(pdf) Project Management Methodologies

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGIES
Project Management Methodologies
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
A business needs to be innovative and creative in order to survive in a long run. With the
increase in competition, the survivability of an organization largely depends on the process by
which the particular organization responds to the challenges. One of the possible solutions to
these problems is to adopt proper project management methodology as it helps the organization
in better planning, organizing, managing and controlling the work (Parker et al. 2013). A good
project management methodology helps an organization in better planning, organizing and
controlling all the project based tasks, which in turn helps in improving the performance and the
productivity of the organization (Harrison and Lock 2017). The choice of project management
methodology may vary from organizations to organizations. The project management
methodology can be defined as a set of rules or standard that can be used to properly manage a
project. A well planned project and its structured implementation is expected to reduce or
eliminate the various risks associated with a project thus helping an organization in developing
an error free product. Project methodology can therefore be considered as a systematic, structural
and theoretical analysis of the different project processes and the project methods that are
associated with an organization. The essay discusses the various management problems that
three chosen organizations are facing and recommendation of an appropriate project
management methodology for each of the three organizations. The choice of a project
management methodology mainly depends on the problems that the organization is facing. Since
the issues in those three organizations are different, the choice of project management
methodology will differ as well (Kerzner and Kerzner 2017). The use of proper project
management methodology further helps in proper decision making and since the project is
implemented in a structured approach there are less chances of schedule or budget risk. The

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choice of project management methodologies in organization A, B and C are discussed in the
following paragraphs.
Project Management Methodology for Organisation A
Organization A is a manufacturing company that manufactures high tech, high volume
memory chips. It is a large organization with 2100 employees and the organization is aiming to
develop markets in North and South America. The company wants to expand its manufacturing
operations particularly in Brazil. The company will be setting up a sales and marketing division
and then will be establishing a low cost and high tech manufacturing plant. For a speedy
implementation of the project, the staffs of the company will be on secondment for 6 to 12
months. One of the main criteria of implementation of the project is its speedy implementation.
Therefore, the choice of the project management methodology should be such that the project is
implemented within the scheduled time and there is no chance of scope creep in the project.
Furthermore, the project is to be implemented in low cost and therefore, the project is to be
completed within the set project budget.
The choice of project management methodology for organization A can be selected from
Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) and Project in controlled environment
(PRINCE2) project methodology. The PMBOK project methodology is developed by the project
management institute and the PRINCE2 is developed by the office of government commerce in
UK. In PRINCE2 project methodology the phases are long as each phase is implemented in a
controlled environment. This increases the cost of implementation of the project as well.
Therefore, it cannot be used in the projects of organization A. Therefore, PMBOK is chosen as
the recommended approach of project management methodology in organization A.

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The choice of the project management methodology is a management level activity as the
decision business expansion was taken by the management. However, in the decision making
process, the project manger must be involved. This is essential as the project manager generally
has the knowledge about the different process and tasks associated with a particular project. The
project manager will therefore help the management in making the choice of a particular project
management methodology.
The project management body of knowledge or PMBOK is widely used across the globe
and therefore it is expected that the local project team will have a proper knowledge about the
methodology (Deshpande, Beecham and Richardson 2013). The project management body of
knowledge manages a particular project by dividing a project into five phases. This helps in
easier management of the different phases of the project, which are project initiation, project
planning, execution, control and project closing (refer to appendix 1). It is an advanced project
management methodology, and is capable of managing the high technology projects. One of the
major limitations of this project management methodology is the scope of the project should
remain unchanged throughout the project implementation phase. The PMBOK project
management approach should be implemented entirely on the project since any delay in the
project is not acceptable. The implementation plan for implementing the project with project
management body of knowledge is as follows-
 In the initiation phase of the project, all the requirements of the project are
gathered and the project plan is made that will be followed throughout the project
implementation phase (Obrutsky 2015). In project management body of
knowledge project methodology, the project scope should remain unchanged and
therefore, the initiation phase is very important.

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 In the planning phase of the project, the project plan and the project
implementation plan is prepared. The cost and the schedule estimation of the
project are also done in this phase.
 In the execution phase of the project, the project is implemented under the proper
project governance. This helps in completion of the project within a set project
schedule.
 In the closing phase the post implementation work of the projects are done.
These are the major stages of project implementation with the help of project
management body of knowledge project methodology. Certain assumptions are made while
choosing the PMBOK project management approach for implementation of the project in
organization A. It is assumed that the employees and the team members are accustomed and
experienced with the project management body of knowledge. It is further assumed that the local
team that will be set up has a proper knowledge about the project management body of
knowledge or proper training will be provided to the team members. Since in the projects that are
implemented with project management body of knowledge no change in scope is permitted, it is
assumed that the scope of this project is clear. The scope and the project requirements are
gathered at the beginning of the project and therefore, there is very less chances of change in
project scope.
Although the PMBOK project management approach is recommended for the project
implementation in organization A, there are a number of issues associated with the use of
PMBOK in project implementation. The project management body of knowledge is more of a
project guide than a project methodology and therefore, proper knowledge about the 10 process
groups of PMBOK is essential in implementation of the project. Prior knowledge about the

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project management approach is therefore necessary in order to properly implement a project
with the help of PMBOK project management approach (Rose 2013).
There are a number of benefits of implementing a project with PMBOK project
methodology. The project can be completed within a set schedule and set budget of the project.
The project management body of knowledge is a plan driven approach and therefore there are
less chances of project delay (Remington and Pollack 2016). The planned approach of project
implementation further helps in implementing the project within the set budget. Therefore, the
project management body of knowledge is the recommended approach of project implementation
in organization A.
Project Management Methodology for Organisation B
The Organization B is mainly working on the European government infrastructure
projects. It is a small construction company with 300 employees. The main aim of organization
A is to increase the number of infrastructure project undertaken by the company in Europe.
However, the company director of the organization is concerned with the increase in project
risks. Therefore a particular project methodology is to be chosen that will reduce the risks of
implementation of the project. Since the aim of the organization is to increase the number of
projects undertaken by the organization, it is necessary to manage the project risks. The
suggested project methodology for the organization is PRINCE2 project methodology. This is
this project methodology has a separate phases of risk management. Projects with the help of
PRINCE2 are implemented in a controlled environment and the risk management is done at the
beginning of the project. Furthermore, since the project is implemented in a controlled
environment, there are very less chances of occurrence of risks in a project.

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The choice of the project management methodology for organization B is a management
level activity as the company director is involved in taking the decision. Along with the company
director, it is essential for the project and the program manager to be involved in the decision of
choosing a proper project management methodology for Organisation B along with the director
of the company. Since the risks are associated with the present and the future projects undertaken
by the organization, it is recommended that this project management methodology is
implemented entirely on the projects. In PRINCE2 project methodology, the project risks are
accesses by the likelihood of occurrences and the severity of the impact of the risk on that project
(Lianying, Jing and Xinxing 2012). In PRINCE2 the risk management process is a set of five
steps that identifies and mitigates the risks associated with a project. These steps include
identification of the risk, accessing the risk, planning the risk mitigation approach and
implementation or mitigation of the risks (refer to appendix 2). The implementation plan for risk
assessment using PRINCE2 project methodology is as follows-
 The Risk assessment is to be performed at the beginning of the project.
 It is at first necessary to identify the risks associated with the project.
 After identification of the risks, the likelihood of occurrences of the risk and the
severity of the risk is accessed
 In the next step, the risk mitigation approaches are identified and implemented.
The risk mitigation process is documented as it will be followed throughput the project
implementation phase so that the risks that are mitigated in the initial stage of the project does
appear in the implementation phase. Furthermore, the entire project is divided in a number of
controllable phases so that the project can be implemented without any risks. PRINCE2 is a

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structured project management approach and is widely recognised and used in the private sector
both in UK and internationally.
The suggestion of the PRINCE2 project management approach is mainly based on a
number of assumptions. It is assumed that all the project team members have a proper knowledge
about the PRINCE2 project management methodology. It is further essential to have a few
experienced team members on board who have a proper knowledge about the risk mitigation
process of PRINCE2 (Bentley 2012). Therefore, it is assumed that the project team has certain
experienced team members who will guide the project team in proper risk mitigation. It is further
assumed that the PRINCE2 project methodology is appropriate for the infrastructure projects
undertaken by the organization B. This project methodology is chosen as PRINCE2 checks the
viability of a particular stage before moving on to the next stage (Rose 2013). This makes the
process of risk identification and risk mitigation easier.
There are a number of issues associated with the use of PRINCE2 project methodology.
Since each phase of the project is implemented in a controlled environment, the duration of the
phases increases, which in turn can result in delay in project implementation. Furthermore, the
employees of the organization should have a proper knowledge about the PRINCE2 project
methodology. These issues can be mitigated by proper project plan.
There are a number of benefits of using PRINCE2 project methodology. This is because,
the underlying project problems can be easily identified and the project risks can be mitigated.
The organization C needs a project management approach that will manage the financial risks
associated with the project. Since the project will be implemented in a controlled environment, it
is expected that the quality of the project will improve as well. With the use of PRINCE2 project

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management approach, the organization can not only mitigate the risks associated with the
project but also develops a chance for getting more projects in future. Therefore, it is
recommended that the Company director undertake the PRINCE2 project methodology for the
current and the future project in the organization.
Project Management Methodology for Organisation C
The Organization C is a well established and mature organization which was established
11 years ago. It is a medium sized organization with 800 employees and operating in Australia. It
has a successful business model that is looking to improve and enhance the project delivery
capabilities (Akpolat 2017). This organization provides financial services to the different areas
such as taxation, financial planning, fund management and the retirement planning. The team
members of the organization remain highly motivated and are always looking for new ideas for
improving the status in the organization. The employees are trained to operate with a mindset of
continuous improvement. The company therefore is in a need of a project management approach
that will improve the products that are developed by the organization. The team members
furthermore want to improve the product performance and therefore, a project management
methodology is to be chosen that will improve the performance of the project.
The choice of the project management approach is a management level activity as it is a
well established organization and it is the decision of the organization to undertake a project
management approach that will improve the performance and quality of the projects undertaken
by the organization. The project team members should be involved in this decision as they have a
proper knowledge about the different projects of the organization (Manville et al. 2012). In order
to improve the performance of the projects undertaken by the organization, the Six Sigma project

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methodology is recommended (Antony, Gijo and Childe 2012). The projects will be
implemented entirely on the project. The Six Sigma project methodology was developed by the
Motorola Company in order to maintain the original specification of their products. The Six
Sigma project methodology is based on quality control and therefore it is capable of improving
the projects undertaken by the organization C. There are mainly four processes of Sig Sigma
(refer to appendix 3). In six sigma project management methodology, the demands of the
customers are identified and measured with the help of appropriate metrics (Pyzdek and Keller
2014). Followed by that, the needs of the customers and the product to be developed are analysed
in order to improve the project.
While suggesting the six sigma project methodology, certain assumptions are made. It is
assumed that the projects of organization are not subjected to any major risk as this methodology
will be used only in project improvement (Drohomeretski et al. 2014). It is further assumed that
the team members have a proper knowledge about the Six Sigma methodology, which will make
the process of implementation of project quite easier (Kaushik et al. 2012).
There are a number of issues associated with the use of Six Sigma project methodology.
The six sigma project methodology lacks leadership commitment in the project and therefore its
improper execution can delay the project execution process (Pamfilie et al. 2012). The use of this
project methodology is a time consuming task and the improvement in the project will take time.
These challenges can be mitigated by researching about this methodology (Evans and Lindsay
2014).

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The benefit of implementing a six sigma project methodology is that it helps in better
management of the project in order to improve the project performance (Hilton and Sohal 2012).
Therefore it is a recommended approach for organization C.
Conclusion
The essay gives an overview of the problems associated with three organizations in order
to suggest proper project methodologies for each organization. The choice of the project
management methodology is mainly based on the needs and requirements of the organization.
Since organization A is in need of a project management approach that will help in speedy
implementation for the project, the PMBOK project management methodology is proposed. The
organization B was in need of a project management methodology that will address the risks
associated with a project and therefore PRINCE2 project methodology is proposed. The
organization C was in need of a proper project management methodology that will improve the
project performance and therefore Sig Sigma project management methodology is proposed.

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References
Akpolat, H., 2017. Six sigma in transactional and service environments. Routledge.
Antony, J., Gijo, E.V. and Childe, S.J., 2012. Case study in Six Sigma methodology:
manufacturing quality improvement and guidance for managers. Production Planning &
Control, 23(8), pp.624-640.
Bentley, C., 2012. Prince2: a practical handbook. Routledge.
Deshpande, S., Beecham, S. and Richardson, I., 2013, August. Using the pmbok guide to frame
gsd coordination strategies. In Global Software Engineering (ICGSE), 2013 IEEE 8th
International Conference on (pp. 188-196). IEEE.
Drohomeretski, E., Gouvea da Costa, S.E., Pinheiro de Lima, E. and Garbuio, P.A.D.R., 2014.
Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma: an analysis based on operations strategy. International
Journal of Production Research, 52(3), pp.804-824.
Evans, J.R. and Lindsay, W.M., 2014. An introduction to Six Sigma and process improvement.
Cengage Learning.
Harrison, F. and Lock, D., 2017. Advanced project management: a structured approach.
Routledge.
Hilton, R.J. and Sohal, A., 2012. A conceptual model for the successful deployment of Lean Six
Sigma. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 29(1), pp.54-70.

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Kaushik, P., Khanduja, D., Mittal, K. and Jaglan, P., 2012. A case study: Application of Six
Sigma methodology in a small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprise. The TQM
Journal, 24(1), pp.4-16.
Kerzner, H. and Kerzner, H.R., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning,
scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Lianying, Z., Jing, H. and Xinxing, Z., 2012. The project management maturity model and
application based on PRINCE2. Procedia Engineering, 29, pp.3691-3697.
Manville, G., Greatbanks, R., Krishnasamy, R. and Parker, D.W., 2012. Critical success factors
for Lean Six Sigma programmes: a view from middle management. International Journal of
Quality & Reliability Management, 29(1), pp.7-20.
Obrutsky, S., 2015. Comparison and contrast of project management methodologies PMBOK
and SCRUM.
Pamfilie, R., Petcu, A.J. and Draghici, M., 2012. The importance of leadership in driving a
strategic Lean Six Sigma management. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 58, pp.187-
196.
Parker, D., Charlton, J., Ribeiro, A. and D. Pathak, R., 2013. Integration of project-based
management and change management: Intervention methodology. International Journal of
Productivity and Performance Management, 62(5), pp.534-544.
Pyzdek, T. and Keller, P.A., 2014. The six sigma handbook(Vol. 4). New York: McGraw-Hill
Education.
Remington, K. and Pollack, J., 2016. Tools for complex projects. Routledge.

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Rose, K.H., 2013. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)
—Fifth Edition. Project management journal, 44(3).
Tomanek, M. and Juricek, J., 2015. Project risk management model based on PRINCE2 and
SCRUM frameworks. arXiv preprint arXiv:1502.03595.

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Appendix 1
Figure 1: Representing the PMBOK Model
Appendix 2

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Figure 2: Representing the risk mitigation approach of PRINCE2
Appendix 3
Figure 3: Representing Six Sigma Model