Detailed Report: Project Planning Approaches and Techniques Overview

This report delves into various project planning approaches and techniques, offering a comprehensive overview of methodologies used in project management. It begins by explaining the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and its role in simplifying complex projects. The Critical Path Method (CPM) is discussed as a technique for estimating and monitoring project timelines. The report then explores Agile methodologies, including Scrum and SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), highlighting their iterative and flexible nature. Kanban, Gantt charts, and the Waterfall method are also examined, along with their respective strengths and weaknesses. Finally, the report concludes with a discussion of Agile project management, emphasizing its adaptability and collaborative nature. The report references several sources to support its analysis.

Work break down structure which is also popularly known as
WBS is a technique that enables a project manager to break
the work in different manageable tasks which simplifies the
project structure. WBS can help in organizing smaller tasks
within a project yet complicated projects and large task can
not be mould into workflow using this (Mao, Mahame and
Ndahirwa, 2018). Advantage of WBS can be that team can
identify tasks that depend on other tasks and order of priority
to complete them. It makes it easy to see what tie and budget
is required for the tasks. Management of the stockholder's
expectations and smooth flow of work planning makes it a
good technique.
Critical path method is a technique which
estimates and monitors project's overall time duration in
terms of days and hours. It breaks a project down in different
activities and estimates time for the same. These tasks are
based and organized on the basis of delivery and
dependencies on other tasks. While adding the duration of the
longest series of tasks, an estimated duration of the overall
project can be determined. In case of delay of the any activity
in the project entire duration increases. This technique helps in
identifying the activity and problems early.
Scrum is a common framework under the agile
methodology. It defines goal of the project over a sequence of
short cycle of development which are known as sprints. Teams
refine high level scope via iterations (Basir and et.al., 2018). At
the beginning of the sprints teams identify how many tasks
can commit to and generate a sprint backlog, it is the task that
needs to be performed. These iterations modify the
probability of delivering a product which fully satisfies
requirement of the customers. It tends to deliver the project
much earlier than in traditional methodologies.
Project Planning Approaches and Techniques
Name of the Student
SAFe stands for scaled agile framework that implements at scale, the
agile project management. For enterprise of different sizes, there are 4
levels such as full, portfolio, large solution and essential. When an
enterprise grows, SAFe's practices offers a framework which enables
team to come up with better products by attending quickly to rapid
changing market trends, customer behaviour and technological
advancements. SAFe overall allows a company to make faster and
empowered decisions, establish a great communication channel for
effectiveness and optimize the operation for the better management of
the project.
KANBAN project planning technique helps in breaking
the workflow down in small tasks which then are organized and
displayed so that everyone in team is aware of the progress of the
project. There is a kanban software which separates a task into various
columns. A classic case of kanban board states 3 columns assigning
tasks the statues of to-do, doing and done. Also, there is one popular
addition to the column which is “stuck” (Sulyman, 2021). Stuck column
shows that a task ins in progress but is not currently progressing for
dome reason. Kanban creates less dependency which makes it easy to
concentrate for the team members.
Gantt chart is a technique which is bar chart and it
allows team to visualize the project activities and the times or days that
will be needed for the completion of the project in time. As if a project
is taking more than the specific days mentioned, there are chances of
project delivery getting delayed. Gantt enables the project manager to
see the days required for the completion of each activity and what
action needs to be taken for bring the project back on track. Gantt
chart basically shows specifics such as starting date of project, activities
in the project, finish date, days required for the completion of each
activity, dependency on predecessor task to complete the activity and
milestones (Nicholas and Steyn, 2020).
References
Andrei, B. A. and et.al., 2019. A study on using waterfall and agile
methods in software project management. Journal of Information Systems
& Operations Management, pp.125-135.
Basir, W. W. A. and et.al., 2018. Integration of GIS and BIM techniques in
construction project management–A review. The International Archives of
Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences. 42.
pp.307-316.
Waterfall method, which is also known as the phased project
management methodology is a model which is often used in construction
and manufacturing industries. It believes that any type of project can be
divided into different stages or series of stages which can further be
accomplished in a linear approach. Which implies that later stages of the
project, depends on the achievement of the initial stages in the project.
This methodology is good and suitable for projects where objective of the
project is clear and process to be used are well-defined. Yet it may not be
suitable for those projects which are complex in nature and have
requirement of modifications and revisions.
Agile project management methodology is one of the most popular and
highly used approach in the various industries currently. This method was
built for the flexibility and is perfectly suitable for the highly collaborative
groups and teams which take on the projects requiring trial and error. This
method was created in 2001 and has expanded itself into approaches
such as scrum and kanban (Saltz and et.al., 2018). In case of overlapping
task in agile management Gantt charts are also used. All of these have one
thing in common that they involve project stakeholders. This project
methodology helps deliver the desired output and takes proper feedbacks
from the respective parties to enhance the project completion. This
method allows the project manager to access the modification and
changes in the projects. As in the modern times of rapid changes in each
industry, it is important to incorporate the changes which can make the
output suitable to the business environment.