PRJM6006: Lit Review on PM Methodologies for Project Success

This literature review examines the role of project management methodologies in achieving project success, focusing on methodologies like PMBoK, Waterfall, PRINCE2, and Agile. It discusses key knowledge areas of project management, including scope, time, integration, human resources, and risk management. The review compares and contrasts these methodologies, highlighting their impact on project effectiveness and success rates. It also addresses the importance of factors such as critical path determination, work breakdown structure, and the customization of methodologies to fit specific project objectives. The document concludes that while methodologies enhance project success, their applicability varies across organizations and project types. Desklib offers a platform for students to explore similar assignments and gain further insights.

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Role of Project Management Methodologies for Project Success
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Table of Contents
2. LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................3
2.1. Introduction...........................................................................................................................3
2.2. Knowledge Areas of Project Management...........................................................................3
2.3. Kinds of Project Management Methodologies.....................................................................5
a) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK)..........................................................5
b) Waterfall Model..................................................................................................................9
c) Project in Controlled Environment (PRINCE2)................................................................11
d) Agile Methodology............................................................................................................12
2.4. Comparison and Contrast...................................................................................................15
2.5. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................17
References......................................................................................................................................19

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2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Introduction
Project management can be regarded as a discipline comprising of wide ranges of various fields
of knowledge. Important areas of project management comprise of quality schedule,
communication, stakeholders, project risks, project scope, resources etc. In accordance to the
opinion of Turner (2014), project management methodologies assist in augmenting efficiency of
a project manager in order to successfully managing a project. In this regard, it can be stated that
project methodologies are considered to be heterogeneous in its configuration and portions of a
methodology playing a role in supporting of a project in its lifecycle so as to attain the stated
objectives of a project. According to the opinion of Burkey (2013), project methodologies have
been developed to address low success rates of project.
2.2. Knowledge Areas of Project Management
According to Pollack (2007), project management can be defined as a management philosophy
that is regarded to include functionalities of business processes. It is considered as an emerging
discipline and included in different professions such as consulting, construction,
pharmaceuticals, government agencies, information systems, and others. Prominent areas of
applicability of project management are considered to be integral in project scopes and risks
accessibility, quality and schedule of budgets etc. (Balaji and Murugaiyan, 2012). The
knowledge areas of project management offer to define project scope to be integral in project
management activities involving risk management. Contrary to the above-mentioned definition,
Pant and Baroudi (2008) states that knowledge areas of project management are developed
through practicing of relationship skills that complements effectiveness in technical and soft or
communication skills. In this regard, the scholars have further stated with instance taken from
university educators pertinent to develop the soft and hard skills among the students of project
management.
According to Blomquist, e al. (2010), tactic knowledge in project management is considered to
be a domain of experiential, cognitive and subjective learning. On the other hand, explicit
knowledge is considered to be a domain enhancing the well-documented and accessible technical
knowledge. As per the opinion of Pant and Baroudi (2008), often companies overlook assets
existent within it housed under tactic knowledge. Tactic knowledge under project management

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are intangible assets such as hunches, intuition, insights, images, analogies, values etc. Ika
(2009) stated project scope management can be regarded as a knowledge area involving in
documenting and determining list of project tasks, deliverables, functions, features, costs etc.
Thus, it can be considered as project management objectives to be achieved and deliver the
projects in a timely manner. The other knowledge area of project management is considered to
be project time management that achieves to control, and monitor spent within a project (Balaji
and Murugaiyan, 2012). Thus, this area of knowledge in project management aims to record
times in a project, resolve any issues etc.
Project time management comprises of planning schedule, define activities and subsequently
sequence them, estimate activity resources, duration and development of schedules. According to
the opinion of K. Kerzner and H.R. Kerzner (2017), project integration management can be
considered as a branch of knowledge that includes a collection procedure required to ensure
varied elements in the project to be properly coordinated (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017). Such a
knowledge area in project management requires involvement of trade-offs among available
alternatives, objectives so as to exceed or meet stakeholders’ expectations and needs.
Meredithand Mantel (2011) have also stated that project human resource management is
inclusive of organization, leading managing a team of project managers (Meredith and Mantel Jr,
2011). Project team comprises of people with assigned responsibilities and roles for completion
of a project. Project team member possess various skill sets, having full-time and part-time
access to project management. The knowledge area of project management in the sphere of
project management includes plan human resource management. According to K. Kerzner and
H.R. Kerzner (2017), the process is inclusive of documentation and identification of roles and
responsibilities, reporting relationships, required skills and creation of a plan for staff
management.
In accordance to the opinion of De Bakker, Boonstra and Wortmann (2010), project risk
management is another area of project management that initiates with identification of risks with
the help of team brainstorming, examination and systematic methodologies (De Bakker,
Boonstra and Wortmann, 2010). Identified risks includes technical, programmatic, corporate etc.
in nature. The second stage of risk management processes in project management is considered
to evaluation of identified risks into quantitative and qualitative ones and subsequently

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prioritizing them in accordance to its significant implications on the project (Cobb, 2011). The
third step of project management is plan risk response process and subsequently monitors the
risks in a systematic regime and schedules. According to Dybå, Dingsøyr and Moe (2014), one
of the integral steps of project risk management is communication with stakeholders on the risks
associated with the project and the associated quality or costs as well as exposures response
plans in details.
2.3. Kinds of Project Management Methodologies
In accordance to the opinion of Burke (2013), project management methodologies assist in
enhancing ability of project managers to successful manage a project. There exist varied project
management methodologies defining adaptive as well as predictive methodologies existent in
varied manners. Reflective PMMS can successfully contribute towards a project’s success.
Adaptive methodology, on the other hand, consists of ad-hoe modified in accordance to changed
project situations. As per adaptive and predictive methodologies, the scholar has further stated
that predictive project management set is inclusive of a pre-defined range of protocols, methods,
procedures along with including definite step (Castro-Lacouture, et al., 2009). In this concern, it
can be additionally stated that some of the project management methodologies are Project
Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK), Waterfall Model, PRINCE2 and Agile
Methodology for Project Management.
a) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK)
According to the opinion of Rose (2013), PMBoK (Project Management Body of Knowledge)
stands or a standard set of knowledge where terminology for guidelines are given for project
management (Rose, 2013). In this regard, it can be further stated that skills and competencies of
project managers such as instructional design professionals and others initiate methodology in
the project execution as documented in PMBOK. The set of knowledge as depicted under
PMBOK sets guide for project management inclusive of initiation, planning, controlling,
monitoring, and executing. This kind of project management methodology denotes an entire
theory of quantity encompassing learning and practices in project management inclusive of
formal written structures of practice (Wysocki, 2012). This methodology further offers path to
project management success by denoting guides such as WBS or work breakdown structure and
determination of critical path.

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The other management disciples defining the path of PMBOK in attaining success in project
management can be considered to be budgeting, planning methods, financial forecasting,
management science and organizational behavior. With regard to the opinion of Bryde,
Broquetas, and Volm (2013), it can be stated that building information modelling or BIM in case
of construction of a building can be considered be an integral part of building’s performance.
From this instance, the scholar wanted to convey that in implementation process of BIM time
savings influence overall project duration and also has positive impacts on the schedule’s critical
path, increasing the time in the way. In this context, it can be stated that proper determination of
critical path under a project management can help in successful attaining of modelling time to
convert drawing in the paper into reality. Castro-Lacouture et al. (2009) in this context have
expressed their opinion on CPM or critical path method can be considered a technique which is
used in project management in construction industry. Project managers often use software for
commercial projects such as Microsoft Project, Primavera Project Planner (P3) etc. to outline
the critical path for a project. Thus, it can be stated that the role of critical path outline in the
success of project management is far-fetched.
Castro-Lacouture et al. (2009) have further stated that labour productivity has increased in
exponential manner when resources were properly allocated and managed as per CPM under
PMBOK methodology11. In this regard, the scholars have additionally stated that
conceptualization of projects fails to stimulate reality if proper incorporation of data in the
project management software is not done accordingly. The scholars have further added that the
significance of CPM in success of undertaken project is considered to be doubtful due to various
complications in the process such as delays with regard to project completion, material
shortages, early initiation time, crash costs, and increment in normal costs. O’Connor and
Laporte (2012) have stated that WBS and its associated components delivers concrete and
precise deliverables so that the project manager is well aware of what it is required to be attained.
The scholars have additionally stated that WBS cannot be utilized to replace a project’s schedule
or plan as it is a simple breakdown of deliverables. Furthermore, change control is utmost
necessity in case of WBS control and to understand its scope of success in project management.
In tunes of the above-mentioned opinion, Marchewka (2014) have stated that work breakdown
structure enables managers to work effectively and attain success in project management. As a

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project is considered to be adorned by time-limited activities, hence WBS offers to consistently
execute the projects. The fundamental purpose of WBS is the reduction of complicated activities
for a collection of tasks. The project management becomes important when oversees activities is
considered to be complex and thus WBS assist measuring specific costs related to such activities.
WBS is considered as a success measurement tool and track progress of the project schedule.
The scope of WBS as a project management methodology lies in tracking progress of a project
schedule having clearly defined limits (Wells, 2012).
Joslin and Müller (2015) have stated that PMM or Project Management Methodology denotes
enhancement of project effectiveness and increasing the prospects of success. Hence, PMMs can
be considered to be supporting project managers in attaining more predictable success rates in
projects. Impact of PMMs and its qualification standard depicts project success in project
management. Internationally recognized PMMs that has contributed fruitfully in defining the
success of project management are SDLC or System Development Life Cycle, PMI, PMBOK,
ERICKSON’S props and others (Wysocki, 2012). The scholar has further stated that PMMs can
be divided into customized and standardized PMMs. A combination of the above-mentioned
PMMs can also be implemented in a project that will enhance the prospect of attaining success in
a fruitful manner by the project manager. In this context, the scholar has further stated that
comprehensiveness of PMMs is also considered as a success factor. If PMMs of any organization
is not complete or is missing in its project management elements, then the success of the project
might be impacted due to lack of project effectiveness and quality.
The scholars have also forwarded the limitation of applicability of PMMs in the aspects of its
tools, techniques, processes and methods. PMMs vary in appropriateness and completeness from
one organization to another. All PMMs are not applicable in certain kinds of projects and hence
it is not feasible to look at a certain kind of practice under it. PMMs is considered to bring
standardization, quality and customization in the project management activities which ultimately
constitutes as a component of success in project management (Wysocki, 2012). As customization
under PMMs offer variations, thus, project managers often report that better results can be
obtained when the processes are tailored in accordance to the stated objectives. In this context,
the scholars have forwarded the fact that the organization or industry that are aligned with
context factors. The scholars have also stated that ‘owners’ of practices related to project

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management often perceive to achieve corporate objectives and thus follow the way of corporate
control and subsequent standardization (Lianying, Jing and Xinxing, 2012). PMOs or Project
management offices are focused on standardizing of organizational PMM per project.
Combination of both customization and standardization leads to decline in impact of different
components and consequently attain success in varied contexts.
According to Heagney (2016), the overall lifecycle of PMBoK comprises of four stages
initiating, planning, executing & controlling and closing. The first stage known as initiating
comprises of developing a charter for the project followed by identification of stakeholders so as
to ensure the successful accomplishment of the project objectives. Furthermore, the planning
process takes into consideration development of a suitable plan for the purpose of ensuring
effective management of the overall project activities within the scope of operation thereby
identified. Harrison and Lock (2017) stated that the planning process comprises of many sub
processes like WBS, scheduling, cost estimation, quality management, budgets as well as
identification of human resources required for the purpose of accomplishing the widespread
activities. It also takes into consideration identifying and analyzing risks followed by
identification of suitable resources for successfully overcoming the uncertainty situation. In the
execution, monitoring and controlling process, the process encompasses validation and
controlling each and every aspect associated with costs, quality, risks, stakeholder engagement as
well as communication all throughout the process (Harrison and Dennis Lock, 2017). Finally, in
the closing process, each and every activity associated with the individual project phases and
their respective procurements are closed down to declare final completion of the entire project
taken into consideration. The following figure provides a detailed illustration of the various
processes associated with PMBoK.
Figure 2.1: Operational Phases Depicted by PMBoK

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(Source: Kenneth, 2013)
b) Waterfall Model
The waterfall project management methodology comprises of a large number of stages,
successfully accomplishment of which step by step seems to provide high degree of operational
effectiveness (Alshamrani and Bahattab, 2015). According to Balaji and Sundararajan (2012),
the operational aspect of waterfall methodology seems to provide linear and rigid project
development phases, with no room for making any change or modification to the processes.
Waterfall model has been identified to be one of the notable aspects of software development
used in the modern environmental circumstances. However, the model fails considerably in
dealing with the changes in requirement that are likely to take place in relation to operational and
technological changes (Špundak, 2014). A complete and detailed description of the various steps
followed by waterfall model is as follows:
Figure 2.2: Waterfall Project Management Methodology

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(Source: Bassil, 2012)
The above diagram has provided a detailed overview of the processes that needs to be
accomplished in relation to developing software, in accordance with the project management
initiative of an organization. In the requirement stage, the organizations primarily focus on
analyzing in great detail the overall needs of the software development process followed by
documenting the processes that needs to be done (Heagney, 2016). According to Munassar and
Govardhan (2010), the design stage encompasses the processes associated with identifying the
technology to be implemented followed by developing a suitable work flowchart that needs to be
followed. The subsequent stages emphasize on developing suitable codes to solve the particular
problem of focus followed by testing it to identify any form of errors, bug or discrepancy. Bassil
(2012) stated that it also takes into consideration providing adequate degree of help and
assistance to largely accomplish by its objective of ensuring significant maintenance level.
As opined by Munassar and Govardhan (2010), One of the significant aspects associated with the
use of waterfall model in relation to project management is that project managers finds it to be
simplest and convenient method that can be employed in relation to developing a software.
Furthermore, Alshamrani and Bahattab (2015) stated that the high degree of rigidity offered by
the model seems to be highly significant in relation to ensuring successful accomplishment of the

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project objectives. It is mainly due to the assurance associated with successfully complying with
the specific deliverables in each of the stages and reviewing of the degree of effectiveness
accomplished (Špundak, 2014). However, the method seems to be highly difficult in case of
rectifying any mistake made in the previous stages. The rigid step by step process does not allow
project managers to go back to the previous stage once it has been successfully accomplished
(Ghosh, et al., 2012).
c) Project in Controlled Environment (PRINCE2)
Project in Controlled Environment (PRINCE2) is one of the leading project management
methodologies that tend to take into consideration a de factor process mode of operation (Ghosh,
et al., 2012). The method is of immense significance on focusing the overall justification
associated with the existence of an organization followed by development of a suitable structure
in relation to formulate an effective team. The PRINCE2 method largely takes into consideration
a product-based approach in relation to developing an effective plan to the process of project
management. According to Lianying, Jing and Xinxing (2012), the PRINCE2 methodology of
project management significantly takes into consideration segregating the overall project scope
into several stages. Each of the stages signifies the one that can be easily managed and controlled
in comparison to others. Furthermore, the method allows enforcing high degree of flexibility to
each and every stage that has been identified in relation to a project taken into consideration.
As per the research of Ghosh et al. (2012), he stated that PRINCE2 is known to have possessed
immense capability in relation to providing greater access and control to the resources that are
likely to be used in future as a part of developing a project. It also ensures high degree of
effectiveness in managing the overall aspect of business operations through the successful
management of risks and uncertainty. The project managers are identified to have greater access
to the operational scope underlying the project management operational activity of an
organization thereby considered. The following figure provides the overall working procedure of
a PRINCE2 method of project management:
Figure 2.3: PRINCE2 Methodology Framework

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(Source: Turley, 2018)
The above figure clearly indicates the aspects that an organization needs to consider for the
successful accomplishment of the project objectives. Each of the processes underlying PRINCE2
seems to strike an effective balance in relation to considering the overall business cope,
organizational competency, change adaptation, risk management and adherence to high quality
standards. According to Marchewka (2014), the method is largely capable of providing high
degree of consistency in relation to accomplishment of the project objectives right from the
initial stage to the final delivery of the product thus considered. Furthermore, the PRINCE2
method provides effective control to each of the three stages of product development, start,
midway and final completion. As opined by Špundak (2014), it also encompasses the process
associated with exhibiting adequate efforts on monitoring and reviewing the overall progress
made in relation to the project work thereby considered in accordance to the plan developed and
implemented initially. Wells (2012) stated that the most significant aspect of the process is that it
tends to provide high degree of assurance in terms of handling risks and quality management.
d) Agile Methodology
According to Bentley (2012), the agile project methodology is looked forward to as processes
that take into consideration a series of iterative processes for the purpose of successfully delivery
each and every requirement of a project. Each of the process in an agile methodology
experiences incremental throughput right from the initial planning stage to the successful