

What is the best project management software? Discover our comparison and choose the solution adapted to your project management methodology and your business.
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Would traditional project management be more suited to your business and its needs?
The question might be interesting to ask. There are different project management methods (PERT, Xtreme Programming, Kanban…), usually regrouped into two categories: traditional methodologies and agile methodologies.
How to choose the right project management methodology?
To help you navigate both worlds, let’s take a look at traditional project management methods (Waterfall and V model) and compare them to agile methodologies, with the scrum methodology being the most prominent example.
Traditional project management, also known as predictive project management, remains one of the most commonly used project management methodologies.
The two most widely-used traditional project management methodologies are the Waterfall methodology and the V model methodology.
Let’s dive into these two traditional approaches.
Just like a real-life waterfall, the waterfall approach is linear and goes one way. It is based on 6 phases arranged in sequential order.
Each step must be complete before moving on to the next. Going back to a previous step is impossible, or would be too costly to the business.
The V model framework takes inspiration from the waterfall model. It too relies on a sequence of successive steps to describe the project life cycle, but each belongs either to the descending phase (representing the development phase) or the ascending phase (which represents the testing phase).
Its main focus is on software development. Just like other traditional methods, it requires extensive planning.
The agile approach is a new set of methodologies and is becoming more and more commonplace in businesses. Agile and scrum are closely related: the scrum methodology is the most widely used agile methodology.
Below are a few of the defining characteristics of the scrum methodology:
Traditional project management methods are often compared to the scrum methodology. Though they can share some tools like the Gantt chart, they are widely different approaches overall with divergent processes.
The table below sums up their main divergences.
Traditional project management methodologies | Scrum methodology | |
Organisation and management | Vertical hierarchy, specialised resources | A more horizontal and participative approach to management |
Teamwork | No size limit | Limited team size as the scrum methodology implies many meetings, called the scrum ceremonies |
Lifecycle | Linear, sequential order | Iterative, incremental progress |
Planning | Predictive planning: comprehensive strategy designed at the start of the project | Adaptive planning: the strategy is reviewed during each sprint |
Flexibility | Does not allow backtracking | A flexible method designed to adapt to the client’s needs |
Quality assurance | The client only sees and validates the final product | The client is part of the development cycle, they grant approval at each stage |
Documentation | Extensive documentation: necessary to validate deliverables and establish a contract | Less comprehensive due to the incremental approach and regular client consultations |
Success measurement | Initial commitments were respected (budget, delays, quality) | Customer satisfaction and added value |
It is important to understand that none of these methods is inherently better than the rival approach. You can use either, the choice depends on:
That being said, there are some situations where one or the other method is generally preferred.
Traditional project management is sometimes seen as an outdated set of methodologies, and agile management is on the rise.
But failing to see the benefits of a more traditional approach could be a mistake. Depending on the needs of your project and client, it could be wise to take a step back and think about which set of methods would be most beneficial.
Don’t be afraid to look at the more traditional side of project management to glean best practices from all approaches!