Impact of Suitable Project Methodologies
In most of the IT Projects cases, due to complex project method and business requirement intensity, the projects failed. Prince2 is identified as major solution for the projects as it provides wider range of sophistication in project success processes. The methodology of Prince2 seeks out several benefits in the project for successful completion (Carlton 2014). The project success often depends on the selection of methodology in practice. Perhaps, all the projects are dependent on suitable methodology; though, there are some other factors in project success such as resources, roles, and support from expenditure and authority (Cobb 2015). Therefore, the seven principles in Prince2 methodology are seven pillars of success.
This particular essay incorporates major and relevant literatures and their reviews on purpose of seeking insights about impact of project methodology selection. The selection of project methodology and how the methodology cast influence on project objectives accomplishment and successful completion. The review of literatures is furthermore essential for stating the gaps and limitations as well. Impact of methodology is demonstrated with several articles such as academic and non-academic for showing how positively project success is dependent on methodology choice. Finally, a conclusion is included for summarizing the findings from secondary studies so that this review could become effective piece of study to support project success aligning methodology in practice.
2.0 Impact of Suitable Project Methodologies
This section provides two typical methodology overview; those are Prince2 and Agile methodology. The review discusses about their individual principles, how these methodologies have influence on project, and what are the pros and cons of these methodologies (Cooke 2012). Finally, a discussion is included to assist project manager showing certain recommendations for selecting each methodology based on certain grounds.
2.1 Prince2 Overview and Seven Principles
Prince2 Methodology is stated with seven principles, themes, and processes; so that outcomes are determined from achieved benefits on behalf of budget spent. The achieved benefits are measured with spent budget and successful project should accomplish more benefits rather than spending more budgets (Haworth and Pilott 2014). Prince2 Methodology follows seven principles in order to exceed benefits than accumulated cost along with risk mitigation. Seven principles are mentioned as following:
Continued business justification: The Prince2 Methodology is aligned with business requirements and individual requirements are justified with CBJ in the project lifecycle (Carlton 2014). This principle states iterative process of ensuring objectives is updated.
Define roles and responsibilities: Each stakeholder should be addressed with appropriate roles and responsibilities in each stage of the project (Hinde 2012; Rico, Sayani and Sone 2012). Moreover, the project activities should be allotted as per individual expertise.
Learn from experience: Lessons learnt is essential for Prince2 Methodology adoption in any project. The major causes are to be identified for project to become successful or become a failure.
Manage by exception: Individual management level in operational hierarchy has their individual priority for completing their duties (Sommer et al. 2015). For instance, team leaders can manage each member without being influenced by project managers.
Prince2 Overview and Seven Principles
Manage by stages: In project lifecycle, the project management team should identify certain stages for completion of the project. Planning, designing, development, delivering, and moreover, authority should approve those stages for selective outcomes from those stages.
Focus on outcomes: The stages of project are aimed to achieve each deliverable or outcome during lifecycle (Chin and Spowage 2012). During planning and designing, description of project deliverable is used to be base of that stage.
Tailor to suit the environment: The activities are shaped properly to decrease other burdens. The methodology requires environment to suit the project activities and major deliverables.
2.2 Agile Overview and Five Processes
Agile Methodology is entirely intended to provide IT projects in industrial domain, development domain, and others IT-related implementation projects. The methodology is a practical solution for reducing budget overrunning, timeline missing, and low-quality outcomes from IT projects (Ghosh et al. 2012). The Agile Methodology requires sprint and scrum to be conducted for service and product delivery. Agile Methodology requires stakeholders such as scrum master, development team, sponsor, and owner for accomplishing the project (Carlton 2014). However, major five processes are demonstrated in this part as following:
Project Initiation: The initiation stage requires outcomes such as finalized requirements on which the project is to be conducted (Barker 2013). In this stage, sprint plan, release plan, and other documentations are prepared.
Project Planning: In this planning stage, proper plan is developed during all activities are identified. Tasks and activities are mentioned with proper time, cost, and stakeholder allocation.
Project Execution: In this stage, team is expected to perform all activities as those are allotted to them (Singh and Lano 2014). Quality management, team coordination, and communication plan is required in this stage.
Project Monitoring: In monitoring stage; scope, change management, cost, risk, and quality are monitored along with management of stakeholders in the project. The monitoring stage aligns product launch with sprint completion.
Project Closing: In closing stage, the stakeholders are signed off along with contracts (Waheed 2014). Moreover, the deliverables are released to the customers.
2.3 Critical Evaluation of Impacts
In this section, two tables are prepared along with stating each methodology advantages and disadvantages and individual strengths and weaknesses.
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
Prince2 monitors benefits on basis of cost for individual stage. |
Agile identifies the cost and concentrates over deliverables within estimated cost. |
Prince2 requires experience and knowledge for running the processes. |
Agile learning outcomes are not required and are not documented from management team (The Standish Group 2013). |
Prince2 provides several risk management methods and techniques in practice. It segments risk for proper mitigation strategy (Project Management Institute 2013). |
Agile concentrates over technical risks only; the methodology covers all technical risks over activities. |
Risk is completely centered in several stages of Prince2 methodology. |
Based on sprint level, the risks are focused over specific product delivery. |
Outputs from Prince2 could be measured with benefits. |
Agile concentrates over final product regardless of each stage deliverable. |
The agile could deliver products in three weeks and activities are completed with ‘time-boxing’ concept. |
In Prince2, there is no specific timeline and the timeline is entirely depends on project scope (Levy, Short and Measey 2015). |
Agile methodology has more requirements for tool value-chain marketing. |
Tools used in Prince2 methodology can increases benefits along with cost-benefit analysis. |
Agile requires lesser documentations and this methodology focuses over development (Levy, Short and Measey 2015). |
Prince2 is well-documented with template included. |
Agile team conducts cross-sectional activities for seeking more knowledge about the project. |
Prince2 working team concentrates over particular activity on their roles and responsibilities. |
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
Prince2 is capable of large and medium sized projects. |
Agile is capable of taking medium or small sized projects. |
Prince2 is ideal for any type of project. |
Agile is entirely used for IT development projects. |
Agile concepts could be utilized for other project management methodologies. |
Prince2 could be dominant for other methodologies in practice. |
There is lack of research over this agenda identifying how major projects other than IT development projects are failing. The study is limited within major scopes and cost estimations; as cost and benefits are quite related with Prince2 methodology. The limitations in this aspect states that several project managers face challenges to identify suitable methodology.
3.0 Conclusion
This specific paper joins major and applicable written works and their surveys intentionally of looking for bits of knowledge about effect of project approach determination. The determination of project system and how the philosophy cast impact on project destinations achievement and fruitful culmination. In a large portion of the IT Projects cases, because of complex project strategy and business necessity force made projects failed. Prince2 is distinguished as real answer for the projects as it gives more extensive scope of advancement in project achievement forms. The philosophy of Prince2 searches out a few advantages in the project for effective culmination. The project achievement regularly relies on upon the choice of strategy practically speaking. The survey of literary works is moreover basic for expressing the holes and confinements too.
Effect of strategy is exhibited with a few articles, for example, scholastic and non-scholarly to show how decidedly project achievement is reliant on procedure decision. Maybe, every one of the projects are reliant on appropriate technique; however, there are some different considers project achievement, for example, assets, parts, and support from consumption and expert. Along these lines, the seven standards in Prince2 system are seven mainstays of achievement. At last, findings are incorporated for abridging the discoveries from optional reviews with the goal that this survey could end up plainly viable bit of study to bolster project achievement adjusting technique by and by.
References
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Carlton, D., 2014. Three reasons government tech projects fail. From https://www.cio.co.nz/article/549620/three_reasons_government_te ch_projects_fail/
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Project Management Institute., 2013. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 5th edition. Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute, Inc.
Rico, D. F., Sayani, H., & Sone, S., 2012. Business Value of Agile Software Methods : Maximizing ROI with Just-In-Time Processes and Documentation. Ft. Lauderdale, US: J. Ross Publishing Inc.
Singh, R., and Lano, K., 2014. Literature Survey of previous research work in Models and Methodologies in Project Management. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 5 (9), 107-122.
Sommer, A. F., Hedegaard, C., Dukovska-Popovska, I., and Steger-Jensen, K., 2015. Improved Product Development Performance through Agile/Stage-Gate Hybrids: The Next-Generation Stage-Gate Process? Research-Technology Management, 58(1), 34-45.
The Standish Group., 2013. CHAOS Manifesto 2013: Think Big, Act Small Retrieved from website
Waheed, N., 2014. CMMI, PRINCE2 and PMBOK – The Big Three. Proc. of the International Confrerence on Advances in Computing and Information Technology, 6-9. DOI: 10.3850/ 978-981-07-8859-9_02