Project Initiation, Planning and Execution
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MBA642_T3_2020_Workshop_09_Methodologies.pdf
MBA642
Project Initiation,
Planning and Execution
Workshop Week 9
Project Management
Methodologies
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Week 8 Review
• Match the best people suited to the project, and be
prepared to manage conflict if it arises.
• Understand the characteristics of effective project
teams and why teams fail.
• Understand group dynamics and manage them
appropriately.
• Try to achieve cross-functional cooperation in
teams.
• Understand the nature of conflict and how to deal
with it.
• Understand different
project methodologies
• Identify the key facets of
each methodology
• Examine the strengths and
weaknesses of different
methodologies
Week 9 Lecture Objectives
Project Methodologies
1. Waterfall or traditional stage-gate
2. Agile
3. Kanban
4. Critical Chain
1. Waterfall
Stage–Gate process
Source: http://www.brighthubpm.com/project-planning/46809-an-introduction-
to-stage-gate-analysis/#imgn_0
Waterfall for Software
Systems Development Life Cycle
System Analysis
Conceptual Design
Physical Design
Implementation
Operations
Source: Rormney et al (2013) Accounting Information Systems, Pearson
Advantages of
Waterfall
• Easy to use and
manage
• Discipline is
enforced
• Requires a well
documented
approval approach
• Changes cannot
easily be
accommodated
• Delivery isn’t
complete until the
end
• Gathering accurate
requirements can be
challenging
Disadvantages
of Waterfall
Workshop Activity
• In small groups of 2 or 3, discuss the ‘waterfall’
method and identify: – Typical use cases
– Other advantages
– Other disadvantages
Share your ideas with the class.
2. Agile Project Management
• Typical use is software development
• Why agile?
– Development costs have reduced allowing
more trial and error
– New tools available to design and check
customer needs before development; e.g.,
wireframes (not fleshed out schematics)
– Need to react to changing customer wants
has driven need for shorter life-cycles
Agile Process
Agile Principles
1. Working software is the primary measure of progress.
2. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors,
developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace
indefinitely.
3. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
enhances agility.
4. Simplicity -- the art of maximising the amount of work not done -- is
essential.
5. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from
self-organising teams.
6. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more
effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly.
Source: https://www.smartsheet.com/agile-vs-scrum-vs-waterfall-vs-kanban
Agile Principles
7. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and
continuous delivery of valuable software.
8. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile
processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
9. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple
of months, with preference to the shorter timescale.
10. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout
the project.
11. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the
environment and support they need and trust them to get the job done.
12. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to
and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
Source: https://www.smartsheet.com/agile-vs-scrum-vs-waterfall-vs-kanban
Scrum Process • Backlog
– Desired features / stories
• Sprint planning (scrum meetings)
– What will be included in the next round
• Sprint work: analyse, design, build
– Do the work
• Sprint review
– Check completeness
• Testing
• Deployment
• Retrospective
Source: https://www.smartsheet.com/agile-vs-scrum-vs-waterfall-vs-kanban
Advantages
of Agile
Change is embraced
End-goal can be
unknown
Faster, high-quality
delivery
Strong team interaction
Customers are heard
Continuous improvement
Source: https://www.smartsheet.com/agile-vs-scrum-vs-waterfall-vs-kanban
Planning can be less
concrete
Team must be
knowledgeable
Time commitment from
developers
Documentation can be
neglected
Final product can be very
different
Disadvantages
of Agile
Workshop Activity
In small groups of 2 or 3:
• Explore the advantages of
Agile and identify the pre-
requisites to secure these
advantages
• Examine the disadvantages of
Agile and consider how these
might be overcome
Share your ideas with the class.
3. Kanban
• Kanban is Japanese for “visual signal” or “card.”
• Toyota line-workers used a kanban (i.e. an actual card) to
signal steps in their manufacturing process. The system’s
highly visual nature allowed teams to communicate more
easily on what work needed to be done and when.
• It also standardised cues and refined processes, which
helped to reduce waste and maximise value.
Source: https://leankit.com/learn/kanban/what-is-kanban/
Kanban in Manufacturing
Source: http://www.strategosinc.com/kanban.htm
Simple Kanban for Tasks
Source: https://www.digite.com/kanban/what-is-kanban/
Complex Kanban for Agile
Source: Andy Carmichael - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55448101
Advantages
of Kanban
• Increases
flexibility
• Reduces waste
• Easy to
understand
• Improves delivery
flow
• Minimises cycle
time
Source: https://www.smartsheet.com/agile-vs-scrum-vs-waterfall-vs-kanban
• Outdated board can
lead to issues
• Teams can
overcomplicate the
board
• Lack of timing for
each item
• Adding new items can
cause problems
Disadvantages
of Kanban
Workshop Activity
In small groups of 2 or 3,
discuss the ‘kanban’ method
and identify: • Typical use cases
• Other advantages
• Other disadvantages
Share your ideas with the class.
Develop the swim lanes for one of
your typical use cases.
4. Critical Chain Project
Management (CCPM)
• Development of the critical path
• Reworks the critical path using
critical chain methods
– constraints
– buffers
Source: https://www.smartsheet.com/agile-vs-scrum-vs-waterfall-vs-kanban
Project Management
Execution Challenges
• Scope/requirements change as the project progresses
• Technology changes or fails to deliver
• Vendors fail to deliver on time
• Approvals do not come on time
• Organisational priorities change
• Quality problems cause re-work
• Resources are not available even if promised
• Decision making and planning involve many layers of
management with conflicting interests
Source: http://3escp33iuwsj485tugc1mb91.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-
manager/2016/02/CPM-and-CCPM-a-Compare-and-Contrast-Pinnacle-Strategies.pdf
CCPM: Constraints • Task uncertainty
• Task duration overestimated
• Undue safety margins
> pooling of buffers
Source: https://www.smartsheet.com/agile-vs-scrum-vs-waterfall-vs-kanban
CCPM: Buffers • Project buffer
• Feeding buffer
• Resource buffer
Source: https://www.simplilearn.com/what-is-critical-chain-project-management-rar68-article
CCPM: Buffers
Critical Path project management defines three types of buffers:
• Project Buffer: The total pooled buffer depicted in the image above is
referred to as the project buffer.
• Feeding Buffer: In a project network, there are path/s which feed into
the critical path. The pooled buffer on each such path represents the
feeding buffer to the critical path (depicted in the image), resulting in
providing some slack to the critical path.
• Resource Buffer: This is a virtual task inserted just before critical
chain tasks that require critical resources. This acts as a trigger point
for the resource, indicating when the critical path is about to begin.
Tukel, O. I. & Rom, W. (2006). Analysis of resource buffer management in critical
chain scheduling. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: New Directions
in Project Management, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Newtown Square, PA: Project
Management Institute.
CCPM: Buffers
While feeding buffers make sure that the work is
available, resource buffers make sure that the resources
are available to do the work (Newbold, 1998).
There are several suggestions regarding how to deal with
resource buffers, although none of them are systematic.
For example, Goldratt (1997) suggests that resource
buffers can be reminders that start a week before the
expected start time of a critical task and are repeated
several times until the task actually starts.
Advantages of CCPM
• Identifies the critical work
sequence
• Reduces work-in-progress;
speeding up execution
• Identifies the risk with each task
and its impact on project
completion
• Clearly identifies when
management action required
• Exploits scarce resources
Source: http://3escp33iuwsj485tugc1mb91.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/bsk-
pdf-manager/2016/02/CPM-and-CCPM-a-Compare-and-Contrast-Pinnacle-Strategies.pdf
Disadvantages of CCPM
• Resource loads are
understated
• Feeding can require extra
steps
• Learning curve to master
the process
• Requires unique software
Source: http://3escp33iuwsj485tugc1mb91.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-
manager/2016/02/CPM-and-CCPM-a-Compare-and-Contrast-Pinnacle-Strategies.pdf
Workshop Activity
In small groups of 2 or 3,
consider the project
execution challenges that
can affect any project.
Discuss the problems
associated with ‘pooling’
task buffers.
Share your ideas with the
class.
Summary
• Project methodologies vary for
different use cases
• We have considered four
methodologies
• Agile
• Kanban
• Waterfall
• CCPM
• Understand the management of human resources on projects
• Explain the facets of managing financial resources
• Identify the physical resources associated with projects
• Examine the management of information resources on projects
Next Week
