Project Management Methodologies: Project Life Cycle Analysis Report

This report delves into project management methodologies, focusing on Agile and Waterfall approaches. It begins by defining project management methodologies and their significance in guiding project design, planning, and objective achievement. The report then explores the advantages and disadvantages of various methodologies, including Adaptive Project Framework, Agile Software development, Prince2, System Development life cycle (SDLC), and Waterfall (Traditional). The Agile model emphasizes iterative improvements, with advantages such as adaptability and the delivery of working solutions. The Waterfall model, a linear-sequential approach, is also analyzed, highlighting its simplicity and suitability for smaller projects, while also addressing its limitations. The report further compares the Agile and Waterfall models in relation to the project life cycle, detailing the key stages and their characteristics within each methodology. Agile's focus on individual interactions, response to change, working software, and customer collaboration are contrasted with Waterfall's structured phases of information gathering, system design, implementation, integration, deployment, and maintenance. The report provides a comprehensive understanding of these methodologies, their practical applications, and their impact on project success.

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGIES
PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLIGIES
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Table of Contents
1. Methodology:...................................................................................................................2
2. Advantages and Disadvantages:......................................................................................2
3. Agile and Waterfall relation to project life cycle............................................................4
References............................................................................................................................6

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1. Methodology:
Methodology is a technique which is implemented by project manager to design,
plan and achieve the objectives of a particular project. There are different project
management methodologies taken up by the managers to benefit their respective
projects (Mahalakshmi & Sundararajan, 2013). From initiation to implementation of
project, there are various steps of methodology to guide the managers (Bassil, 2012). To
understand the term in a better way consider an example , NASA ( National
Aeronautics and Space Administration) uses a particular methodology to create space
station which is completely different from the methodology used by Navy to build
submarines. To fulfill the need of different projects there are various project
management methodologies used by different managers.
2. Advantages and Disadvantages:
Some commonly used project management methodologies are:
i. Adaptive Project Framework
ii. Agile Software development
iii. Prince2
iv. System Development life cycle (SDLC)
v. Waterfall (Traditional).
Agile model mainly points on the fact that in order to develop the new projects
in a better way the existing methodologies must be improved (Balaji & Murugaiyan (2012).

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In order to achieve specific advantages in this model the given task is divided into small
time boxes (Kerzner, 2013).
This model mainly consists of four steps:
a. Interaction with individual.
b. Software running on the system.
c. Customer collaboration
d. Responding to change.
Advantages
a. It can be fixed or changed as per the requirement .
b. It provides a part of the working solution.
c. It can adapt with the changing environment in the project world.
d. No planning or a very little is required.
Disadvantage
a. Complex or Difficult dependencies cannot be handled.
b. This model increases the risk of certain factors like sustainability and extensibility .
c. Due to lack of documentation the technology cannot be transferred from old
members to new members .

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d. This model is totally client depended, so it can mislead the whole team to wrong
direction if it is not guided properly by client.
Waterfall was the first model in the software industry . This model is also known
as Linear –Sequential Life Cycle (Leau et al, 2012).It is a very simple and easy model . To
avoid overlapping of phases, each phase must be completed before beginning of a new
phase (Nicholas & Steyn, 2017). Waterfall has mainly six phases
a. Gathering of information and then analyzing it.
b. Designing of System
c. Implementation
d. Integration of units and then testing it.
e. System must be deployed.
f. Maintenance.
Waterfall model has some disadvantages like
a. This model is bit risky.
b. This model is not suitable for big software projects.
c In cannot be used in software projects where requirement vary with time.
d. This model is not suitable for software projects which are complex and object
oriented programming dependent .

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Advantages
a. Out of the above listed methodologies, it is very easy and simple one.
b. At a time only a particular phase can be processed and completed.
c. It is perfect for small projects where the necessity can be well understood.
d. Clearly define stages.
3. Agile and Waterfall relation to project life cycle.
In relation to project life cycle ,Agile model has mainly four steps:
a. Individual and interaction -This model mainly focuses on motivation and self
organization as it is very important factor for pair programming and co- location .
b. Response to change- This point mainly focuses on two major fact that is to
quick response to rapid change in the environment and to develop continuously.
c. Working software-Instead of providing a documentation of the developing
software to the client, demo working software is the best way to give a clear idea about the
software.
d. Customer collaboration – For proper developing of the software , frequent
interaction with the client is very important .
Waterfall methodology has mainly six stages related to project life cycle:
a. Collecting information: In this stage all the possible requirements of the
developing software is captured and then in a particular document it is documented.

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b. System design: This stage is totally depended on first phase that is requirement
and gathering of information .In this stage the requirement of the particular software and
hardware is specified.
c. Implementation – In this stage , units are used to develop small program which
are assembled in the forthcoming stages.
d. Integration and testing - After successful completion of testing , the units
developed in the implementation stage are integrated to form a system .
e. Deployment of system – After successful completion of testing , the product
developed is handed over to the respective client.
f. Maintenance- There is possibility of some issues in the client side , to overcome
those issue patches and upgraded versions are released.

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References
Balaji, S., & Murugaiyan, M. S. (2012). Waterfall vs. V-Model vs. Agile: A comparative study
on SDLC. International Journal of Information Technology and Business
Management, 2(1), 26-30.
Bassil, Y. (2012). A simulation model for the waterfall software development life cycle. arXiv
preprint arXiv:1205.6904.
Kerzner, H. (2013). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and
controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Leau, Y. B., Loo, W. K., Tham, W. Y., & Tan, S. F. (2012). Software development life cycle
AGILE vs traditional approaches. In International Conference on Information and
Network Technology (Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 162-167).
Mahalakshmi, M., & Sundararajan, M. (2013). Traditional SDLC Vs Scrum Methodology–A
Comparative Study. International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced
Engineering, 3(6), 192-196.
Nicholas, J. M., & Steyn, H. (2017). Project management for engineering, business and
technology Taylor & Francis.