What are the Best Project Management Methodologies and Frameworks?

Are you looking for the best project management methodologies and frameworks? We’ve hand-picked 11 notable frameworks for you, so keep reading.

In this article

1. Agile
2. Waterfall
3. Scrum
4. Kanban
5. Scrumban
6. PRINCE2
7. Six Sigma
8. Critical Path Method (CPM)
9. Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)
10. Lean
11. PMI’s PMBOK Guide

Project management frameworks provide a structured and systematic set of processes, methods, tools, policies, and guides to project managers (PMs). Project managers can use project management methodologies to deliver sustained value to project stakeholders in a predictable way.

Now let’s answer the question, “What are the best project management frameworks?”.

The best project management frameworks are as follows:

1. Agile/ project management methodology

Agile is one of the popular project management methodologies. A team of expert developers collaborated to create the “Agile Manifesto,” which drove the creation of this framework.

This project management methodology enables teams to self-organize. Team members adapt to a dynamic environment, and they plan agile projects in an adaptive manner. They use an adaptive approach for work management, too.

The agile framework focuses on delivering value to customers. It enables collaboration, effectiveness, iterative delivery, speed, and data-driven decision-making. Agile teams follow processes. However, they avoid process overheads. Often, teams use frameworks like Scrum and Kanban with the agile project management framework.

The agile project management framework is highly suited to the software industry. It’s used in other projects, too. This framework can be used to manage projects where the requirements are evolving. Organizations using the agile framework need to foster the right organizational climate for building empowered teams.

Web and mobile development teams often use the agile methodology. Business stakeholders in an organization planning to launch web or mobile apps often don’t have the entire requirement finalized. The organization launches a functional app even if it has limited features. Based on the market feedback, the organization wants to add features in iterations. The agile framework suits this well.

2. Waterfall/ project management methodology

The Waterfall approach is one of the well-established project management frameworks. Most project managers are very well aware of this project management methodology, and it’s often seen as a traditional project management framework.

The waterfall method consists of clearly defined, demarcated, and sequential phases. In the case of a software project, these phases could be the following:

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• Project requirements definition;
• Analysis;
• Technical specifications design;
• Coding;
• Testing;
• Deployment;
• Post-deployment support;
• Transition to ongoing support.

Each phase has a clear boundary. A project team needs to complete one phase before proceeding with the next phase. This sequential pattern resembles a waterfall, which is the reason behind the name. The waterfall methodology is often referred to as the “software development life cycle” (SDLC).

This framework is highly suitable for large and complex projects where the business requirements are clearly defined. Such projects often involve many stakeholders. Since most PMs/organizations know this framework, communication among these stakeholders becomes easy.

Furthermore, you can define clear entry and exit criteria for each phase. You can implement a review process after each phase. These factors help you to manage risks better, and you get a predictable outcome.

3. Scrum/ project management framework

“Scrum” is a project management framework that rose to prominence in recent decades. Many organizations and PMs have taken to it, and more PMs are learning this framework. It’s very popular in the software development industry.

“Sprints”

This framework involves delivering a functional product in a short iteration called a “sprint.” A sprint typically lasts two weeks.

As you can imagine, you will likely develop only a few features in such a short duration. Project teams focus on delivering a functional product within this timeframe.

Subsequently, they plan the next sprint. They enhance the product by adding new features. Project teams must deliver a fully functional product this time, too.

“Scrum teams”

In this framework, project teams need to work very closely and collaborate significantly. They are small teams. “Scrum teams” have 10 or fewer team members. Such teams are cross-functional.

Take a software development project, for example. A scrum team in such a project will have UI designers, developers, testers, and DevOps engineers working together. Such a team also collaborates closely with the business stakeholders.

The project manager leading a scrum team is called the “Scrum Master”. Scrum masters lead the team through various activities. However, scrum teams are empowered. The other team members make a proactive contribution to the success of the sprint. Read about building a scrum team in our article.

Key activities in a scrum team

The following are examples of key activities in a scrum team:

• Sprint planning: Scrum teams work closely with business stakeholders to estimate and prioritize features. They then plan them in sprints.
• Daily stand-up meeting: Scrum teams discuss the project status and resolve issues.
• Sprint review meeting: In this meeting, a scrum team demonstrates a functional product to the business stakeholders. Business stakeholders approve the sprint if the requirements are met.
• Sprint retrospective meeting: This meeting takes place after a sprint. The team learns lessons from the sprint, and they implement them in subsequent sprints.

The use of the scrum framework

Projects using the agile methodology often find the scrum project management framework very suitable. Such projects typically use these two frameworks together. Software development projects for mobile/web development often use the agile approach and scrum methodology together.

4. Kanban/ project management framework

Kanban, a popular project management framework, helps you visualize project backlogs using visual elements like a Kanban board. Project teams of all sizes across industries can use it.

You use boards to depict project tasks. Furthermore, you can use the same boards to represent the workflow. The Kanban framework enables you to visually communicate the progress of the project using the same boards.

You can use physical boards. Modern project management software tools allow you to use digital Kanban boards. Some of these tools might allow you to drag boards across projects.

Since Kanban boards make it easy to visually communicate the project backlog and progress, this framework is very useful for remote teams. Agile project teams often use the Kanban framework. It helps them to identify and resolve project bottlenecks quickly.

5. Scrumban

You can think of “Scrumban” as a project management framework that takes the best of both Scrum and Kanban. Projects using this framework use the “Sprint” approach of the Scrum framework. Project teams using Scrumban focus on developing a fully functional product in each sprint.

However, you can also pull individual tasks into the plan for your sprint. You take this practice from Kanban. This helps you to complete important tasks with their due priorities. You also keep your project plan simple.

Further, you use the visualization techniques of Kanban. Agile projects can use the Scrumban framework. Short sprints enable quick development, whereas Kanban boards enhance clarity.

6. PRINCE2

“PRINCE2”, which stands for “PRojects IN Controlled Environments”, is a prominent project management framework. The UK government had created this framework for large IT (Information Technology) projects.

PRINCE2 builds on the waterfall model. The Waterfall framework has phases, and the creators of the PRINCE2 conceptualized project stages on that.

The PRINCE2 project management framework expresses the project stages in terms of principles. This framework has the following 7 principles:

(A) Starting the project;

(B) Directing the project;

(C) Initiating the project;

(D) Controlling the project;

(E) Managing product delivery;

(F) Managing the stage boundary;

(G) Closing the project.

The PRINCE2 framework then elaborates on the roles, tasks, processes, methods, and tools for a project. This structured framework helps you to execute large enterprise IT projects. Such projects have many stakeholders, and they tend to be complex. A well-defined and systematic framework like PRINCE2 helps to manage such complex projects.

7. Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a project management framework with a laser-like focus on reducing defects. It’s a popular framework for quality management.

You use this project management framework to continuously improve processes. Your underlying objective is to reduce process wastes and defects continuously.

Development teams often engage Six Sigma experts to use this project management framework. Such experts help them to define, improve, and control processes. Teams also learn how to sustain continuous improvement drives.

You can use the Six Sigma DMAIC process for continuous improvement and defect reduction in your project. DMAIC stands for 5 phases, which are as follows:

• Define: You create the project scope statement and define a business case.
• Measure: In this phase, you collect relevant data to pinpoint process improvement requirements.
• Analyze: You identify the root causes of process-related problems and defects.
• Improve: You solve the root causes to prevent defects.
• Control: After you have resolved defects, you work on sustaining the gains. You might need to plan more projects for that.

Organizations often use Six Sigma with other project management frameworks like Lean or Agile. Such combinations are known as “Lean Six Sigma” and “Agile Six Sigma”, respectively. Six Sigma is an example of project management methodologies suitable for large organizations. You get a better RoI (return on investment) from Six Sigma for defect reduction in such organizations.

8. Critical Path Method (CPM)

The “Critical Path Method” (CPM) framework helps you to identify the critical tasks in a project. You can then identify dependencies for these tasks. Subsequently, you can prioritize and schedule them. You can then monitor their progress and completion status using the Critical Path Method.

CPM is useful for identifying, planning, and managing important project milestones. You can use it in small and medium-sized projects.

9. Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)

The “Critical Chain Project Management” (CCPM) framework builds on the Critical Path Method framework. It utilizes the work breakdown structure used in CPM. Subsequently, you add time requirements for the tasks. You can monitor tasks running over their specified time limits.

Teams using CCPM also use the resource-leveling technique. You can distribute large pieces of work to people with available bandwidth. CCPM helps you to resolve efficiency issues in the project team and achieve a steady project progress.

10. Lean

The Lean framework is very famous. Automobile giants like Ford and Toyota achieved great success by using it, however, Lean is now widely used in the IT industry too.

The objective of the Lean methodology is to reduce waste. Manufacturing companies used Lean to build efficient product manufacturing processes. The technology sector uses Lean to eliminate irrelevant processes.

Organizations use Lean to achieve more while spending fewer resources. The net result isn’t financial efficiency and successful projects only but more efficient teams. You focus on eliminating 3 “M”s, which are as follows:

• “Muda”: This is wastefulness. It refers to practices that don’t add value despite consuming resources.
• “Mura”: This refers to over-production. It occurs when you produce something that the customer didn’t even want. Your effort is wasted.
• “Muri”: This refers to the over-burdening of people, equipment, and infrastructure. Too much strain on people, equipment, and infrastructure will cause burn-out.

The Lean methodology provides extensive tools and resources to PMs for reducing waste. An example is “Value Stream Mapping” (VSM). You use it to analyze a process and identify wasteful expenditure of resources. Subsequently, you optimize processes to eliminate wastage.

Large manufacturing organizations have derived plenty of value from the Lean project management framework over decades. However, many IT organizations have used it to great effect too. The Lean framework also helps small teams to improve efficiency.

11. PMI’s PMBOK Guide

The PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) Guide from the Project Management Institute (PMI) is a very famous project management framework. The framework can be used across all industries.

A key characteristic of the PMI PMBOK Guide is that it allows flexibility in choosing tasks. This framework recommends that you execute a project in five phases. You can decide the project tasks within each phase. The PMI PMBOK framework provides the foundational approach for the phases and the overall project life cycle.

The 5 project phases are as follows:

• Initiation;
• Planning;
• Execution;
• Monitoring and controlling;
• Project closure.

The PMI PMBOK framework provides guidance on 10 knowledge areas to execute a project. These knowledge areas are as follows:

• Project integration management;
• Project scope management;
• Project schedule management;
• Project cost management;
• Project quality management;
• Project resource management;
• Project communications management;
• Project risk management;
• Project procurement management;
• Project stakeholder management.

PMI PMBOK Guide is suitable for a wide range of projects.

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