Project Management Methodologies: Definition, Role, and Comparison

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT 1
Project Management
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

PROJECT MANAGEMENT 2
Task 1
a. Define project methodology
Kerzner H. and Kerzner H. R. (2017) define methodology as a structure of procedures,
techniques, guidelines, practices, and principles used in instigating, planning, implementing,
controlling and terminating the work of a team with the target to realize particular objectives
and meeting specific success criteria over a specified period. Similarly, a methodology is a
set of control principles which can be modified and significant to a given situation. Indeed,
this methodology can be a fixed approach, forms, templates or checklist that is utilized in the
course of the project life cycle (Binder, 2016). A well-planned project methodology ought to
lead the efforts of all project members throughout the project life cycle.
b. Role of methodology in project management
Since project management methodologies are well-structured processes and products like
Waterfall, it enables the capture of all components of the project upfront by educating the
project team about the different components of the project and their relationship in creating a
functional and accountable team setting (Joslin & Müller, 2016). Methodologies focus on the
conscious, deliberate strategy of building capability among the project team for execution in
the form of clear project definition, training, improvement description, tasks and
responsibilities, risk management, approaches on how to track improvement and mid-course
correction (Joslin & Müller, 2015). Accordingly, as a result of well-defined, structured
techniques of project methodologies it aid in defining the criticality as well as automatic
generation of alerts on defined project activities for timely intervention and track of
performance. Consequently, this process aid to avert costly actions which could have
otherwise been taken based on intuition minus access to current information. In general, the
goal of project practises is to ensure regulation of the entire management progression through

PROJECT MANAGEMENT 3
operative decision-making and problem-solving by ensuring success of particular techniques,
procedures, methods, approaches, and technologies.
Task 2
Compare and contrast two methodologies
There are several project management methodologies which are used in developing
software like a waterfall, agile, scrum, and PRINCE among others. In this sense, a
comparison is made between waterfall methodology and agile methodology.
Waterfall methodology
Waterfall model is a methodology that stakes a sequential linear approach which
consists of several stages such as conception, design, initiation, execution, testing, analysis
and maintenance. Waterfall model is said to be sequential in the sense that it can only
proceed to the next phase when the initial stages have been completed that is there is no
overlapping in terms of phases (Kusters, Van de Leur, Rutten, & Trienekens, 2017).
Therefore, this methodology is segmented into phases where the outcome of one stage cats as
an input for the following phase sequentially. Basically, waterfall methodology is easy to
manage because of its rigidity whereby every stage has particular deliverables and a review
process.
Agile Scrum Methodology
Agile scrum model is a project management approach that is primarily concerned with
developing software whose demands and solutions keep on changing through collective
efforts of cross-functional and self-organized teams and their clients. Agile model principles
and values came into play as a result of the inadequacies of the traditional development
approaches of the Waterfall model. Therefore agile is a methodology that is used in