Management of a project entails a number of activities, including preparation, communication, organization, execution, and adjustment. Scope, time, cost, quality, and available resources are just few of the factors that need to be identified and balanced. Agile project management and conventional project management are two distinct but related disciplines.
In both Agile Management and classic management of a dedicated development team, the project manager is responsible for keeping tabs on progress. They determine what needs to be done to keep the project on track and ensure success. Risk management, quality management, and change management are also required for both strategies. This being said, let’s compare and contrast Agile and traditional approaches to project management and see where the two methodologies differ and where they overlap. Agile Certification offers benefits as well. The knowledge you gain from this course will help you become more proficient in Agile.
In-Depth Comparison between Agile vs Conventional Project Management
Simply said, classic project management is
Waterfall, the conventional method of managing projects, is a sequential method in which each step is completed in turn. The idea behind it is dependent on tried and true methods and past encounters. The above diagram depicts a project’s typical life cycle, which consists of the following phases: feasibility analysis; planning; design; construction; testing; production; and support.
There is no room for improvisation in the project’s outline. Time and money are treated as free variables, whereas needs are treated as immutable, in this method. As there is no room for adjusting requirements after development has begun, this approach is not suitable for large projects. Learn the key elements of successful project management.
Agile project management: what exactly is it?
Agile Management Certification prioritizes teamwork, customer collaboration, and flexibility over the traditional system’s emphasis on upfront planning where issues like cost, scope, and time are given weight. Software development iteratively, with each iteration focusing on incorporating user feedback and continual releases.
Instead of focusing on rigidly adhering to a predetermined method, Agile software development emphasizes the importance of adapting to changing circumstances and working together to achieve a common goal. Maybe the most appealing aspect of Agile is its ability to accommodate change, which has made it a favorite among project managers all around the world.
Two of the most popular examples of Agile methodologies are Scrum and Kanban. They’re well-known for discouraging hesitancy in making choices and keeping people from wasting time on factors that can and will change. Using this method, software development is sped up at every stage while still prioritizing the needs of the customer.
Agile vs. Waterfall Approaches to Project Management: A Comparative Table
Here’s a comparison table to assist you tell the difference between Agile and traditional project management approaches, in case you’ve been wondering how Agile planning differs from more conventional approaches.
| Parameters | Agile Project Management | Traditional Project Management |
| Flexibility and Adaptability | Emphasizes flexibility and adaptability | Emphasizes planning and predictability |
| Project requirements | Prioritizes customer satisfaction and working software | Prioritizes following a strict plan and meeting project requirements |
| Communication | Encourages face-to-face communication and collaboration | Rely on written documentation. Formal communication |
| Project phases and planning | Uses short sprints for planning and delivery. Allows for changes and adjustments throughout the project | Uses longer project phases for planning and delivery. Has a rigid plan that is difficult to change |
| Team Functionality | Cross-functional teams | Functionally divided teams |
| Organization | Self-organizing teams | Hierarchically organized teams |
| Organizational Structure | Linear | Iterative |
| Project Scale | Large-scale | Small and Medium scale |
| Development Model | Life cycle model | Evolutionary delivery model |
| User Requirement | Clearly defined before coding or implementation | Interactive inputs |
| Client Involvement | Low | High |
Agile vs. Waterfall Project Management: What You Need to Know
Which one is better to use depends on the project’s requirements and parameters. Agile works well in situations where there is a lot of unknown, while more traditional project management approaches work better in more stable environments.
1. Adaptability and Flexibility in Agile Project Management vs. Conventional Project Management
Management of Agile Projects Requires Mutability and Change
- With an agile approach to project management, changes can be made at any time.
- This method emphasizes iterative and incremental development, with iterative planning and delivery sprints that allow for frequent feedback and revisions.
- Makes it possible to adapt quickly to shifting requirements, whether from customers, the market, or elsewhere.
Planning and Predictability in Conventional Project Management
The cornerstones of the time-tested practice of project management are preparation and foresight. Maintaining a laser focus on executing the project exactly as planned.
This method employs a time-consuming, phased approach to development and delivery.
Enables a more accurate assessment of the project’s trajectory and forecasting of its final results.
2. Differences Between Agile and Conventional Project Management With Regard to Stakeholder Involvement and Project Needs
How to Manage Agile Projects for Happy Customers and Functional Code
- Agile project management focuses on delivering working software and satisfying the needs of the customer.
- The cornerstones of the time-tested practice of project management are preparation and foresight. Maintaining a laser focus on executing the project exactly as planned.
- Makes it possible for the client and the development team to work together.
Management of a project in the traditional sense is sticking to a detailed plan and completing tasks as specified.
- Following the plan precisely is a cornerstone of traditional project management. Accomplishing what was set out to be accomplished by the project.
- It gives less weight to things like happy customers and stable programs. It’s more concerned with completing the tasks and achieving the goals set out in the project plan.
- letting for a more managed and predictable result, but possibly requiring more adaptability to ever-shifting customer demands.
3. Communication is the third difference between agile and conventional project management.
Methods of Coordinating Agile Projects Through Open Lines of Communication
- Agile project management emphasizes in-person meetings to facilitate teamwork and communication.
- Daily stand-ups and other similar meetings help keep everyone on the same page about the project’s status and any problems that need fixing.
- The process is more open and transparent, and the team works together better, benefitsting the project manager.
Methods of formal communication and written documentation are hallmarks of the “classic” approach to project management.
- In conventional project management, updates on the project’s status and new requirements are communicated through reports and meetings.
- There are fewer and more formal gatherings and discussions.
- By doing so, we can keep better track of the project’s history and ensure that everyone is responsible for their assigned tasks. To solve problems in real time, however, it may need to improve.
4. Comparing Agile and Conventional Approaches to Project Management
Project management using an agile approach: Utilizes quick iterations (sprints) of work (often two to four weeks).
- With an Agile methodology, the team sets realistic expectations and produces usable code.
- With an Agile methodology, the team can take the project step-by-step, adjusting and refining its approach as it goes.
When compared to modern approaches, traditional project management typically entails more drawn-out phases for planning and executing the project’s
With conventional project management, preparation and completion might take many more months, if not years.
- With the traditional method of project management, all of the project’s deliverables and milestones are planned in advance and completed at the end of each phase.
- The results of a project can be accurately predicted with the help of traditional project management.
- Nonetheless, it may need to be more adaptable in order to meet the ever-evolving demands of its clientele and the marketplace.
5. Modifications and Alterations in Conventional vs. Agile Project Management
Modifications in Agile Project Management
- Changes are made as they are needed under an Agile approach to project management.
- Agile project management enables for adaptability by providing regular feedback and adjustments through an iterative and incremental approach and by allowing for the incorporation of changes through short sprints.
- According to Agile, businesses may better adapt to shifting market conditions and evolving client demands, all while making better use of available resources.
Management of Static Projects, in the Classical Mode
- The standard approach to managing projects has a set structure that is difficult to alter.
- Any variation from the plan is perceived as a failure because to the linear, sequential approach and lengthy project phases that make it difficult to incorporate modifications.
- Despite the increased predictability, this method may require greater flexibility in light of potential future developments.
6. Advantages of Agile Methods over Conventional Methods of Project Management Ability to Work Together
In Agile Project Management, Different Roles Work Together
- Agile project management relies on cross-functional teams, which are made up of people with a wide range of expertise and are responsible for handling all areas of the project.
- As a result, we can better meet the needs of our customers and make better use of our resources.
- As a result, the team is more likely to work together and think of the project as a whole.
Management of projects in the traditional sense typically features teams that are siloed functionally.
- Separate teams are used in conventional project management; team members focus solely on the tasks relevant to their area of expertise.
- Because of this, the project can be approached in greater depth and specificity; nonetheless, it may require increased efficiency and adaptability to meet the ever-evolving demands of the clientele.
- This may cause data to get siloed and teamwork to break out.
7. When comparing Agile PM to the more conventional approach, we see: Organization
Teams that plan and execute their own work as part of Agile Project Management.
- Agile project management emphasizes the need of self-organizing teams, where everyone contributes equally and takes responsibility for the outcome of their efforts.
- As a result, the team is able to make better use of its resources by resolving issues on their own.
- This fosters a well-rounded group of contributors who feel more invested in the final product.
Project Management in the Classical Mode: Teams Structured in a Hierarchy
- Members of a traditional project management team report directly to a manager or supervisor in a clear and unambiguous chain of command.
- The manager or supervisor can make decisions and find solutions on behalf of the team, leading to a more regulated and predictable conclusion.
- As a result, team members are disengaged, don’t feel like their work matters, and are less able to pivot quickly.
What are the Parallels between Agile and Conventional Project Management?
The goals of both agile and conventional project management, which is to say a successful project outcome, are comparable. Both approaches require a collaborative team to complete a project within a set time frame and financial constraint. A project manager is required for both approaches in order to keep tabs on progress and provide regular reports. Risk, quality, and change management are essential components of both agile and traditional approaches to project management. It is their intention to complete the project on schedule and under budget.
These are a few ways in which Agile and conventional approaches to project management are alike:
- A project manager is required for both.
- Risk management is an integral part of both Agile and traditional approaches to project management.
- Quality management is essential for both Agile and Conventional project management approaches.
- Agile and traditional approaches to project management both necessitate change management strategies.
- Both parties want to complete the project efficiently and affordably.
- Both parties want the project to be completed to everyone’s liking.
- Each makes use of resources developed for its chosen methodology, be it Agile or Conventional.
While deciding between Agile and classic project management approaches, what factors should you take into consideration?
Both Agile and conventional approaches to project management have their advantages and disadvantages, and selecting one over the other should be based on the requirements of the individual project at hand. Software development projects, which are notorious for their high levels of uncertainty and frequent needs changes, are ideal candidates for agile project management.
Teams may respond to change with the help of agile methods like Scrum, Kanban, and Lean. Yet, construction projects and other projects where strict adherence to regulations necessitate traditional project management’s more structured approach.
Such projects are better suited to methodologies like Waterfall, PRINCE2, and the PMBOK framework. The needs of the project, the expertise of the team, and the accessibility of resources should all factor into the decision of which method to employ.
Constraints on the project, such as time, money, resources, and laws, must be taken into account. To find a happy medium between the need for rapid response and the need for long-term planning, some project teams use a hybrid method that draws from both Agile and traditional project management. KnowledgeHut’s Agile Management certification course can help you make an informed decision between Agile and traditional project management if you’re still on the fence about which approach to take.
Conclusion
To sum up, Agile and conventional project management are two distinct strategies for planning and carrying out projects. Iterative and adaptable, agile management places a premium on happy customers and functional products. Traditional project management, on the other hand, is a more structured and sequential method that places an emphasis on sticking to the plan and accomplishing the project’s objectives.
The advantages and disadvantages of each approach are worth considering. Making a decision between the two is normally predicated on the specific requirements of the current undertaking. When deciding on a strategy, it is crucial to take into account the needs of the project, the expertise of the team, and the availability of resources. In order to strike a good balance between adaptability and predictability, project teams might sometimes utilize a hybrid method that incorporates aspects of both Agile and traditional project management. We hope you find this discussion of the differences between traditional project management and agile project management to be informative.