In a context where it is increasingly important for companies to manage their projects efficiently, there are several methods to facilitate the organization of team activities and assist in achieving good results.
In this article, we present the 12 main project management methodologies. Check it out!
1- Scrum
Considered an agile method, Scrum is highly recommended for urgent projects with sudden changes. It is a framework used for organizing and managing projects through the division of the main goal into small steps, called sprints.
When a sprint comes to an end, the team gathers to present and discuss results, evaluating whether the objectives were met and what needs to improve for the next stage. The constant pursuit of improvements within this methodology is called kaizen.
Kaizen also applies within each sprint, through short daily meetings among the team, aiming to review what was done the previous day and define priorities for the new workday.
2- PRINCE 2
The British method, whose full name, from which the acronym originates, is Projects In Controlled Environments,presents aspects of organization, control, and management of all types of projects.
Your database consists of a framework with a focus on the product and deliverables during the project, and management through PRINCE2 involves organization and control of each stage, process review, deviation management, stakeholder and manager involvement, and communication between project developers and the rest of the company.
3- Waterfall
Also known as the Waterfall methodology, its purpose is to execute stages in a logical sequential order towards a final result. In this method, the rule is that a task can only be started after the complete conclusion of the previous one.
The issue is that the methodology isn't flexible, meaning it's not suitable for projects that might change scope along the way, as the flow would be interrupted and planning would be hindered.
4- IPMA
The International Project Management AssociationIt is an organization formed by project management associations, with the objective of teaching management practices applied in public or private companies worldwide.
The IPMA is non-profit and aims to disseminate and propagate knowledge about management guidelines and techniques, taking into account the culture of each country. The organization advocates that the combination of behaviors, skills, experience, and knowledge is the foundation for all project management. These competencies are then divided into technical, behavioral, contextual, and their subdivisions.
5- Canvas
Actio’s Project Model CanvasIt is a very useful tool for managing projects accurately and simply. Its proposal is to use an A4 sheet and post-its to create a short, simple, and direct plan.
The team needs to answer some basic questions (why, what, who, how, when, and how much) and make the ideas visible and tangible on the sticky note board, so the project can be more easily understood.
6- Critical path
This methodology argues that every project has interconnected tasks, where one must be completed before another can begin, representing a “critical path.”.
Therefore, for tasks to be executed, it is necessary for the manager to prioritize those with the highest hierarchy, so they do not remain pending and block the path of those that will come later.
7- PMBOK
This is not exactly a project management method, but it is a bibliography that brings important standardization, as it identifies and names the stages and rules of the area, covering the main aspects to be considered in any generic project.
The PMBOK indicates that for efficient management, projects must address the following knowledge areas: integration management, scope management, time management, cost management, quality management, human resources management, communications management, risk management, procurement management, and stakeholder management.
8 - Six Sigma (6Sigma)
Developed by Motorola, it is also not a management methodology, but a set of practices to be applied so that a project achieves higher quality results.
Six Sigma aims to measure product defects while the project is being executed and seeks to reduce them to zero. This is done through two processes:
The steps are to define goals, measure and identify critical characteristics, analyze, design details, aiming to optimize the process, and verify the design, reviewing how the project was planned.
2 – We have the following steps: define the problem, measure essential aspects, analyze data, improve the process, and control, in order to identify deviations and correct them.
9- Quality Management
The ISO 10006:1997 standard is an international project management standard that provides guidelines for ensuring the quality of projects of any scope through standardization for strategic management.
ISO addresses the following stages for this management: customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach, system approach to management, continuous improvement, factual approach to decision-making, and mutually beneficial supplier relationships.
10-AFP
The methodology Adaptive FrameworkProject it is more geared towards IT project management, as the uncertainty and changes in these make the use of more traditional methods unfeasible.
AFP begins with the construction of a detailed project requirements structure, aiming to define its strategic objectives based on the requirements of the product to be developed.
After that, the process advances in stages, with an analysis of the results at the end of each one to improve practices. The project scope can be altered at the beginning of each new stage if product requirements change.
11- Process-Based Project Management
This methodology aims to align all aspects of a project with the organization's mission and values, meaning each project process strategically contributes to business objectives.
It is comprised of 4 steps: defining processes, establishing metrics, controlling processes, and adjusting goals, if necessary. The approach of this methodology is, therefore, considered systemic, as it does not focus only on a specific project, but on how its execution can affect the organization more broadly.
12- Extreme Project Management
Ideal for those who need to deal with short deadlines, the XPM methodology focuses on project management in complex and uncertain scenarios. Focused on the human side, XPM advocates that the team needs to be prepared and comfortable to face spontaneous changes and situations that cannot be controlled.
To use the XPM, it is essential that the project manager be flexible, know how to deal with obstacles, and have good negotiation skills. Due to the high level of pressure from the project's urgency, the manager also needs to motivate collaborators and maintain team harmony.
Now that you are familiar with the main project management methodologies available, how about learning to correctly define the scope of projects?
