Compare and Contrast the Agile Vs Traditional Project Management Methods
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Traditional project management is an established methodology where projects are carried out in a predefined way, sometimes referred to as a linear strategy. It follows a fixed arrangement: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure. While Agile is an all-purpose approach used for software development, it relies heavily on teamwork, collaboration, time-boxing tasks, and the tractability to respond to change as quickly as possible.
Fundamental principles of Agile and Traditional project management
| Agile project methodology | Traditional Project methodology | |
| 1 | Uses iterative strategy – the process of development split into repetitive cycles | It uses a linear approach where no phase is repeated. Uses a sequential approach |
| 2 | Suitable for small and medium-scale projects | Used in large scale projects |
| 3 | User requirements are flexible | User requirements are defined before implementation |
| 4 | High involvement of clients during the process | Low involvement of clients |
| 5 | Users are involved from the time work is being performed | Users are involved in the initiation stages of the project |
| 6 | The entire team is involved in case any problem occurs | Only the management is involved in case of any problem |
| 7 | They favour adaption | They are predictive and favor optimization over adaptability |
| 8 | Focuses on customer satisfaction and business value realization | Focuses on the end product and status report |
| 9 | Comprehensive test planning is done | The test is planned one sprint at a time |
| 10 | The whole team is involved in the project estimation | The project manager provides the estimates |
| 11 | Reviews are done after every step/ iteration | Excessive reviews and approval by leaders since it involves controlled monitoring and evaluation |
| 12 | Development model follows an evolutionary conveyance | The development model follows a life cycle – a waterfall model. |
Both the methods have similarities in that they both inhibit attributes of a project. They both require the use of resources, goal-oriented, have a definite scope, unique set of activities, and range in time, scope, and cost.
Both methods use elements of the systems development life cycle. The agile method uses adaptive software development, which is mission-driven, component-based, iterative cycles, time-boxed cycles, risk-driven, and change tolerant. In contrast, Traditional methods are predictive and use waterfall cycles with a predefined arrangement of initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.
One of the best practices in the agile method is that it focuses more on the process, which involves people and interactions allowing everybody to be part of the process. It is also flexible to change, which can be done during the development process. On the other hand, the traditional project method allows for more accountability and defined objectives because of its systematic sequential approach.
Reference
Cahill, J., Portales, R., McLoughin, S., Nagan, N., Henrichs, B., and Wetherall, S. (2019). IoT/Sensor-Based Infrastructures Promoting a Sense of Home, Independent Living, Comfort, and Wellness (Links to an external site.). Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 19(3), 485.
Paone, S. (n.d.). Green Valley Partnership in Health Care Case. University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Online