Project Management has an all too familiar problem - the Battle of Methodologies!
In and around technology projects you'll likely hear discussions about the whether Agile is better than Waterfall, or how PRINCE2 differs from PMI, and why PROSCI delivers better change outcomes than CMI. Or vice-versa. Mine's better than yours......
When tasked with delivering a project for our organisation why do so many of us persist in looking at the available project and product tools in such a binary way? Maybe it's the human condition to want to clearly define the delivery options available to us as "winners or losers", but it's really not a useful strategy in a world that's digitally transforming at speed.
Let's be clear - no one methodology is better than another, any more than a car is better than bicycle or a motorbike or a scooter or a pair of shoes. Any of these will probably get us where we need to go but logically we should choose one over the other based on the situation and our needs at the time. That's assuming of course that we're lucky enough to have a range of options - if not, then we make do with what's available at the time, and so it is with projects.
So when deciding on what project or product delivery methodology to adopt - waterfall, agile, or a hybrid mix of the two - the main thing is to have a formal project management approach like PMI or PRINCE2 (both have formal Agile certifications). The Project Management Institute's Pulse of the Profession 2018 Report shows there is a clear performance gap in the approach taken by Champions (80% project success rate) and Underperformers (less than 60% project success rate). Although Champions still use Waterfall in almost half of their projects, their use of Agile and hybrid has increased as they adapt to digital disruption and the need for speed. Champions are considered expert in mixing-and-matching the methodologies to suit their project challenges as they strive to deliver better business outcomes.
Many years ago I was in charge of building a major urban park when we had to build something a little unusual. I fell into the trap of ignoring the many construction tools we had on hand and focused solely on what earthmoving machinery we didn't have to complete the job. As I started the lengthy process of requisitioning new equipment - it was a government project - one of my experienced operators said "son, while you chase the paperwork I'll just make a start and see how I go". Needless to say he finished the job before I got the paperwork done; maybe a little less efficiently than we would have liked, but delivered all the same. What I was gifted that day was a lesson in adaptability, flexibility and experience. There is usually more than one way to deliver a result - you just need to be open to using the resources around you. And so it is with projects or product delivery - use the tools that are available to you, choose the best mix based on the availability of talent and cost, and focus on the management of the project. Do that and you should be on the right path.
Comments