Overview
Project management is a structured discipline that involves initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, and closing projects to achieve specific goals within constraints of time, cost, and scope. A foundational element of this discipline is the project life cycle, a framework that guides a project from its initiation to closure. Understanding this cycle, along with the methodologies and approaches that support it, is essential for ensuring project success.
Selecting the right development approach is essential to project success. Whether following a predictive methodology like waterfall, an adaptive framework such as agile, or a combination of the two (hybrid), the chosen strategy shapes how work is organized and delivered. Additionally, concepts like project phases, phase gates, and process groups further help define a project’s structure and ensure objectives are met effectively.
In this chapter, we will explore how various project management approaches and life cycle models can be applied to adapt to different project needs. By the end of this chapter, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of how development approaches and life cycles intersect to support efficient and effective project management.