Selecting a methodology for your project can be a difficult task. You need to consider the people on your team, the tools available to you, the project timeline, and the project constraints if you are to end up with the right one. However, with so many options available, this can be easier said than done. Below, we take a look at each methodology in further detail.

Before we go into five of the different project management methodologies that are available today, it is important to stress that choosing the wrong methodology is a mistake a lot of project managers make. However, making mistakes is not something you should stress over. As this interesting post on Pyscho Cybernetics discusses, mistakes are an opportunity. So long as you learn from your errors, they should be viewed as positives. Why did you choose the methodology in question? Why was the methodology unsuitable for your project? What did you learn from this? How will you tweak your selection process in the future based on where you went wrong here? These are the sort of questions you should ask yourself if you do end up choosing the incorrect project methodology for what you are working on.

Agile

There are a lot of project management training courses on agile methodologies, as this is an extremely popular approach. It begins with the team getting a good understanding of the clients’ expectations, as they describe how the end product will be used and its advantages. After this, the project begins with cycles of planning, executing, and evaluating, and this can cause the final deliverable to change in some instances. The key to agile project management is continual collaboration. This is a great option for creative projects with flexible goals that can be changed midway. One drawback is that it relies on stakeholders having the desire and time to be actively involved, and budgets and timelines are tough to define.

Waterfall

Next we have waterfall project management, which involves having a set timeline and goals that are clearly defined, with teams working through tasks in an orderly sequence. One task must be completed at your business before moving onto the next. With this approach, adapting to any project changes is challenging. However, more accurate budgets and timelines are often achieved because of the thoroughness and extensive planning that goes in.

Six Sigma

Next we have Six Sigma, which is a process that is statistics-based and focuses on improving quality. It does this by lowering the amount of bugs in software development or defects in industrial and manufacturing sectors. By achieving a six sigma rating, it means the end result is 99.99966 per cent defect-free. The entire production process is examined with this approach, making Six Sigma an extremely proactive methodology. Nevertheless, it can mean that innovation and creativity are limited, as there is less flexibility after the planning process.

Scrum

If you want to make sure that mistakes are fixed immediately, and new developments are quickly tested, this may just be the perfect methodology for your project. With this approach, a scrum master will facilitate each of the small teams that make up your project team. Their job is to get rid of any barriers to the progress of the team. Team members will communicate constantly through daily scrum meetings, and work is typically carried out in series of two-week sprints. One disadvantage to keep in mind is that scope creep can often occur with scrum projects, and one member can disrupt the whole project because the team is such a close unit.

PRiSM

Last but not least, we have the PRiSM methodology, which stands for Projects integrating Sustainable Methods. This ensures that environmental sustainability measures are at the forefront of project planning. The aim is to make sure that your negative environmental footprint is reduced while also completing the project efficiently.

All in all, there is no denying that choosing a project methodology is not always the easiest task when you are in charge of any sort of project. Nevertheless, we hope that the information that has been provided will help you to choose the right project management methodology for your next project. And don’t forget; if you make a mistake, don’t punish yourself over it. At the end of the day, we’re all human and the only way that we can truly move forward is by making errors and then learning from them.