Understanding these project management styles can help you determine which would be most effective for your small business.
- Project managers are in charge of organizing teams, assigning resources, and guaranteeing that projects are finished on schedule.
- Project managers can use a variety of project management techniques, such as the seven described here.
- Your project management approach should be in line with the objectives of the business and team processes. Before using a certain style, take into account these variables.
- This article is for company owners and managers who wish to efficiently manage their projects in order to organize their staff, keep tabs on expenses, and meet deadlines.
You must have a strategy in place before beginning a project for your business in order to keep everything on track. The primary responsibility of a project manager is to oversee each stage of the project to ensure its success. The optimal project management approach for you will rely on your team and the size of the project. There are several project managements approaches.
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Why determining your project management style matters
You can successfully coordinate your team and the job at hand by knowing your project management style. This encourages the accomplishment of both your project and your company as a whole. A predetermined structure like this may substantially simplify the process for you and your team, regardless of the project management approach you decide on.
In addition to ensuring that your project is in line with your company’s strategic goals, effective project management also develops a clear and focused method to achieve those goals. It establishes reasonable expectations for each project phase, holds everyone in the team responsible for their contributions, and makes sure that every step is carried out accurately and on schedule.
Project managers are responsible for overseeing this entire process from beginning to end while utilizing their skills and experience to reduce risk and modify the scope as necessary. When the project is over, you may assess its success and draw lessons from any mistakes or failures that occurred.
7 project management styles to consider
You are aware of the value of project management and the need to pick the best style for your team, but how can you do so? Here are seven of the most common project management models, along with their advantages and disadvantages.
1. Waterfall project management
A project is broken down into different phases using waterfall project management, and the next phase cannot start until the previous one is finished. There is no expectation that the procedure or the roles and duties of each team member will change during the course of the project.
Projects with a set purpose and scope and lengthier, linear projects that call for phase completion in order are best served by waterfall project management. The Waterfall technique might be constricting if your project has overlapping deadlines or needs numerous changes along the route, such continuously incorporating client input.
2. Agile project management
Agile project management is an iterative process as opposed to Waterfall project management’s sequential structure. Agile projects include several iterations or releases, giving lots of chances for adjustments along the route. It reduces the amount of time needed to finish a project by breaking the overall goal into smaller, more manageable chunks that may be worked on concurrently.
This management approach is effective for projects that frequently call for creativity, teamwork, and adjustments. This explains why it’s so well-liked in the software development industry, where both technology and consumer demands are continually evolving.
It should be emphasized that “Agile” refers to a set of guiding principles rather than a particular sequential process. Two schools of thinking exist within agile project management: Scrum and Kanban.
3. Scrum project management
The Scrum process, which is derived from Agile project management, emphasizes finishing work in brief periods of time known as “sprints.” Teams hold quick meetings known as “daily standups” to discuss work progress and handle any problems. A “Scrum master” is in charge of these meetings, and his or her major duty is to supervise daily operations and get rid of any obstacles to production.
Scrum project management enables teams to complete projects rapidly while preserving quality and adaptability for necessary adjustments. It is a particularly successful strategy for small businesses or teams since it places a strong emphasis on production and cooperation.
4. Kanban project management
Kanban approach, another concept evolved from Agile project management, aids managers in visualizing and organizing the workflow of their teams. It places a strong emphasis on removing irregularities and wasted effort in order to boost productivity. Kanban does this by breaking projects down into smaller tasks, allowing team members to concentrate on one useful activity at a time.
A Kanban board makes it simple for team members and project managers to see assigned tasks and progress in real time. Each stage of the process has its own column on a Kanban board, such as “to do,” “in progress,” and “complete.” Although Kanban is frequently connected to software development, its concepts may be used in almost any sector.
5. Lean project management
Lean project management is a concept that emphasizes raising overall process efficiency. Project managers are required by the Lean principles to first define what value means to the client. The next step is to determine the project’s value stream, which is the total of all the steps required to complete the project, and remove any steps or procedures that don’t provide value. This review process is continual, allowing for constant development and client input.
Numerous sectors can benefit from the usage of the Lean project management approach, which can also be combined with other ideas like Kanban.
6. Six Sigma project management
The Six Sigma technique, like Lean project management, focuses on comprehending client demands, minimizing waste, and continually improving processes to produce a high-quality project.
Contrary to what its name suggests, Six Sigma contains five DMAIC phases:
- Define the project.
- Measure data.
- Analyze the root of any problems.
- Improve processes.
- Control by implementing solutions.
Additionally, Six Sigma considers the four project constraints of scope, time, money, and quality. Without sacrificing any of the others, it concentrates on precisely identifying and planning for each of these restrictions. The obvious benefit of this is improved efficiency and organization. However, the process’s framework encourages a more circumspect approach and could prevent creativity and adaptability.
7.PRINCE2 project management
Project management using the PRINCE2 methodology (Projects in Controlled Environments) emphasizes structure and organization throughout the project’s lifespan. Before a project can be started under PRINCE2, it must have a business rationale that includes a thorough cost evaluation and baseline criteria. The project is divided into phases with plenty of time for quality control and reflection, and team members’ roles and duties are well defined.
The PRINCE2 project management methodology places an emphasis on a planned and managed process while still allowing for adjustments as needed. Team members may learn from the project and apply these lessons to future projects by taking the time to reflect on each step. But the meticulous approach frequently necessitates much documentation and might be slower than other project management techniques.
Choosing a project management style for your business
Of course, you and your team could discover that combining several project management approaches is the ideal option. Beyond the seven major types mentioned above, there are more choices that could suit you better. For instance, according to Strato Doumanis, chief technology officer and creative director of MediaCutlet, his organization has had the best success with a project management strategy that combines incremental and process-based methods.
Many of our projects are intricate, extensive undertakings with flexible criteria that alter as the project progresses, according to Doumanis. “Incremental project management enables us to maintain flexibility while also tightly synchronizing the project with phases and deadlines.” In order to “build up technological flowcharts and business flowcharts that are built up to expand and run in parallel with other processes,” he integrates this technique with Process-Based management.
In conclusion, there is no one ideal approach to project management. Don’t be afraid to combine components of two or more project management techniques. Keep in mind the abilities and requirements of your project, team, and business. [Are you looking to simplify project management? See our recommendations and evaluations of the top web-based project management tools.]
What makes a project manager an effective leader?
Even if your business adheres to a particular project management approach in its entirety, the person in charge of the project ultimately determines how it turns out. To effectively lead the project and team to completion, a project manager must have or develop a number of leadership traits.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are essential for a project manager. They must be able to effectively communicate objectives, deadlines, and the overall scope of the project to their team, which is made up of individuals in various jobs and personality types. They must also work to earn people’s trust, both individually and collectively. To do this, a project manager must show that they are competent and committed to preserving both the company’s and their own ideals.
Additionally, a particular temperament is needed for effective project management. A project manager must preserve a positive outlook and maintain team focus on the current project. They must be capable of making thoughtful choices and accepting responsibility for the results. This implies a project manager must maintain composure under pressure while resolving issues as they emerge promptly and creatively.