What are the project management methods in the IT field?
Methods of IT project management
Waterfall model
This is a classic approach which can also be called a cascade model. It is a method of project management based on the consistent development of the project. That is, the project management plan is formed in the following way:
- Project requirements determination
- Resource and work planning
- Product implementation
- Testing and optimization
- Product transfer to the customer
On the upside, this approach includes a clear development structure, comfortable documentation that excludes any inaccuracies, clarity of tasks at each stage, as well as an opportunity to estimate the value of product development before the launch. But on the downside, it’s not flexible enough to the changes that customers can later make, you won’t be able to change the functionality when developing a project, and the interaction between the client and the development team is minimal. Therefore, this model is very popular among small projects.
Agile model
Flexible approach Agile is another interesting approach that should be used in business. It includes several techniques, among which we can identify Scrum (helps to set up business interaction with IT) and Kanban (helps to manage multitasking in the work of employees). What are the benefits of Agile? First, its simplicity. Organizational structure, work processes, and company rules should be as simple as possible so that employees can fully focus on their work. Secondly, the project within this approach is divided into short periods of time, at the end of which a small but quite capable version of the product is created. Thirdly, Agile’s flexibility minimizes all possible risks, and it also will be suitable for developing MVPs. The disadvantage of this approach may be complications in calculating the project budget due to ever-changing requirements. However, the experience shows that this approach causes customer loyalty that, in its turn, generates new contracts and profits.
In general, these project management methods will help you determine the objectives of an IT project, formulate its structure (dividing a project into subgoals), identify sources of funding, find contractors, calculate an IT project budget, determine project implementation terms, consider possible risks, and ensure full control over the project implementation. Flexible Agile will be a perfect choice for those who need to implement a work product in short terms with the ability to quickly make changes. But if the quality of the product is more important for you than the time and resources you are ready to spend on it and your project requirements are not going to change, then you should choose Waterfall.
