Project Management Frameworks and how to pick the right one
Hi there, ✋
I’m Miguel, living in Barcelona, nice to meet you! Are you tired of feeling like you’re lost in a sea of project management jargon? Well, you’re in luck! In this post, we’re going to break down some of the most popular project management methodologies in plain, layman’s terms.
So sit back, relax, and let’s get started on our journey to become project management gurus! 🏋️♂️
Whether we realize it or not, we are all project managers in some aspect of our lives. From planning a birthday party to organizing a family vacation, we all have experience in managing tasks, timelines, and resources to achieve a specific goal. The principles of project management can be applied to both personal and professional settings, and mastering them can lead to greater success in all aspects of life. By understanding project management methodologies, we can improve our ability to plan, execute, and achieve our goals, making us all effective project managers in our own right.
Btw: Maybe you like to read weird stuff too. I have other small, quick to read, and curious posts on my profile that may interest you ➡️ Miguel Parente
If you want to get off to a good start, choosing the right project management approach is crucial for the success of your project. In this post, we’ll recap some of the most common project management approaches and provide real-life examples of their benefits and pushbacks.
Waterfall:
Waterfall is a traditional project management methodology that involves completing tasks and phases in a linear, sequential manner. The project manager is responsible for prioritizing and assigning tasks to team members, and the criteria used to measure quality is clearly defined at the beginning of the project. 🌊
✅Benefits:
- Well-defined scope and timeline
- Clear deliverables
- Easy to measure progress
❌Pushbacks:
- Little flexibility for changes and adjustments
- Poor communication among team members
- Testing and quality assurance happens at the end, which can lead to costly rework
Example: A construction project, such as building a house, would be a good fit for the Waterfall approach because the project has a clear scope and timeline, with well-defined deliverables at each stage.
Agile:
Agile is an iterative project management methodology that involves short phases of collaborative work, with frequent testing and regularly-implemented improvements. Some phases and tasks happen at the same time as others, and teams share responsibility for managing their own work.
✅Benefits:
- Flexibility for changes and adjustments
- Continuous improvement
- Strong communication among team members
❌Pushbacks:
- Lack of clear project scope and timeline
- Difficult to measure progress
- Can be challenging to manage with larger teams
Example: Software development projects are ideal for the Agile approach because they often require frequent changes and improvements based on user feedback. The iterative process allows for flexibility and continuous improvement.
Scrum:
Scrum is an Agile framework that focuses on developing, delivering, and sustaining complex projects and products through collaboration, accountability, and an iterative process. Work is completed by small, cross-functional teams led by a Scrum Master, and is divided into short Sprints with a set list of deliverables.
✅Benefits:
- Efficient use of resources
- Strong communication and collaboration among team members
- Clear roles and responsibilities
❌Pushbacks:
- May not be suitable for all project types
- Lack of focus on documentation and planning
- Can be difficult to scale for larger projects
Example: Developing a new product, such as a mobile app, would be a good fit for the Scrum approach because the project is complex and requires collaboration among various teams with different skill sets.
Kanban:
Kanban is a tool used in both Agile and Lean approaches that provides visual feedback about the status of the work in progress through the use of Kanban boards or charts. With Kanban, project managers use sticky notes or note cards on a physical or digital Kanban board to represent the team’s tasks with categories like “To do,” “In progress,” and “Done.”
✅Benefits:
- Provides real-time visibility into project status
- Encourages team collaboration and communication
- Helps identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement
❌Pushbacks:
- Lack of structure and defined process
- Can be difficult to manage with larger teams
- May not be suitable for all project types
Example: A marketing campaign with multiple deliverables, such as social media posts, email campaigns, and website updates, would be a good fit for the Kanban approach because it allows for real-time visibility into the status of each deliverable.
Lean:
Lean is a project management approach that aims to eliminate waste and streamline processes to improve efficiency and productivity. The approach involves identifying the areas of waste and working to eliminate them, ultimately leading to cost savings and improved quality.
✅Benefits:
- Cost savings: By eliminating waste and unnecessary steps, organizations can reduce their overall costs and increase profitability.
- Improved quality: By streamlining processes and identifying areas of waste, Lean helps to improve the quality of products and services.
- Increased efficiency: Lean helps organizations to operate more efficiently, which leads to faster turnaround times, increased output, and improved customer satisfaction.
❌Pushbacks:
- Resistance to change, as some team members may be resistant to changing the way they work
- The need for ongoing improvement
- Ongoing attention and effort
Example: Toyota Production System, which is a manufacturing process that emphasizes continuous improvement and waste reduction. Through the use of Lean principles, Toyota has been able to improve efficiency and productivity, reduce costs, and improve the quality of their products. The company has also been able to establish a culture of continuous improvement, with team members at all levels working together to identify areas of waste and implement solutions.
Six Sigma:
Six Sigma is a data-driven methodology that focuses on eliminating defects and minimizing variations in a process or product. This approach aims to achieve high levels of quality and customer satisfaction by following a rigorous and structured process of identifying and removing the causes of defects.
✅Benefits:
- Improved product quality
- Increased efficiency
- Reduced costs
❌Pushbacks:
- Its emphasis on data and statistical analysis may lead to a lack of focus on customer needs and feedback
- The rigidity of the process may not be suitable for all organizations
- Lack of flexibility and adaptability
Example: A manufacturing company was experiencing a high number of product defects, which led to increased costs and a decrease in customer satisfaction. They implemented the Six Sigma approach to reduce the variations in their production process and improve the quality of their products.
The company followed the DMAIC (aka Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) process and identified the root cause of the defects, which was a specific machine that was not functioning properly. They then implemented a solution to fix the machine and monitored the results. After several iterations, they were able to significantly reduce the number of product defects and improve customer satisfaction.
Lean Six Sigma:
Lean Six Sigma is a combination of Lean and Six Sigma approaches that is often used in projects that aim to save money, improve quality, and move through processes quickly. Lean Six Sigma is also ideal for solving complex or high-risk problems. The 5S organization framework, the DMAIC process, and the use of Kanban boards are all components of this approach.
✅Benefits:
- By streamlining processes, it can lead to significant cost savings
- Improved productivity and customer satisfaction
- It’s ideal for solving complex or high-risk problems
❌Pushbacks:
- It’s time-consuming and require significant resources
- Can require a cultural shift in the organization, as the focus on process improvement may require changes to traditional roles and responsibilities
Example: General Electric’s (GE) use of the methodology to improve its production processes. In the early 2000s, GE implemented Lean Six Sigma across its entire organization, leading to significant improvements in efficiency, cost savings, and quality improvement. One example of its success was in GE’s Aviation division, where the methodology led to a reduction in engine assembly time from 18 days to just 3 days, resulting in significant cost savings and improved customer satisfaction.
Extra nugget: The name “Six Sigma” comes from the statistical concept of a “standard deviation” or “sigma.” The term “six sigma” refers to the goal of producing products or services with no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities, which is equivalent to six standard deviations from the mean. This means that a Six Sigma process is one in which defects are extremely rare, and quality is consistently high.
Happily ever after?
Selecting the right project management approach is critical to a project’s success. Each approach has its benefits and pushbacks, and the approach you choose should depend on your project’s unique needs and requirements.
Remember that you can always combine different approaches or create a hybrid approach to best suit your project.
Furthemore, ensuring a successful outcome also relies on understanding the company’s culture and the communication flow among different stakeholders.
Let me know down in the comments what is your favorite Project Management approach and some real life examples — sharing is caring!
Thanks! ❤
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