ICT Project Management Report: Waterfall, PRINCE2 and PLC Analysis

This report delves into the realm of ICT Project Management, commencing with a definition of project methodology and its pivotal role in project success. It then provides a comparative analysis of the Waterfall and PRINCE2 methodologies, highlighting their similarities and differences, and emphasizing their structured approaches to project execution. The report further explores the relationship between these methodologies and the Project Lifecycle (PLC), illustrating how both Waterfall and PRINCE2 contribute to the departmentalization and effective management of projects through sequential design procedures. Diagrams are included to visually represent the phases of both Waterfall and PRINCE2 within the PLC framework, providing a comprehensive understanding of these methodologies.

Running head: ICT PROJECT MANAGEMENT
ICT Project Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................2
Task 2.........................................................................................................................................3
Task 3.........................................................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................7

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Task 1
Definition of Project Methodology and Role of Project Methodology within Project
Management
A proper systematic collection of various rules, practices, techniques as well as
procedures and regulations, used by every project manager to make a project successful is
termed as project methodology. This particular system majorly provides several efficient and
effective methods that have the capability to simplify the entire understanding of
organizational advantages before organizing them into a well structured and unique entity
(Burke, 2013). The most significant criteria for establishing a productive work based
relationship in every team and department are communication and collaboration. An entire
set of several principles and rules to eventually manage any project that comprises of defined
beginning and ending points is termed as project methodology.
The project methodology has an important role within project management. This type
of methodology is helpful to a project manager since it helps in easier determination of the
best planning, controlling, developing and even delivering the project after a proper and
significant implement process. As it is being proved that the entire process of project
management can only be controlled or managed with the help of effective problem solving
and decision making procedures (Schwalbe, 2015). Thus, it is required for ensuring the
overall success of every specific methodology and technology used in that particular project.
Stakeholders’ requirements are effectively defined and thus estimation of cost could be
completed with the most credible and accurate approach. The complete framework of project
management emphasizes on every desired change by project methodologies.

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Task 2
Comparison and Contrast of Waterfall and PRINCE2 PM Methodologies after Proper
Analysis of Major Similarities and Differences
The methodologies of project management are required to make any project
successful. It provides steps for following and targets for meeting from the initiation of the
project till the end. The two selected project management methodologies are Waterfall and
PRINCE2. Both of these above mentioned methodologies follow subsequent approaches
while execution of projects. The first and the foremost PM methodology is waterfall
methodology or traditional PM methodology. It is solely responsible for providing a perfect
and effective sequential or linear life cycle model or approach while executing the project
work. This particular model eventually follows a proper downward flow of information after
completion of six phases of analysis of requirement, effective designing, construction, proper
testing, deployment and periodical maintenance (Heagney, 2016). It is majorly used in the
construction industry for the inbuilt highly structured and physical environment. Since,
waterfall methodology provides a simplified structure, it is quite easy to handle or use.
PRINCE2 is one of the structured PM methodology that mainly focuses on the sub
division of any particular project to some of the most effective manageable and controllable
stages. There are six subsequent aspects of this project management methodology, which are
costs, benefits, scope, time scale, quality and risk. These are even known as performance
objectives or goals and they often quantify tolerance of project and thus are used while
executing decision making processes. There are five phases and seven principles in this
particular methodology of project management.
The most significant difference between this waterfall and PRINCE2 methodology
would be that PRINCE2 PM Methodology is extremely flexible and hence is being used in

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several projects, whereas waterfall methodology is a basic structured SDLC approach and
thus it turns in rigid form (Leach, 2014). The next difference between them would be that in
the PRINCE2 methodology, the end products are being delivered at each and every step of
that project, while in waterfall model, project can only be delivered at the end of the project
life cycle. The products’ quality is the major emphasis within PRINCE2 methodology, while
work efficiencies are the major emphasis in the waterfall model. Apart from these
differences, both of these even comprises of a similarity that these are project management
traditional approaches.

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Task 3
Relating Waterfall and PRINCE2 Methodologies to PLC
The PM methodology of project management is one of the major sequential design
procedures, in which the entire progress of project is properly observed in downward
information flow. In the project lifecycle or PLC, the methodology provides project
departmentalization and better management (Harrison & Lock, 2017). The project progress
could be promptly explained and thus the project phases are processed and completed
sequentially. The phases do not eventually overlap on one another. This type of methodology
is best for small projects.
Figure 1: Waterfall Model Phases in PLC
(Source: Too & Weaver, 2014)
The above diagram has demonstrated the six phases of waterfall methodology that
includes analysis of requirements, effective designing, construction, proper testing,
deployment and periodical maintenance. A PLC is executed only after completion of these
phases.

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PRINCE2 methodology could be related to project lifecycle. Some of the major tasks
are structured to attain the main goals for delivering the project successfully and after
completion of these tasks, PLC is completed.
Figure 2: Five Phases of PRINCE2 in PLC
(Source: Heagney, 2016)

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References
Burke, R. (2013). Project management: planning and control techniques. New Jersey, USA.
Harrison, F., & Lock, D. (2017). Advanced project management: a structured approach.
Routledge.
Heagney, J. (2016). Fundamentals of project management. Amacom.
Leach, L. P. (2014). Critical chain project management. Artech House.
Schwalbe, K. (2015). Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.
Too, E. G., & Weaver, P. (2014). The management of project management: A conceptual
framework for project governance. International Journal of Project
Management, 32(8), 1382-1394.