Despite the abundance of project management approaches and the wider acceptance of standards, project managers in the trenches often find their methodology of choice lacking in some fundamental way—usually because it is no longer appropriate for the organization. There are a number of factors to consider when changing methodologies or reviewing one that is currently in use to ensure it is a good fit within your organization.
Product vs. Project
Does the methodology make a clear distinction between product management (what is being produced) and project management (how the product is produced)? The two are interrelated but are not synonymous. The product represents the initial need and final result, while the project is the sum of the activities and, most importantly, the constraints that impact the development of the product.
Many methodologies contain elements of both product and project management. However, without a clear distinction, project managers may believe that, by managing the details of the product, they are actually managing the project.
If your organization has a solid core of product experts, then you need a methodology that focuses on project management. Your organization may have excellent project management expertise but a wide variety of products that require a stronger focus on product management. Some organizations need a methodology that covers both equally.
Whatever is selected, the methodology should be clear on which activities are related to managing the project and which are focused on developing the product.
One Size Does Not Fit All
By design, the adoption of one methodology excludes using others, but the same methodology is often not appropriate for all types of projects. if your organization conducts a wide variety of projects (scope, cost, time, type of product and type of industry), then your methodology should be flexible. If your organization's projects are relatively similar, then flexibility is not a concern.
A related consideration is how many other organizations are involved with your projects. Different methodologies do not mesh well among different organizations. If most of your projects are conducted with partners, then your methodology should be the same as theirs (or at the very least compatible).
Most methodologies claim to be flexible. However, if no guidelines are provided for tailoring a methodology, odds are it is not. If there are guidelines, make a judgment on how effective the tailored activities are. If they are almost the same size as the original methodology, consider it a bad sign.
From Soup to Nuts
It may seem counterintuitive, but the more comprehensive a methodology is, the less useful it may be for your business, depending on the stability of your organization. If your organization is constantly changing, then the methodology should provide the minimum baseline to manage a project and some guidance or building blocks for more comprehensive elements that can be added and removed as things change. A relatively stable organization can make better use of a comprehensive methodology, since it has the depth and time to absorb it.
Many methodologies are quite sophisticated and cover many aspects of project management. Compare their weight rather than content. Developing a methodology costs money, and recouping the investment may involve selling the methodologies. The target market for methodologies is usually large organizations, therefore, the “tomes” are geared to their needs. To make these procedures more marketable, they must cover as many project concerns as possible. As a result, many methodologies are simply too much for small and medium businesses. Even large organizations don't need everything, and tailoring means cutting bits out rather than adding portions to a stable baseline.
Who's the Boss?
A single project manager does not always have sufficient authority to manage a project. Governance issues often arise in projects because of the complex interrelationships between the groups involved.
For example, quality is an essential element of project management, but many organizations also have quality departments that look after quality concerns. Because a project manager usually does not have direct authority over the quality department, a governance arrangement must be made to share responsibility.
When one department is the client of a project and another is the product or solution provider, is risk management a joint activity, done separately or some combination of the two? The methodology should reflect the realities of your organization's project governance or should be flexible enough to adapt to it.
The Need for Speed
The dawn of the Web era and the 90-day software development project is just the beginning. For all industries, technology, globalization and volatile markets are shortening the time to complete projects. The methodology you choose must be appropriate for the speed at which you must produce. The methodology also must consider the industry or types of products you will produce. If your product impacts people's safety, then the methodology must have more safeguards.
A methodology is just a tool, and you should be able to replace it as needed. However, because methodologies directly influence how you do your work, the journey from methodology to policy is short, and it's just a small jump from there to corporate culture. If your organization is engaged in dogmatic struggles over the “true” meaning of a methodology (rather than applying common sense), it's time for a new methodology. PM
Gordon MacMaster is a principal with Day Is Done Partners Inc., an information technology management firm based in Greely, Ontario, Canada.