Summary: The Project Management Life Cycle

2.4. The project management life cycle

Before progressing to the methodologies used in project management an analysis on PMLC (chapter 2.3) is necessary. A PMLC usually consists of five processes: Scoping, Planning, Launching, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing (Wysocki, 2013).

During the scoping process these actions are taken: A project manager is recruited who extract the true needs of the client and negotiates with him how these needs will be met. The description of the project is created which then must be approved by the senior management. Not all projects are approved to go to the planning process (Wysocki, 2013).

Once it is approved the planning process begins. In this process two questions must be answered "What will you do?"

Project management methodologies

In which manner the processes of PMLC are implement through the project distinguish one methodology from the other. There is no fixed way for delivering every kind of project. There is a great number of models and they cannot be all discussed in this essay. The model linear for TMP, and iterative for Agile, will be presented (Wysocki, 2013).

Linear model

The linear model is the basic model type of project management. There are two types of this model the standard rapid development. Each phase must be completed before the next phase can begin. After a phase is complete, there is no return to revise work and there is no feedback loops. Infrastructure and construction projects are among those that can implement a Linear PMLC model with good results. It’s best to use a linear model on projects that have been repeated enough times so as to possess a library of templates. There will be already plans for every identifiable risk (Wysocki, 2013).

Projects using the linear model must have the following characteristics:(Wysocki, 2013)

• Complete and clearly defined goal, solution, requirements, functions, and features.

• Few expected scope change requests.

• Routine and repetitive

Each repetition integrates another part of the solution until the nth repetition, when the final part of the solution is integrated and the project moves to the closing step. An incremental model is most used to get a partial product, service, or process into user's hands faster than any alternative model. The added risks are often much higher than if a linear model had been chosen. There must be a clearly defined goal as well as a clearly defined solution to use this approach. If the solution is not clearly defined, Agile techniques are better suited (Wysocki, 2013).

Iterative model

The Iterative PMLC models are most effective where we still know all of the functions but some of the features are not known as definitively as the client would like. Iterative models are learning and discovery models. That is a significant change from linear models and also a great strength of these models. Whenever the solution and its requirements are not clear or complete, the safe choice is an iterative model. The iteration process, allow for review of partial solutions and creation of the next steps of the plan. Resources are approved and released in the most efficient way possible (Wysocki, 2013).

Projects using the linear model must have the following characteristics (Wysocki, 2013):

• Complete and clearly defined goal.

• Minor parts of the solution not yet