Top 11 Project Management Methodologies

While CPM is built upon task order and resources, Critical Chain Method (CCM) extends this project management strategy to factor in resource availability. CCM develops a hierarchy of activities project manager courses and work streams based on access to resources. A primary tactic of this strategy is to add buffers to the “task chain” to account for resource scarcity and protect the project schedule.

Project management methodologies

Keep in mind that there isn’t one best option—the best methodology is the one (or combination) that best fits your project, team, and company. 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. Use kanban boards in Teamwork.com to map out your workflow, quickly see the status of tasks, and automate your processes.

Other project management methodologies

The waterfall model requires that you move from one project phase to another only once that phase has been successfully completed. 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.

  • It is often tailored to a specific type of project based on project size, nature, industry or sector.
  • Six Sigma, a quality management process developed at Motorola in the 1980s, comprises a set of tools and techniques to eliminate errors in development.
  • The PRINCE2 project management methodology is globally adopted because of its practical and adaptive framework to divide projects into controllable stages.
  • The flexibility of sprints allows for last-minute changes and can result in a higher quality deliverable.
  • Instead of tasks being assigned, team members choose what they want to work on.

That’s because connecting Agile methodology with a more detailed approach produces a well-rounded project management philosophy and a tangible plan for delivering great work. Rapid application development (RAD) is a type of agile project management methodology that aims to facilitate faster software development. PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a project management methodology and certification that aims to equip project managers with knowledge of best practices and processes.

Lean Six Sigma

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. 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. To determine the best project management software, we ranked several tools based on ease of use, cost to your organization, each company’s customer support, as well as special features. Not only do these help both productivity and efficiency, but they also help connect the work needed to be completed with project goals. Many project management tools even have visual elements to better visualize these goals, creating an organized road map for team members.

Project management methodologies

Make sure you’re using a powerful productivity tool like ClickUp to know what project contributors are working on and what they need to do next. 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. 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.

Then the sprint can be archived, so when doing a sprint retrospective, teams can learn from their mistakes and improve the process. Gantt charts aren’t going to help as much as other project tools if you’re working in an agile framework. That’s true, but ProjectManager is flexible enough to serve scrum teams with multiple project views. Kanban project management has been around since the late 1940s when it was studied by Toyota used the rate of demand to control the rate of production of its vehicles. The car company applied it to its lean manufacturing model, known as the Toyota production system. Along with implementing a work breakdown structure like CPM, CCPM includes specific time requirements for each task.

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. MBA programs in project management typically consist of general business core courses and project management coursework. This degree can lead to careers in project management and other business fields.

Project managers use the Critical Path Method to define the critical and non-critical tasks for timely delivery. After listing every activity and task required for completion, they will note dependencies and write a sequence of times for each. Data is your north star metric to manage people, resources, budgets, and risks during the execution phase.

Project management methodologies