Which project management style is right for you?

Sometimes, the secret to a successful project is selecting the right project management style. Establishing an effective framework is crucial for any project to run smoothly. But when you have "WATERFALL" and "AGILE" planning methods to choose from, how do you know which is the best for your project and team?

Here's a list of the pros and cons for each method to help you decide.

WATERFALL

Water fall requires detailed planning at the beginning of a project. All the steps are laid out, dependencies mapped, and you move to the next stage only after completing the previous one.

Pros.

• Best for projects that deal with physical objects - from a construction project to a hardware installation project.
• Best for projects with defined tasks and phases that must be completed in a specific sequence (e.g. build the first floor of a building before the second floor).
• Project plans are repeatable for identical or similar projects in the future.

Cons.

• Requires substantial scope and schedule planning before work begins.
• Scope changes can be slow and require formal change control processes.
• Less effective for software, design and other non-physical or service-based projects.

AGILE

This is a fast and flexible approach to project management based on principles of collaboration, adaptability and continuous improvement. Unlike the orderly stages of a waterfall approach, agile project management is typically set up in quick, iterative project release cycles.

Pros.

• Best for projects that deal with services-oriented and non-physical deliverables like code, copywriting and design projects.
• Allows for quick course correction based on stakeholder feedback.
• Empowers project teams to work creatively and efficiently.
• Includes engagement and collaboration from all team members.

Cons.

• Not suited for projects with strictly defined requirements and scope.
• Uncertainty around scope and schedules can make stakeholders and executives nervous (at first).
• Requires vigilant backlog and documentation maintenance, and tech debt management.