are released incrementally
according to a schedule. A partial solution is initially
released, and additional parts of the solution are added
to the initial release afterwards to form a more
complete solution. This model is used to accommodate
market demands. The project ends with the same
deliverables and at same time. The additional
management overheads are associated in this model.
The initial release of partial solution gives the client
and the end user an opportunity to experiment with
the partial solution in a production scenario and find
areas that could be improved. Project manager has to
build schedule contingencies into the plan. The release
schedule needs to be consistent with the dependencies
that exist between each partial solution.
Incremental Project Management Life Cycle Model:
 Agile Project Management (APM):
In APM, various iterative and adaptive
approaches are used to manage the project.
However, project manager should be vigilant on
number of iteration not exceeding the schedule
and budget of the project and remain within
scope. The work breakdown structure is to be
used to show how the entire project being
executed. The client and development team
collaboration is required for building solution.
That means project manager has to build both
client and development team to work together
in an open and collaborative environment.
Project manager has to share responsibility and
leadership with client manager.
Iterative Project Management Life
Cycle Model:
The prototype is developed in this type of
project. Each iteration delivers a working
solution. The incomplete solution is
delivered to the client and asked their
feedback on changes or additions they
would like to see. Those changes are
integrated into the prototype and another
incomplete solution is produced. This
process repeats itself until either the client
is satisfied and has no further changes to
recommend or the budget and / or time
runs out.
Iterative Project Management Life Cycle Model
Adaptive Project Management Life
Cycle Model:
This type of model is used when a missed
functionality of the solution observed or
the functionality not clearly defined
earlier.
Adaptive Project Management Life Cycle Model:
 Extreme Project Management (xPM):
Generally Research & Development projects fall under xPM category, as
the goal and solution are not defined clearly at the beginning of the
project. E.g. Post-It notes. After seven-year application discovered.
The concurrent probative swim lanes are used to define goal
clarification and solution set at the same time. The desired end state is
usually guessed. The project team has maximum flexibility. There is
hope to achieve goal with solution at the end of the project. The
learning and discovery take place between the client and the
development team in each phase. The scope of the project is defined
at each phase. The risk of project failure is very high. Failure is difficult
to define. The clients need to involve within and between phases. The
client takes leadership role instead of collaborative role as opposed to
APM projects. The funding organization sees the learning and
discovering as potential rewards and continues the funding support.
There are two reasons for the project to stop.
The solution is found as per the goal and it makes business sense. The
project is closed as successful project.
The sponsor is not willing to continue the funding as he feels that
project is not making any meaningful progress or is not converging on
an acceptable solution. That means project is failed and it restarts with
a search of solution in a different direction.
Extreme Project Management
 Emertxe Project Management(MPx):
MPx projects where the new technology made
available for user without a knowing the
problem. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
application software falls under this category. The
application is known; only one needs to find out
its business value. E.g. Radio Frequency
Identification technology (RFID) is used in
warehouse applications. The solution was
discovered before the business found the issue in
logistics and supply chain management system.
Each phase is complete project. Scoping starts at
the beginning of each phase, and the decision to
begin another phase ends the current phase. In
this the phase and project are identical.