# data[].attributes.body
We will need to ask for specifics to ensure the manager gets what they want. The objective is to provide the office manager with what they want regarding the look of the office and ensure the office looks professional and inviting to all who work there.

1. Ask them if they want the office to stay the same colour or theme or if they would like the office colour changed completely.

2. Ask them about a budget and a timeline.

3. Once everything is decided we can hire a painter to create the office manager's vision.

# data[].attributes.body
The objective to paint the room:

1.       Office room does not match the standards; in order to make it professional - a smooth, mild, colour is needed. To prevent the meetings, conferences done without any distraction.

2. By providing the Manager some options to choose and get his approval.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Discuss Details: Interview with the manager and ask what colors should be use and what designs he wants

2. Provide Example: Show paint swatches or test a small area to confirm choices

3. Write Everything Down: Create a clear plan with all the details and get approval.

4. Check Progress: Update the office manager regularly to ensure they're satisfied.

# data[].attributes.body
The objective is to create an inviting and professional space that aligns with the office manager's vision, using the appropriate colors and ensuring a flawless paint job with minimal workplace disruption.

# data[].attributes.body
The objective of painting the room is to ensure it meets the office manager's expectations (Aesthetic Appeal) by using the preferred colors, achieving a high-quality finish, and completing the work on time and within budget. The goal is to provide a smooth, professional paint job that enhances the office's appearance and satisfies the manager's needs.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Ask manager for preferred color shades and themes.

2. After a day, go to a hardware, ask for color samples.

3. Once the manager have finalized the paint color, that's when you can hire a painter for 1-2 weeks.

Paula Pelaez

Erika Bundalian

# data[].attributes.body
1. Predictive Life Cycle / Waterfall Model

This type of life cycle is the most traditional and easiest to understand.

The plan is created upfront, with a defined schedule, scope, and costs. A single product or service usually gets delivered at the end.

Since everything is decided upfront and the plan is ready, the project team puts its best effort to ensure the plan is executed and the impact on it due to changes is minimized. So, as the name goes, Predictive life cycle is where you are predicting what will happen, preparing the best plan possible accordingly and then following it.

Shoaib. (2020, July 7). Types of Project Management Life Cycle. PMCLounge.com. https://www.pmclounge.com/types-of-project-management-life-cycle/

2. Agile (or Adaptive) life cycle

The agile life cycle is more open to change and adaptation and doesn’t follow a linear progression. The initial phase only happens once—with planning, execution, and control stages happening in iterations, usually multiple times. Each iteration delivered is followed by feedback that informs the next iteration or set.

This life cycle is ideal for projects where feedback is essential, timely project delivery is crucial, and the scope is unclear.

Johansson, J. (2024, May 21). The Project Life Cycle: Your complete guide. Work Life Balance Blog | Resource Guru. https://resourceguruapp.com/blog/project-management/project-life-cycle#Types-of-project-life-cycles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The project life cycle, just like a good story, has a beginning, a middle, and (hopefully) a happy end. The beginning involves the ever-so-important planning; then comes the middle, where teams complete various tasks to move the project closer to completion; and finally, an end to review what went well and what didn't.

This, in a nutshell, is the project life cycle: the phases a project moves through from start to finish. It's a useful way to think about projects, as it helps teams successfully navigate them from initiation to closure, no matter how big or small the project is.

Of course, there's quite a bit more to it than this. And so, in this guide, we leave no stone unturned, exploring almost everything you need to know about the project life cycle, including:

The project life cycle is a framework project managers use to help them plan and execute projects strategically and effectively to meet project goals.

Project life cycle definition

The project life cycle consists of a series of steps, phases, or stages a project goes through from beginning to finish-sometimes linearly and sometimes not. There are usually five phases of the project life cycle : initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.

Characteristics of the project life cycle include:

A start and finish with distinct phases

Project objectives defined at the beginning

A plan for achieving the objectives

Deliverables and tasks to be completed

Systems for managing projects

A list of stakeholders

While the project life cycle stages are widely recognized, there are variations in how project teams use and follow them. Some follow them linearly, while others go for a more flexible approach.

There are different types of project life cycles teams can make use of depending on the type of project they're working on.

Here are five of the most common types of project life cycles:

1. Predictive (or waterfall) life cycle

Also known as the waterfall or fully-plan-driven project cycle, the predictive life cycle is the most traditional and easiest to understand.

The plan is created upfront, with a defined schedule, scope, and costs. A single product or service usually gets delivered at the end.

The project follows a linear progression through the five steps of the project cycle: initiate, plan, execute, control, and close. The team moves on to the next phase only once the previous stage is complete-and performs each phase once.

This approach provides a solid project plan that's easily replicated.

2. Iterative life cycle

The iterative life cycle also consists of the five project phases, but there's no linear progression. Each stage in the cycle is performed as many times as needed. For instance, a project team may move between the execution and monitoring phases multiple times before moving on to closure.

This life cycle is ideal when the project scope is unclear, but the customer still wants the best solution. Customer feedback is received at the end of each phase and informs the next stage, so planning continuously happens throughout the project's life.

3. Incremental life cycle

During the incremental life cycle, the project is delivered in multiple increments or sets. Each set consists of progressing through the five project phases linearly until completion. And each phase must be completed before moving on to the next.

At the end of each set, a deliverable is produced, with feedback informing the next set. This means that the cycle of moving through the five phases happens multiple times.

As with the iterative life cycle, the incremental one is ideal for unpredictable scopes and where timely delivery is crucial.

4. Agile (or adaptive) life cycle

Also known as the change-driven or adaptive approach, the agile life cycle combines iterative and incremental life cycles. This type of cycle is more open to change and adaptation and doesn't follow a linear progression. The initial phase only happens once-with planning, execution, and control stages happening in iterations, usually multiple times.

Each iteration delivered is followed by feedback that informs the next iteration or set. This life cycle is ideal for projects where feedback is essential, timely project delivery is crucial, and the scope is unclear.

5. Hybrid life cycle

The hybrid life cycle is a combination of project management approaches. An example is the agile life cycle, which combines iterative and incremental project management approaches.

Hybrids are ideal for when any of the other approaches aren't suitable.

Okay, now that we've got the hang of different types of project life cycles, let's dive a bit deeper into the phases and what happens in each.

The diagram below shows the five stages of the project life cycle, which we will discuss in more detail next. Just keep in mind that not everyone uses five stages. Some choose to focus on a four-phase project life cycle while others may opt for something entirely different.

As we mentioned earlier, the choice mostly boils down to personal preference and the needs of the project. For instance, some PMs may prefer the 5-phase cycle because it's more detailed, while others may pick four phases because it's more straightforward.

If you're dealing with a complex project, you might want to opt for the 5-phase cycle, whereas if you're in a time crunch, you might want to opt for the 4-phase cycle.

Phase 1: Initiation-kicking things off

Initiation is the project kick-off phase, to get the full download of information from key stakeholders. At a high level, this phase defines the problem, details what needs to be done, and is an opportunity to define all the stakeholders.

The initiation phase will vary depending on the size of the project. For a freelancer working with a client to write a few blog posts, the initiation phase may involve one brainstorming meeting to clarify the details.

For a project team working on a large project with many deliverables over months, this phase will be more comprehensive-and will probably involve producing a business case and feasibility study.

Regardless, these are the types of tasks you can expect to tackle during the project life cycle initiation phase:

Create a project charter that details the scope and project objectives

Identify the stakeholders, which includes the project team, project managers, project sponsors, and clients

Conduct a feasibility study to determine if it's possible to tackle the project

Create a business case to see if the project is worth pursuing: analyze benefits, costs, and risks

Build an estimate of the project costs to guide budgeting

You'll usually capture all this information in a Project Initiation Document (PID).

Phase 2: Planning-the foundation of your entire project

Once you have the green light for the project, it's time for planning. Planning lays the groundwork for the rest of the project and helps you move intelligently through it.

You'll detail all the work and how you plan on doing it. More specifically, the project life cycle planning phase involves:

Creating a project plan that includes project objectives, deliverables, timelines, project constraints, a project schedule, and project dependencies

Preparing a project budget by building a financial plan with cost estimates for labor, material, and equipment

Specifying resource requirements like labor and materials to help with resource scheduling and allocation

Managing risk by identifying potential problems and creating contingency plans

Creating a communication plan that details the information you'll need, who needs that information, how often you'll communicate, and how you'll communicate

Setting quality targets and control measures via a quality plan

Listing the criteria for what customers deem a completed project

Detailing the processes, systems, and tools you'll use to manage and track your projects. How will you manage and schedule your team? How will you track resource utilization to ensure you're making the best use of those resources? Workload planning tools can help.

Workload planning tools for happier teams and smoother projects

The right workload planning tool like Resource Guru helps you identify, categorize, and better schedule resources by seeing who's overloaded and underutilized. From there, you can:

Identify bottlenecks where demand (for people) is higher than supply, so you can plan ahead and hire more people if needed

Assign the right people to the right projects to prevent overload and burnout, while improving employee retention

It's as simple as dragging and dropping to rebalance workloads. Et voila! Resource scheduling is done.

Phase 3: Execution (or implementation)-getting the work done

The execution or implementation phase is where you put planning into motion. The aim is to complete deliverables to achieve the project objectives.

The project manager will typically carry out these tasks during the project execution phase:

Allocating resources and budget

Scheduling tasks

Briefing the project team

Coordinating and managing the team and schedule

Attending client reviews and regular team meetings to share progress

Phase 4: Monitoring (or controlling)-tracking progress against the plan

The monitoring or controlling phase goes hand-in-hand with the execution phase. It's about monitoring the project's overall progress to see if you're meeting project objectives and are on track.

You'll need to track performance metrics like budget, cost variance, resource utilization, and client satisfaction. Where there are deviations from the original plan, always first try to get the project back on course. If this isn't possible and you need to modify the plan, take note of this, so you have a record to refer back to later.

Ways to track project progress, include:

1. Regular team meetings to get feedback on how things are going.

2. Client review meetings where you answer questions. This helps create a constant feedback loop that allows you to include client changes earlier, rather than later when it may be difficult to backtrack and can become costly. Make sure you compare these change requests against the initial project scope to control scope creep before it gets out of hand.

3. Using tools like resource management software to track resource utilization to ensure you're getting the most out of your team and preventing team burnout .

Phase 5: Closure-wrapping things up

During this phase, the project winds down and comes to a close. You'll spend time wrapping things up by handing over project documentation, releasing final deliverables, terminating contracts, and informing everyone that the project is complete.

You can also conduct a project post-mortem to assess what worked and what didn't. This could be a wrap-up meeting with all stakeholders or a project report you deliver to everyone.

Regardless, use this information to learn from mistakes and build on the wins to ensure the success of future projects.

Now that you have a thorough understanding of the phases of the project management life cycle, let's look at the pros and cons.

Take note: The following is a high-level look at the pros and cons of the project life cycle and doesn't involve a one-to-one comparison between the different types of project life cycle models.

Advantages of project life cycle

1. A reliable structure for managing and delivering projects helps teams navigate and deliver projects on time and on budget

2. The framework, which is usually visible to all, makes it easy to define roles, so everyone knows what to do

3. You can easily track the project's progress against the phases. Everyone can easily stay updated on the project's status

4. Clear steps, deliverables, and project goals foster better communication and collaboration

5. Planning for risks is easy so that you can minimize their impact

Disadvantages of project life cycle

1. The project life cycle consists of distinct phases, making it rather rigid. This rigidity is not suitable for all projects. It may be why there are different versions of the cycle to accommodate different project types

2. A rigid project approach can stifle creativity, particularly moving through the project linearly

3. Some teams overcomplicate the stages of the cycle, which leads to slow project delivery and unnecessary costs

4. Moving through the life cycle can be overly time and resource intensive

5. Teams can waste time, money, and resources if the need or problem isn't properly defined

1. . For instance, the objective of "increase total organic traffic by 20% by the end of August 2023" is much better than "increase traffic." It provides a precise number for the increase, so you know what to aim for and you aren't choosing a number arbitrarily during the project. It's also measurable; you can pull stats to see if you've reached your goal. Finally, there's a deadline, so you're not aimlessly tracking a metric indefinitely.Specific and measurable project objectives

2. Scope control. Scope control helps keep a project on track and on budget. Without it, you risk the project going beyond what was agreed. A real possibility considering that nearly 50% of all projects experience scope creep . Scope creep causes project delays, resource allocation issues, and budgeting problems. Control scope creep by having a clear project schedule and a change management plan.

3. The right project management tools. The right tools help simplify project management, keep you organized, and help you stay on track. Use them for task scheduling, resource allocation , budgeting, and compiling cost estimates.

4. Risk management. No project is without hiccups. There need to be contingency plans.

Below are two project management life cycle examples: one for a smaller project and another for a larger one.

Example 1: Website redesign

Initiation: A web designer (Joe) has a project kick-off meeting with a client to understand the problems with the existing site and the goal of the new one. One of the objectives is to modernize the site.

Planning: Joe completes the creative brief, which includes the scope, milestones, and costs. The milestones allow for client feedback. Both parties agree on the number of changes allowed at each milestone and what the definition of a change is, so there's no confusion.

Execution: Joe produces wireframes and mock-ups for delivery at different milestones. Feedback at each checkpoint informs the next phase.

Monitoring: Joe uses the checkpoints to track project progress and control scope creep. For instance, at the first checkpoint, the client wants to change the placement of an icon. This change is minor, so scope creep is not a concern. For the remaining checkpoints, the project proceeds without a hitch.

Closure: Joe delivers the final prototype. The client is happy and signs off.

Example 2: Developing software

Initiation: A moving company wants to create an app to help price their moves because the team is making math mistakes that are costing the company thousands of dollars. A business case is created to detail the problem as well as the benefits and costs of the software. The project gets the green light, and a project manager (PM) is appointed.

Planning: The PM creates a project plan highlighting the costs, deliverables, timelines, scope, and resources. One new resource is a specialist app developer the team had not initially discussed. The PM flags this to the CEO, who approves the extra budget. They hire a developer to work in-house.

Execution: The PM works with the developer and implements checkpoints across design, development, and testing. After milestones one and two, the project is moving ahead as planned.

Monitoring: The third milestone arrives, and the team needs to confirm if the app is ready for testing. But they need more development time and want to add an extra feature.

The PM, again, flags this to the CEO, who approves and agrees to a budget increase of $40,000. The PM adjusts the project schedule to account for the changes-and pushes it out by two months.

Closure: The team deploys the app and starts using it. The developer helps train everyone, so they understand how to use it. The PM conducts a project post-mortem with the team where they recognize they were flexible and adaptable but could've better defined the requirements.

Sure, the inflexibility of the life cycle makes it an unsuitable framework for certain projects. But it's still a valuable way to think about them because it provides structure to otherwise chaotic projects.

Now, you definitely don't need to follow this structure blindly-it's not the be-all, end-all for project success. Instead, use the underlying concepts, ideas, and information from this guide and adapt them to build your own.

Maybe your projects will follow a more linear progression and closely resemble the traditional predictive cycle? Or perhaps you'll lean toward a more hybrid model and embrace adaptability?

As a project manager, you know your project, resources, and team better than anyone else. So view these life cycles as an adaptable framework and apply them when needed-you know what's best for your project.

Recommended Resource Guru reads:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The project life cycle: your complete guide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Master the project life cycle with this guide. Learn about different project life cycle phases, types, critical success factors, and examples.

# data[].attributes.body
The PMI model is a flexible yet structured approach to managing a project's lifecycle.

Waterfall Model: This model is more linear than the PMI model. The PMI model allows for more flexibility and will enable you to overlap phases within your project. With the waterfall model, you must complete each phase before continuing to the next. For example, a construction project would benefit greatly from using the waterfall model because construction projects have fixed and clear requirements to finish.

Sources

https://www.seguetech.com/waterfall-vs-agile-methodology/

https://www.pmpwithray.com/examples-of-waterfall-type-projects-in-project-management/

# data[].attributes.body
1. PMI - five -phase model for project management process group (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling and Closing)

2. 2 Project life methods: Waterfall (A step-by-step process where each phase, is finished before the next one starts) and Agile (A flexible process where work is done in small, repeatable step with regular updates and customer feedback)

Source

https://medium.com/@prowiz911959/project-life-cycle-vs-project-management-lifecycle-project-methodology-vs-project-management-e76549297a64

Agile vs. Waterfall: 10 Key Differences Between the Two Methods

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In each PLC observe the flow. For example, in the third PLC above, the sequence of the project is clear. First the Business Need must be identified, ie, why do we need this project. Then we need to define the project that will meet this need. Once defined, we need to select the team before we start up the project. We then embark on the project work, which follows a iterative process of Plan, Organise, Implement and Control. If during the Control, we observe discrepancies or changes to the scope are introduced, we need to Manage these Changes and re-look at the Project Definition. We may need to get new people into the team. And the cycle continues.

Notice, the differences in the Phases identified. If you were to do an Internet Search, you would be inundated with hundreds of formats, shapes and styles, each one unique and customised to the organisation and the nature of projects they are used in.
PROJECT METHODOLOGY
Let's examine the next term, Project Methodology. How is this different from Project Life Cycle?

Whereas the Project Life Cycle describes the sequence of steps you need to take to implement the project, the Project Methodology describes HOW the project is going to be implemented, what STRATEGY will be used. In some cases, it may not be associated with any Project Life Cycle.

The following are some examples of Project Methodologies.

The Waterfall method is a very traditional, sequential way of implementing the project. Each phase can begin only after the earlier one is completed. It is very useful in projects where the scope is very stable.

The Iterative method, is similar to the Waterfall method, except that the project goes through several cycles. Each cycle is a mini-project, each building on the output of the earlier cycle, until the final product/solution is achieved.

The Agile method, was created for software development where changing scope is very common, and in many cases, to be expected. Agile helps to quickly put out working applications into use and allows for the subsequent enhancement of these applications based on the changes requested.

It is very appropriate for projects with a very unstable scope, organisations are looking to adapt this methodology to their non-software environment.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT LIFE CYCLE (PMLC)/PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY
A Project MANAGEMENT Life Cycle describes how a project is MANAGED. It does not refer to the sequence of phases and/or tasks of the project. That is, it does not look at what phase needs to be done first or second. THAT is handled by the Project Life Cycle.

The terms Project Management Life Cycle and Project Management Methodology can be used interchangeably without any confusion.

The 2 most prominent PMLCs are the ones offered by the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), introduced by the US-based Project Management Institute (PMI), and PRojects IN Controlled E nvironments (PRINCE2) owned by the UK-based Axelos LTD, a joint venture between the UK HM Cabinet and Capita PLC.
PMBOK's Project Process Groups The 7 PRINCE2 Processes
At first glance you'll notice that there are 5 processes in PMBOK and 7 in PRINCE2, but did you notice the similarities? They both have

1 Initiation / Initiating a Project

2 Planning / Directing a Project

3 Monitoring & Controlling / Controlling a Stage

4 Execution / Managing Product Delivery, & Managing a Stage

5 Closing / Closing a Project

So whatever PMLC you are using, they have processes in common.

So, what is the relationship between a PLC and a PMLC? Let me use the PMBOK approach first.

Let me use the following PLC as an example:

Let's look at the first Phase.

We need to start this phase. The other word for "start" is "initiate". We want to know eg, if the right people are present, if the right information is available, have necessary approvals and authority been given to start this, etc. Initiating.

Right. That's settled. Now let's plan how we're going to conduct the Requirement Analysis. What tasks need to be done? Who's going to be doing what? How long is each task you going to take and, therefore, how long will the project be? And so on. In other words, Planning.

Ok! We've got our plan. Now let's carry it out. Executing.

We better make sure that we are executing according to our plan. Are we on track? Monitoring & Controlling.

We are now completed with the Requirement Analysis. And we have prepared our Business Requirements Document and we have obtained the sign off from the key stakeholders. We can now close this phase. Closing.

In this stage, we conduct a Post-Mortem of the phase to identify what we did well and what we could have done differently and better. These are archived for the future use of the team or any other team. On to the next Phase, System Design.

As you can see, the PMLC has been applied within a Phase of the PLC. In a similar way, it is applied to each Phase of the PLC. It is also applied to the project as a whole. That's why I said, at the start, that the PMLC was all about how to MANAGE the project not about the sequence of tasks.

So, there you have it! The differences between Project Life Cycle, Project Methodology, Project Management Life Cycle and Project Methodology. If you who are reading this, have ever been confused about these terms, I hope I have helped to clarify them.

If you have any questions or you wish to share an opinion or thought, you are most welcome!

Please visit our webpage at www.prowiz.biz to find out more about the workshops we conduct and services we offer.

V Ravindran, PMP

Prowiz Asia Pte Ltd

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
PROJECT LIFE CYCLE VS PROJECT MANAGEMENT LIFECYCLE; PROJECT METHODOLOGY VS PROJECT MANAGEMENT...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
PROJECT LIFE CYCLE VS PROJECT MANAGEMENT LIFECYCLE; PROJECT METHODOLOGY VS PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY What is the difference between a Project Life Cycle and a Project MANAGEMENT Life Cycle? What...

# data[].attributes.body
1. INCREMENTAL LIFE CYCLE

Two iterative project management methodologies that address various project requirements and contexts are the incremental and agile life cycles. A project is broken up into smaller parts, or increments, using the incremental life cycle, each of which delivers a portion of the project in turn. This approach offers phased delivery, enabling the project to be partially completed and tested at various points in time. Since the needs for every increment are usually set at the beginning, this method is easier to manage and more predictable, particularly for projects with consistent requirements. Project managers can plan and schedule each phase methodically thanks to the incremental life cycle's predictability, which lowers risks and provides early visibility into project progress.

Reference:

Admin. (2021, September 14). Incremental model of software development Life cycle. Custom Web & Mobile Development Company - New Line Technologies. https://newline.tech/incremental-model-of-software-development-life-cycle/

2. AGILE LIFE CYCLE

On the other hand, the Agile life cycle is made to be extremely flexible and change-responsive. It enables changing requirements and ongoing stakeholder collaboration by fusing incremental delivery with iterative development. Agile approaches like Scrum and Kanban place a strong emphasis on adaptability, frequent feedback, and tight coordination between stakeholders and team members. Each sprint, or brief iteration, of an agile project produces a potentially shippable product increment. The final product will more closely match stakeholder expectations thanks to this approach's regular revisions based on feedback from stakeholders and evolving requirements. Projects with dynamic surroundings and quickly shifting requirements are best suited for the Agile life cycle. High levels of stakeholder involvement and seasoned teams accustomed to rapid changes and iterative development are necessary.

Reference:

Nehra, M. (2022, May 11). 6 stages of the Agile Development Lifecycle. Decipher Zone. https://www.decipherzone.com/blog-detail/agile-development-lifecycle

In conclusion, the incremental life cycle is appropriate for projects with consistent requirements because it provides structure and predictability. The Agile life cycle, on the other hand, offers responsiveness and flexibility, making it perfect for projects requiring ongoing stakeholder cooperation and dynamic requirements. Both strategies have advantages, and the choice of technique depends on the particular requirements and complexity of the project.

TEAM:

Rackell Villareal

Breeza Salo

Maria Ryimma Con Maghanoy

John Paul Briones

# data[].attributes.body
Differences and contrast in PMI Model and Agile Project management cycle:

1.       Agile is highly iterative and adaptive, specifically focuses on customer feedback and continuous improvement, whereas PMI model is more structured and tends to follow a more linear approach with clear stages.

https://www.pmi.org/disciplined-agile/lifecycle

2.       PRINCE 2: It identifies 6 aspects or areas( COSTS, TIMESCALES, QUALITY, SCOPE, RISK,AND BENEFITS)  that need to be managed in every project. It is more process-driven approach and is more prescriptive with defined processes for managing each aspect of the project whereas PMI is more flexible focusing on knowledge areas and giving more freedom in how the processes are executed.

https://project-management.com/a-brief-introduction-to-7-prince2-principles/

# data[].attributes.body
The PMI and waterfall models provide structured and and sequential approach which makes both compatible for traditional, straightforward project environments.

The waterfall model is clear and unchanging while the PMI model is versatile to handling risk and changes.

SOURCES:

Key Differences Between Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid - The Big Picture (April 2024)

Vaniyah Khan

Paula Pelaez

Merilly Tigas

Annabelle Salonga

Erika Bundalian