Agile management methods. Agile. How and when to use this method. Agile Methodologies Versus Traditional Project Management

In modern management, the “flexible” management model is considered in three different contexts, which (each in its own way) define what Agile is.

Three volumes of meaning of Agile

In the first, narrower sense, this term began to be used in the field of software development in the early 2000s, when in the American state of Utah, at a mountain resort, industry experts gathered to discuss methods and practices for creating software products that were in demand by the end consumer. The result of that meeting was the Agile Manifesto for the development of software products, with 12 principles, which primarily related to the narrow scope of the authors’ activities, but could potentially be extended to some other business projects.

In the second, broader meaning of the term, Agile principles are applied to running almost any business and are used as components, for example, in the concept of a “lean startup” (Lean Startup). In this sense, the Agile Model is understood as following a flexible methodology for project development, which follows a characteristic scheme in several steps.

1. Work on the project is carried out in iterations - short cycles (sprints). (In the case of software development, the duration of these cycles ranges from 1 week to 1 month).
2. At the end of each cycle, a product is released that can already be used in business. For software, such a product can be an application or only a part of it, but even “raw” software can and should be tried in action.
3. The product is tested by the customer or users, who maintain constant feedback with the developers. A client-oriented approach is applied throughout the entire project (all iterations).
4. Any comments are quickly included in the revision, and changes that allow us to immediately correct the development of the product along the way are welcomed, since this allows us to avoid the accumulation of global system errors.

In a third, even broader meaning, Agile is part of the management model used at Toyota factories and is now one of the basic components of the management of almost any successful production. The fundamentals of Agile in this context are similar to the fundamentals of understanding technology in other contexts.

Quick feedback in setting up the final production format at Toyota factories was provided by any worker who could become the initiator of stopping the conveyor and the author of adjustments to fine-tune the production cycle. On a production-wide scale, Agile transformation can entail a retooling of entire production activities if the product becomes the result of a live response to current customer needs. So, if the factory produced plastic basins, and feedback from the client demonstrates the need for buckets, then quick adaptation with parallel adjustment of nuances (handle shape, size, color) will be exactly in the Agile management style (if other principles are followed).

Principles of Agile Management

Agile project management as a business process management model is used by thousands of teams around the world, and the following are present everywhere: distinctive features this approach:

1. The consumer and the degree of his involvement in creating the result are critical to customizing the product.
2. To make a decision, teams must be highly effective and cohesive.
3. Step-by-step and cyclical work becomes the basis of the process. The project is divided into small parts that are completed by a certain date before the completion of the project as a whole.
4. The focus of performance evaluation is on frequent presentations of intermediate project states.
5. In their work, the team relies on the Pareto law, according to which 20% of efforts give 80% of efficiency, which makes it possible not to bring each individual cycle to perfection before presenting the result to the consumer. The product improves naturally with each new iteration.
6. It is expected that one stage must be completed before moving on to the next.

The “flexible” approach has become the basis for a number of methodological practices that differ from each other, but include the ideas of Agile: Scrum, Kanban, Lean, Crystal, etc. The Scrum methodology, for example, is almost always considered in conjunction with Agile as a unified project management system for software development.

The Scrum method demonstrates how an “agile approach” can be applied in practice in specific operations. So, for example, work with project requirements is implemented using four “artifacts”:

• Product backlog involves generating a list of requirements, created according to a single template (User Story) and sorted by priority. If there are no requirements, the project ends.
• Sprint backlog is the requirements of the nearest sprint (stage), divided into tasks without the ability to add new requirements during the sprint. Commitments for the next stage, taken by a team with the Agile management type, are written on the board (so-called Kanban).
• Sprint Goal - the overall goal of the sprint - a guideline for making alternative decisions.
• Sprint Burndown Chart - “burndown diagram”. It shows how far the team has progressed during the stage.

The Agile project management format is not suitable for everyone and not always. Government structures, whose activities are based on unchanged legislation and are conservative in their goals and implementation, do not need such optimization.

Typical mistakes in implementing Agile and disadvantages of the approach

The same factor that is considered in some cases strong point approach, in others it can lead to problems. So “flexibility” often becomes the reason for blurring focus. In the absence of a methodological basis, there is a loss of guidelines and the replacement of the primary with the secondary. To prevent such “distortions,” they use ready-made methodologies or their own developments that more strictly regulate the content and sequence of operations during the implementation of the project. However, in this case, errors are possible in Agile-management.

Common implementation errors include the following:

Despite all the difficulties of implementing a flexible approach, in general it is more effective than traditional “slow” production when it comes to quickly creating a new customer-oriented product. While traditional production is bogged down in bureaucratic delays, the Agile approach provides natural movement immediately after the launch of the project.

Have you ever worked on projects or at least taken part in project work? If so, you've probably noticed that getting a team working can be quite difficult. And even if it is established, there is a risk that all efforts will be in vain, because the requirements for the desired result often change.

However, you can significantly simplify the work on a project and learn how to manage it, thereby increasing the efficiency of the team, using a flexible project management system called Agile (“Agile” or “Agile”). In general, we already briefly talked about it in our (fourth lesson), but now we’ll talk about this topic in more detail.

Agile Method: Definition and Brief History

No matter how unusual it may sound, serious software development and project management began already in the 70s of the last century. It was in 1970 that the American computer scientist Winston Royce compiled a document called “Managing the Development of Large Software Systems.” In it, he criticized sequential development, pointing out that software development should not be like working on an assembly line (as, for example, is done in automobile production), where new parts are added in successive phases.

Instead of waiting for each stage (phase) to be completed one by one, Royce suggested using a phase approach. Its essence is that all the requirements necessary for the project are initially collected, after which the entire architecture is completed, the design is created, the code is written, etc.

Based on this, in the 90s it was possible to create a set of flexible software development methods that could replace complex and time-consuming methods. It happened like this:

• In 1991, the RAD rapid application development method was introduced.
• In 1994, a development method appeared dynamic systems DSDM
• In 1995, the Scrum platform (framework) for flexible development appeared.
• In 1996, the agile development methodology Crystal Clear appeared, as well as XP Extreme Programming
• In 1997, the iterative software development methodology FDD appeared

Together, these methods are united under the general name of flexible software development methods.

Four years later, in 2001, seventeen software developers gathered at the Snowbird resort in Utah (USA). As a result of the discussion of development methods, the “Manifesto on Agile Software Development” was published (translated from English, the concept “agile” means “agile”, “agile” or “fast”, but in most cases it is translated as “flexible”) . He set the pace for all further work on software creation.

Agile Manifesto

The manifesto, created by programmers, includes 4 basic ideas and 12 principles of effective project management. Any of the Agile-based project management systems (we'll talk about systems later) is based precisely on these ideas and principles, although it uses them in different variations.

1. People and their interactions are more important than processes and tools
2. Working software is more important than documentation
3. Clients and cooperation with them are more important than a contract and negotiation of terms
4. Willingness to make changes is more important than the original plan

Agile principles:

1. Satisfy customers by delivering software early and consistently (customers are happy when working software arrives at regular intervals)
2. Change requirements for the final product throughout its development cycle
3. Deliver working software as often as possible (once a week, every two weeks, a month, etc.)
4. Support collaboration between developers and customers throughout the development cycle
5. Support and motivate everyone involved in the project (if, she copes with her tasks much better than a team whose members are dissatisfied with working conditions)
6. Provide direct interaction between developers (the possibility of direct contact contributes to more successful communication)
7. Measure progress only through working software (clients should only receive functional and working software)
8. Maintain a continuous pace of work (the team must develop an optimal and maintainable speed of work)
9. Pay attention to design and technical details (thanks to effective skills and good design, the project team is able to constantly improve the product and work to improve it)
10. Try to make the workflow as simple as possible, and the software simple and understandable
11. Allow team members (if developers can make their own decisions, organize themselves and communicate with other team members, exchanging ideas with them, the likelihood of creating a quality product increases significantly)
12. Constantly adapt to the changing environment (due to this the finished product will be more competitive)

While learning Agile, in addition to the overview of ideas and rules, be sure to check out this short video where project management specialist, consultant and business coach Alexey Tachenkov talks about the basics of the system.

To actually put the above ideas and principles into practice, you must adhere to several rules. Only then can Agile project management be effective.

Key points in using Agile

Agile methodology is based primarily on visual control. Most often, project participants use special colored cards when working to achieve results. One color signals the completion of planning for some element of the final product, another indicates the completion of its development, a third indicates readiness, etc. Visual control allows the team to have a clear picture of the current state of the process and ensures that all team members have the same vision for the project.

Team members and the client work together and side by side in most cases. Thanks to this, many work processes that are associated with informing project participants are significantly accelerated. In addition, working together helps create a healthy atmosphere for fruitful and effective cooperation and rapid achievement of results.

When the project manager, team and client work together, there is no risk of misunderstanding of goals and loss of information. All work processes become as transparent as possible, which means that any problems that arise can be resolved almost instantly and the best options for solving them can be found.

Particular attention should be paid to the project manager. He cannot be called a person giving instructions left and right. The manager here acts more like a leader who sets the direction and determines the rules of cooperation and work. In other words, Agile management is adaptable.

Another important point of the Agile methodology is the division of the entire project scope into several smaller components. This approach greatly simplifies the development process, and separate groups of the team can each focus on their specific task.

By working on one cycle, project participants master new skills and gain new knowledge, and also analyze mistakes made in the process. All this reduces the likelihood of making similar mistakes in the future (in subsequent cycles and other projects) to almost zero.

And finally, the last significant element of the approach is sprints and daily meetings. Sprints are time periods limited by specific deadlines during which a team manages to complete certain tasks. It is thanks to sprints that the team can see the results of their actions.

If we divide all the time allocated for the project into several sprints, we will get a specific number of them; let there be 15 of them. Each sprint lasts, for example, two weeks. It is during these two weeks (the time allotted for the sprint) that the participants meet every day to discuss the process and progress.

Daily meetings should not exceed 15 minutes. They are organized so that each team member gives himself the answer to three questions:

• What did I do yesterday?
• What will I be doing today?
• What's stopping me from working?

Answering these questions allows you to keep control of the process, understand what stage each team member is at, and eliminate potential problems on the way to the goal. To summarize, the implementation of Agile methodology is possible if several conditions are met:

1. The significance of the project is clearly stated
2. The client actively participates in the implementation process
3. The total scope of work is carried out step by step
4. You should focus on a specific result
5. Number of one working group: from 7 to 9 people

Currently, project management with Agile support is mostly common in the IT sphere, but the business sphere is also beginning to embrace it. This system is used in training, marketing, and business. Agile project management is being adopted by many companies and government agencies.

Examples: New Zealand government, Nigerian government, Norwegian Pension Fund, Return Path company (software), Oreo company (cookie production), Aviasales company (largest airline ticket search engine), Hewlett-Packard company (largest American IT company), Sberbank "(you probably know what this isJ).

These and many other organizations use a variety of project management methods based on Agile. And talking about these methods is no less important than talking about the methodology itself.

Popular Project Management Methods

There are many project management methods that are used by various modern companies. But Scrum and Kanban are rightfully considered the most famous and in demand among them.

Scrum method

Among all the methods of the Agile system, Scrum differs in that it places the main emphasis on quality control of the work process. Japanese strategic management specialists Hirotaka Takuechi and science and technology professor Ikujiro Nonaka, who first described it, call the method the “rugby approach,” where Scrum is “fighting for the ball.”

The method is that project development is divided into sprints, at the end of which the client receives improved software. Sprints are strictly timed and can last from 2 to 4 weeks. The workflow in one sprint includes several stages:

• The scope of work is determined
• Every day 15-minute meetings are held so that team members can adjust their work and sum up interim results
• The results obtained are demonstrated
• Sprints are discussed to find good and bad decisions and actions

In most cases, Scrum is used in working with complex software and for product development using incremental and iterative methods. Thanks to it, team productivity is significantly increased and time spent on work is reduced.

Scrum improves results, helps the project adapt to change, provides more accurate estimates with less analysis effort, and allows you to more effectively control the work stages and project scenario. All this perfectly matches business goals.

Kanban method

Kanban is another method that makes team work more effective and productive. Its meaning comes down to giving the development process maximum transparency and even distribution of the load among project participants. Another important feature of Kanban is that it motivates people to constantly collaborate, improve and learn.

Work using the Kanban method is built on several principles. Firstly, all information about the project must be visualized, which allows you to see overlaps, errors and shortcomings and actively eliminate them. Secondly, work on one task should be carried out simultaneously by the entire team - this helps to balance the efforts and results obtained, and eliminates uneven distribution of the load. And thirdly, the time required to complete all tasks is strictly controlled, thereby optimizing the process and saving time.

Unlike Scrum, Kanban gained popularity much later, but this in no way diminishes its merits or makes it less effective. The method is useful both in the IT field and in the business field.

These are just examples of basic Agile project management practices. But you should not neglect other methods, such as PRINCE2, Lean, Six Sigma, XP, CCPM, ECM, Waterfall and others. In addition, Agile, along with its advantages, also has some disadvantages.

Pros and cons of Agile

When learning Agile, it is important to know both the positive and negative negative aspects this methodology. Let's start with the positives.

First of all, it is worth noting that Agile management is very flexible. If, for example, the traditional methodology indicates specific stages of work, then Agile easily adapts to the user of the final product and the customer’s requirements.

Actually, the number of defects in the final product is minimized, because it is the result of a thorough quality check, which is carried out at the end of each sprint stage.

In addition, Agile is quick to start, easy to respond to changes, and allows the development team and clients to maintain constant communication in real time. The advantages are obvious, but let's talk about the disadvantages.

The disadvantages of the methodology are that, firstly, constant feedback can lead to the project deadline being postponed all the time, thereby creating the threat of endlessly continuing work. If the customer only sees results, for example, but has no idea of ​​the effort required to achieve them, he will constantly demand improvements.

The second disadvantage is the need to adapt design documentation to changing project conditions. Without proper communication to the team about changes or additional features, functional requirements or architecture documents may not be current at the current time.

The third significant disadvantage of Agile is the need for frequent meetings. They, of course, help improve work efficiency, but still, the constant distraction of team members can have a negative impact on the process, because people’s attention systematically wanders away from the tasks at hand.

This also includes such things as the need for the constant presence of the client, the inability to make long-term plans and the need for motivated and highly qualified specialists. By the way, the latter greatly concerns the implementation of Agile management in the activities of the organization. And, while comprehending Agile, you also need to get acquainted with the topic of its implementation.

Implementation of Agile

There are quite a lot of examples of introducing Agile into the work of companies. And almost all of them say that it requires a whole range of important measures.

To begin with, a specific method is selected, which depends on the project conditions. Then the tasks and goals, the main deadline and sprint dates, the size of the team and other components of the project are determined. It is important to choose a method that meets the maximum number of requirements.

As we said, implementing Agile requires a team of professionals. All its members must know the basic ideas and principles of the methodology and be able to apply them. If the company does not have such people, employees need to be trained. The management of a company that has decided to switch to using Agile must also clearly understand whether the organization is ready for changes, whether the system can be applied to its projects, etc. Most often, to answer these questions, you have to turn to Agile specialists.

At the next stage, a person with experience working with the system is invited. He demonstrates it, explains the essence of sprints and actions, the functions of the members of the future team, the features of interaction between them and other issues. And only after this a new team is formed, roles, tasks and responsibilities are distributed, tools for analytics, reporting, etc. are selected.

The final stage will be the first experience with Agile, i.e. first project using it. You need to understand that errors, shortcomings, inconsistencies, and delays are inevitable. You will have to give up some tools and replace them with others, and perhaps change roles between people in the team. The first experience is an adaptation process, and adaptation is two-way: the company gets used to the methodology, and the methodology adapts to the company.

Conclusion

To summarize this review, let us recall that theory and practice are two different things. New methods and technologies and their implementation are a unique challenge for the team, and how to achieve greater efficiency is always an individual matter. Agile is not a panacea or a guarantee of success, but it allows you to set the right course and find guidelines along the way.

To implement any project, you will definitely have to change something, look for new solutions, . Only by adapting to constantly changing working conditions and customer requirements can we find the right ways to act. And the flexible project management methodology Agile can become a faithful assistant in this matter.

Agile is spreading in Russia: they talk about it in factories, banks, insurance and accounting companies. If you are also planning on Agile, then it’s time to understand the topic.

What is Agile

Agile is a way of thinking with its own value system. It is similar to philosophy, religion or culture - the same set of attitudes that a person believes in and which influence his behavior. For example, like Buddhism and veganism:

Buddhists believe that it is possible to achieve enlightenment. They meditate, try to be moderate and not harm others.

Vegans value the life of every living being. They do not use anything that is of animal origin and are against testing on animals.

Agileists believe that working products are produced by teams of self-motivated professionals. It sounds like a utopia, although Agile was invented by programmers.

How did Agile come about?

Previously, products were made entirely at once. To do this, we followed the chain: idea → technical specifications → design → programming → testing → release. When at the testing stage appeared new idea, I had to ignore it or redo the previous steps. This was ineffective - the products either turned out worse than they could have, or were beyond the deadlines and budgets.

Progressive developers began to try new approaches. This is how Scrum, Kanban and a dozen other methods appeared. Teams could test and change products as they worked—for this reason, such approaches were called flexible. The experiments turned out to be successful: clients were not deceived in their expectations, and developers met deadlines and budgets.

To find a formula for working products, 17 practitioners in 2001 modern approaches gathered in the mountain village of Snowbird. They discussed their management methods and realized: everyone has different approaches, but the ideas are the same. These ideas formed the basis of Agile, included in the Agile Manifesto and supplemented with the Principles of Agile.

What is the essence of Agile philosophy?

Both the Agile Manifesto and the Agile Principles are described in general terms, making them difficult to understand. Judge for yourself: “people and interactions are more important than processes and tools” or “constant attention to technical excellence and design quality increases project agility.”

To make it clearer, let’s compare how the composition of teams, the work process and the result differ with and without an agile way of thinking. Let's say two bakeries want to start producing new baked goods:

Agile is being a team of independent professionals

The work process is also very different. Strict distribution of functions in a traditional bakery and joint experiments of an agile team:

Traditional bakery The bakery owner says they need new baked goods and doesn't interfere anymore. The chef determines what kind of cakes the bakery will produce, and the technologist develops the recipes. Sometimes the chef and technologist experiment with recipes, but the production confectioners are not involved. Everyone is busy with their own piece of work.

Agile Bakery The bakery owner explains why new cakes are needed and what cost will be profitable. Sellers clarify what kind of baked goods customers are expecting. Buyers offer products that are currently at favorable prices. The process is built around experimentation. The team comes up with a recipe, bakes a test batch and receives feedback.

Agile is working with clients and the willingness to change the original plan

The result is also different. Unpredictable for some and guaranteed good for others:

Agile is about releasing working products that everyone likes

The ideas of the Agile Manifesto and the Agile Principles helped the bakery start producing new baked goods. But extremes in ideology are harmful - it is wrong to think that Agile denies regulations and planning. All this is there, but it plays a smaller role than live communication between people and flexibility in work.

What does Agile give?

Agile changes the way of thinking, so employees organize work in the company in a new way. Freedom from corporate formalities, a desire to develop professionally, a sense of team and a comfortable workload appear.

Freedom from bosses and paperwork. Professionals devote more time to interesting tasks and less time to preparing formal reports.

Disconnecting ordinary employees from the matrix. They cease to be cogs in the system and no longer wait for the end of the working day to start living. On the contrary, employees feel that the company needs them and think about professional development.

More communication. Within the team, real teams are formed, where one is for all, and all is for one. Everyone shares their problems and comes to the rescue at the right time for the sake of common success.

Comfortable work rhythm. Agile prohibits rush jobs and promotes a comfortable rhythm, which makes it easier to cope with new challenges. Thanks to it, teams are able to work indefinitely.

What do Scrum and Kanban have to do with it?

We found out that Agile is a philosophy with its own value system. They sound tempting, but they are difficult to use at work. Not every team will be able to work without bosses tomorrow. Not every client will agree to travel to the developers’ office or call several times a day. And it’s not clear where to start being agile.

To apply the Agile philosophy in practice, Scrum, Kanban and other management methods are used. These are rules that explain how to organize work in the spirit of Agile. They are varying degrees specificity. For example, Kanban has six general rules, while Scrum describes roles, events and artifacts. They can be expanded and adapted, the main thing is to follow the values ​​of Agile.

You can be agile without rules. This is how almost all startups and some divisions in corporations work. If there are only two of you, you are unlikely to follow the rules or strictly distribute functions among each other. Rather, you are constantly raking through a pile of incoming tasks. Everyone takes a piece of work that they like best, does it, and looks back at their friend. If necessary, offers or accepts help.

You can use rules without Agile. This is how most Russian companies that are trying to become agile are mistaken. They put up boards with sticky notes, but they don't really change anything. It's more like a cargo cult.

Software development is work that requires making the right decisions in a timely manner. CTOs, architects, team leads and developers themselves regularly make choices in favor of certain tools, platforms and frameworks.

But all decisions made need to be “synchronized” somehow. One of the Hacker News residents noted that he had to watch how five hundred developers in one large company were allowed to make some decisions on their own, “in isolation” from the team. According to him, it was chaos. And although the team began to work faster, it went nowhere because later problems arose during the software support stages.

To avoid such situations, a family of agile development processes is used. Their implementation allows company management to increase the interest and motivation of employees, as well as speed up delivery of the product to the customer. Recently, this topic has become increasingly popular because some Agile methodologies are being brought to the attention of the public by chapters largest corporations.

That's why we decided to start a series of posts about "agile" methodologies to take another look at their features, compare options and help your companies optimize processes. Today we are talking about Scrum, Kanban and Extreme Programming.

Scrum

Scrum is an agile software development framework that is considered the "default" methodology. For many, it is synonymous with Agile. According to 2016 statistics provided by VersionOne, Scrum is used by 58% of agile companies. Moreover, it is supported by many SaaS platforms. For example, the ServiceNow solution, of which the Agile Development tool is part.

Scrum has gained immense popularity throughout its existence and is used by development teams even in large companies. However, during this time the community also identified certain shortcomings.

For example, among them they note an excessive focus on scoring points. When planning, the team selects stories that it can complete by the end of the sprint, based on the speed of the previous stage. The main purpose of these glasses is to make planning more reliable and provide a clear perspective.

However, there is a problem here: since the developers’ work is assessed in points, they will try to earn more of them and optimize their activities accordingly. What does not improve the code base does not make it simpler.

Another problem is long meetups. Moreover, meetings are held synchronously with all development participants, which becomes a problem for specialists working remotely. People have to fit hours-long meetings into their schedules to exchange information that could be conveyed in other ways.

As for stories not changing during a sprint, this also leads to problems on a large scale. Programmers do not have the ability to redistribute work when new features are discovered. Scrum doesn't allow you to rebuild the ship while it's sailing, so you have to wait until the end of the session to make changes.

Extreme Programming

The peculiarity of Scrum is that this framework pays little attention to development practices. Therefore, some agile companies (about 10%) combine it with Extreme Programming (XP).

Extreme Programming gained attention in the late 90s. The concept originated in the Smalltalk community, and its authors are considered to be developers Kent Beck and Ward Cunningham, who wanted to create new practices in software development made for people.

The first project created using the Extreme Programming methodology was the Chrysler Comprehensive Compensation (C3) payment control system in the mid-nineties. The term “extreme programming” appeared in 1997.

The concept is based on twelve techniques:

Kanban

Scrum continues to be an effective methodology that is popular. Especially in combination with extreme programming. Together, their usage rate among Agile teams reaches 68%.

However, today many teams are considering other options and paying attention to other methodologies. One of them was Kanban. ConvertKit CTO Grant Ammons says companies are first adopting Scrum, which teaches them the necessary disciplines for software development, and then looking for a more convenient alternative and turning to Kanban.

Kanban is a technique for managing development where the development process is viewed as a pipeline of feature requests that deliver improved software.

Kanban originated as part of Toyota's just-in-time production system, so the methodology eliminates unnecessary accumulation of tasks. For example, if testers test five features in a week, and developers and analysts implement ten, then the "total pipeline throughput" is limited to five features. This is to prevent the QA team from piling up work, otherwise they might start cutting corners and accidentally let a low-quality product into the market.

In this case, it is also possible to redistribute resources: when programmers and analysts have fulfilled their quota, they can help with testing and writing automated tests. In the future, this allows increasing the throughput of the conveyor.

And Kanban easily identifies such bottlenecks. In its simplest implementation, it is a large board with lined columns in which sticker cards are placed. The bars represent stages of the development process, and the stickers represent work tasks. The numbers at the top of each column show how many cards are allowed to be “accumulated” in it.

However, as noted in the HN community, this approach also has certain disadvantages. In Scrum, short sprints have a positive effect on the motivation of developers. Programmers know that work on the product will end when the entire list of requirements for 30 days is completed. In the case of Kanban, it is a constant and never-ending stream of tasks. However, there is a way out - a brief discussion of task lists for a week (or two).

Also, due to its specificity, kanban is not well suited for long-term planning and is inconvenient for large development teams (more than five people).

Finally, we note that the use of Agile methodologies places serious demands on the experience of team members and their ability to effectively interact with each other. Moreover, each more or less common methodology has its own strengths and weaknesses, as well as areas of application. For this reason, new frameworks appear and “old” ones are improved.

“Of all the challenges NASA faced in sending man to the moon, control was perhaps the most challenging.”

— Roger Launis, NASA historian

Throughout history, humanity has accumulated an impressive list of successfully implemented complex projects. From building the Pyramids of Giza to sending a man to the moon, the most daring human endeavors required the coordinated work of thousands of people. And this implies a complex project management system.

And although only a few of us will be faced with tasks of this scale, most readers of this blog will encounter project management in one way or another. According to PMI estimates, by 2020 there will be - and many other professionals often have to manage mini-projects, at least on a personal level.

In simple terms, Project Management is the management and organization of everything that is needed to achieve a goal - on time and within budget, of course. Whether it's developing new software, running a marketing campaign, or landing humans on Mars, project management allows you to achieve success.

All projects are different. There is no perfect project management system that is suitable for every type of project. There is also no system that would suit every manager and be convenient for all team members. However, during the existence of project management, many effective approaches, methods and standards have been created that can be adopted. Today we will talk about the most popular of them.

The approaches developed are very different from each other. They differ in areas of application, detail, self-sufficiency and formalization. In the title, we called them “methods” for convenience, but in fact, the article presents standards, concepts, methods and frameworks that are used in project management. The purpose of this article is to give the broadest overview of existing approaches in project management.

In this article we will look at:

• Classic project management
• Agile
• Scrum
• Lean
• Kanban
• SixSigma
• PRINCE2

And before you consider specific methods, let's answer the obvious question - “Why do we need project management systems and methods at all?”– let’s look, of course, briefly at the history of project management and define the basic terms of project management.

Why "project management"?

The names of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin will forever go down in history as symbols of one of mankind's greatest achievements - the landing of man on the moon. However, the major contributors to this event were the 400,000 NASA employees and the 20,000 companies and universities who worked together on the Apollo mission.

In 1961, John Kennedy set the task of landing a man on the Earth's satellite and returning him back - despite the fact that at that time NASA sent a man into space for only 15 minutes. Such an ambitious goal required an incredible amount of resources, cooperation, innovation and planning.

According to NASA's book Managing the Moon Program, the main problem was not " what to do?", and in that “ how to do so much in such a short time? According to Dr. Max Faget, head of engineering at the Johnson Space Center (The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, JSC), then NASA had no idea how to fit all the necessary actions into 10 years. Therefore, the first step was to “break the project into manageable stages.”

It was then important to accelerate each individual phase and ensure that the teams and companies working in each phase communicated effectively with each other and delivered results on time. This task was entrusted to Dr. George E. Muller, who managed every part of the Apollo project, from the White House to the supplier of the smallest part. To make it easier to control the project, he decided to break the project into 5 areas: Program Control, Systems Engineering, Testing, Reliability and Quality, and Flight Operations. The Apollo program control diagram is shown in Figure 1.

This 5-step system - called the "GEM Phases" after Dr. Mueller's initials - was designed "to focus on testing the product, and designing it to be tested," as Mueller himself notes. Program Control determined what needed to be done, managed budgets and requirements, and managed the interrelationships of program elements. The Systems Engineering area was responsible for developing new devices and components, Testing was responsible for ensuring that these new items worked, Reliability and Quality checked the developed items to ensure compliance with requirements and standards, and Flight Operations was responsible for ensuring that these the nodes will work during the flight.

Many were initially skeptical about the method proposed by Muller, but in the end he managed to convince the program members of the need to follow this algorithm. This system has shown its effectiveness - the project was completed successfully, and, one might even say, triumphantly, ahead of the stated deadlines. This was only possible by breaking down a large-scale project into manageable, repeatable steps, allowing many individual companies and specialists to work at the same pace. This is how project management proved its effectiveness in the Space Race.

A Brief History of Project Management

Project management was not invented by NASA or Dr. Mueller. The Egyptian pyramids and the Great Wall of China are products of project management from prehistoric eras. Unfortunately, documentary evidence how the implementation and management of these projects took place has not been preserved, and current project management is divorced from the knowledge of past centuries.

The most obvious way to implement a project is to break it down into phases or individual tasks. Like a culinary recipe - you buy the ingredients, mix them correctly, cook and serve. The simplest project management tool is a checklist of actions that need to be taken to achieve a goal. Simple and effective.

However, if you are a chef and you are preparing not one dish, but several, for example, a salad (the preparation of which consists of 3 stages) and a dessert (which only needs to be served), then you will need a tool that allows you to track the time spent on each of them. items and the time when they should be ready. And here one of the first modern project management tools comes to the rescue: the Gantt chart, presented on Figure 2.

Invented independently by K O Role of Korol Adamecki and Henry L. Gantt in the early 20th century, the Gantt chart shows a project schedule based on the end and completion dates of tasks. Tasks, their durations and relationships are entered into it, and then the critical path is calculated - the longest chain of interrelated tasks that determine the duration of the project. The relationships between the beginning and end of different tasks are very important - you can't serve soup to your guests until you've cooked it, can you?

So, a typical project is very similar to a project of preparing and serving dinner, only it has many more tasks, relationships, deadlines and types of resources. For projects with tight deadlines, the Gantt chart helps decide when it is best to start certain tasks in order to reduce implementation time. And for projects with strong resource constraints, the Gantt chart provides the opportunity to build a diagram in the form of an event-driven process chain for resource planning.

Different projects require different levels of control. For example, if you publish a series of articles in , then strict deadlines are not so important. Much more important is a clear process in which it is possible to structure each article, make an outline of each of them, get feedback, make edits, finish the article, proofread and publish. Instead of managing time and resources, you manage the process.

For such projects, Agile project management methods and related approaches such as Lean, Kanban and others are better suited. There are also methods that allow you to manage both work flow, time, and resources - 6 Sigma and Scrum.

Popular project management systems

Throughout the history of project management, many different project management methods have been created to suit almost any need. Even if you are not going to send a man to the moon and do not have the same amount of resources, you will still find a suitable tool for you. The main thing is to understand what is most important for your project - deadlines, resources, compliance with the process, or several factors at once - and then choose a project management method focused on achieving this indicator.

Before we look at the most popular methods, let's define some key terms.

Basic terms of project management

Agile: A flexible iterative-incremental approach to project and product management, focused on the dynamic formation of requirements and ensuring their implementation as a result of constant interaction within self-organizing working groups consisting of specialists in various fields. There are many methods based on Agile ideas, the most popular of which are Scrum and Kanban.

Critical path: A continuous sequence of work and events from the initial to the final event, requiring the greatest amount of time to complete it.

Event chain of processes (EPC diagram): a diagram showing the sequence of project work implementation based on the availability and workload of resources

Time reserve: The amount of time that the start of work can be delayed without affecting the overall duration of the project. Thus, work on the critical path will have a float of zero.

Milestone (control point,milestone): A key event, marking, for example, the end of a stage. On a Gantt chart, a task with a duration of zero is indicated.

Project manager (project manager,projectmanagerP.M. ): Project team leader responsible for project management (planning, implementation and closure of the project).

Resources: Elements necessary for the implementation of the project. Resources include time, equipment, materials, employees, etc.

Sprint (Sprint): An iteration (work cycle) in Scrum, lasting from a week to a month, during which a working version of a product or an element of it that is of value to the customer is created.

“Classical” or “traditional” project management: The most widely used method of project management, based on the so-called “Waterfall” or cascade cycle, in which the task is transferred sequentially through stages resembling a flow.

Classic project management

The most obvious way to make your project more manageable is to break the process of its execution into sequential stages. It is on this linear structure that traditional project management is based. In this sense, it resembles a computer game - you cannot move to the next level without completing the previous one. The workflow diagram is shown in Figure 3.

This approach is focused on projects in which there are strict restrictions on the sequence of tasks. For example, building a house - you cannot build walls without a foundation.

Typically there are 5 stages of classic project management, but additional stages can be added if the project requires it.

5 stages of traditional management:

Stage 1. Initiation. The project manager and team define the project requirements. At this stage, meetings and brainstorming sessions are often held to determine what the project product should be.

Stage 2. Planning. At this stage, the team decides how it will achieve the goal set in the previous stage. At this stage, the team clarifies and details the goals and results of the project, as well as the scope of work for it. Based on this information, the team creates a schedule and budget, assesses risks and identifies stakeholders.

Stage 3. Development. This stage is not implemented for all projects; as a rule, it is part of the planning phase. In the development phase, characteristic of technology projects, the configuration of the future project and/or product and the technical means of achieving it are determined. For example, in IT projects, a programming language is selected at this stage. ( In domestic practice, this phase is usually not distinguished, and the term “development” is not used - approx. trans.)

Stage 4. Implementation and testing. At this phase, the actual main work on the project occurs - writing code, erecting a building, and the like. Following the developed plans, the content of the project, defined earlier, begins to be created, and control is carried out according to the selected metrics. In the second part of this phase, the product is tested, it is checked for compliance with the requirements of the Customer and interested parties. The testing part identifies and corrects product shortcomings.

Stage 5. Monitoring and completion of the project. Depending on the project, this phase may consist of a simple transfer of project results to the Customer, or a long process of interaction with clients to improve the project and increase their satisfaction, and support the project results. The latter applies to projects in the field of customer service and software.

What is described above is the basis on which various project management methods are built. Different projects require different phases of implementation - some require three phases, others much more. Sometimes the so-called “iterative waterfall” is used, in which each stage is a subproject, during which tasks are implemented in fixed iterations. But the essence remains the same - the project is divided into stages that are executed in a strictly defined sequence.

Due to the fact that classical project management is strictly tied to the execution time of tasks, usually predetermined at the planning stage, calendar and network planning tools are excellent for implementing projects within this approach. The most common tool for scheduling and network planning is the previously mentioned Gantt chart. There are many tools for building it - from simple tables like Excel and Smartsheet to professional software packages like Microsoft Project and Primavera.

Strengths of classical project management

Today it is often said that the classic waterfall approach is outdated, but it does not think of losing ground. The big advantage of this approach is that it requires the Customer and the company management to determine what they want to receive already at the first stage of the project. Early inclusion brings a certain stability to the project, and planning allows you to streamline the implementation of the project. In addition, this approach involves performance monitoring and testing, which is absolutely necessary for real projects of various sizes.

Potentially, the classical approach allows you to avoid stress due to the presence of spare time at each stage, built in in case of any complications and risks. In addition, with a properly executed planning phase, the project manager always knows what resources he has. Even if this estimate is not always accurate.

Weak sides classical project management

The main weakness of classical project management is intolerance to change. The management of Toyota, famous for creating such systems as Lean and Kanban, is often criticized for the fact that they apply the classical approach to developing software for their company, and precisely for the lack of flexibility.

The mainstay of the classical approach now is construction and engineering projects, in which the content of the project remains virtually unchanged throughout the entire project. But if in your project resources and time are not key constraints, and the content of the project is subject to change, perhaps you should take a closer look at other project management systems.

Agile

As mentioned earlier, not all projects can be structured in such a way as to be implemented using the classic project approach. Returning to our example with the chef: preparing one dish fits perfectly with the “waterfall” approach, but preparing and serving a four-course dinner on time will be almost impossible if you have to wait until one dish is finished each time to start preparing another.

And this is where Agile comes into play - a family of flexible iterative-incremental methods for project and product management. According to this approach, the project is not divided into sequential phases, but into small subprojects, which are then “assembled” into a finished product. The operating diagram is shown in Figure 5.

Thus, initiation and top-level planning are carried out for the entire project, and subsequent stages: development, testing and others are carried out for each mini-project separately. This allows you to transfer the results of these mini-projects, the so-called increments, faster, and when starting a new subproject (iteration), you can make changes to it without high costs and impact on the rest of the project.

Despite the fact that Agile has come into fashion relatively recently, the idea of ​​iterative development is not new. (about the history of the appearanceAgile can be read – approx.). The family of flexible methodologies received its current name in 2001 with the publication of the Agile Manifesto, which established the core values ​​and principles of flexible software development, which are based on teamwork and adaptation, even “love” for change.

Agile itself is not a project management method. It is rather a set of ideas and principles of how projects should be implemented. Based on these principles and best practices, individual flexible methods or, as they are sometimes called, frameworks have been developed: Scrum, Kanban, Crystal, and many others. These methods may be quite different from each other, but they follow the same principles.

StrengthsAgile

The most important advantage of Agile is its flexibility and adaptability. It can adapt to almost any conditions and processes of the organization. This is what determines its current popularity and how many systems for various fields have been created on its basis.

One of the Agile principles is: “Reacting to change is more important than following a plan.” This quick and relatively painless response to change is why many large companies are looking to make their processes more flexible. In addition, Agile is great for open-ended projects, such as launching a service or blog.

Agile's domain is the development of new, innovative products. In such product development projects there is a high degree of uncertainty, and information about the product is revealed as the project progresses. In such conditions, it becomes impossible to implement a “waterfall” project - there is no information for planning.

Weak sidesAgile

Unlike PRINCE2 and PMBOK, Agile is neither a methodology nor a standard. Agile is a set of principles and values. The weakness is that each team will have to independently create its own management system, guided by Agile principles. This is a complex and lengthy process that will require changes throughout the organization, from procedures to core values. This is a thorny path and not all organizations can do it.

This path will require from the leader of change not only knowledge and perseverance, but also serious administrative resources, as well as costs. Fortunately, there are ready-made sets of practices that make Agile transformation of an organization easier. Such sets include the Scrum framework, the Kanban method and many others - Crystal, LeSS, SAFe, Nexus.

Scrum

Created in 1986, the Agile framework is considered the most structured of the Agile family. Created in 1986, it combines elements of the classical process and the ideas of an agile approach to project management. The result was a very balanced combination of flexibility and structure.

Following the precepts of Agile, Scrum breaks the project into parts that can be immediately used by the Customer to obtain value, called product backlog. And despite the fact that “product backlog” is a fairly correct translation and is used in professional literature, in Russian practice simply “backlog” is most often used. Then these parts are prioritized by the Product Owner - the Customer's representative on the team. The most important “pieces” are the first to be selected for execution in a Sprint - this is what iterations in Scrum are called, lasting from 2 to 4 weeks. At the end of the Sprint, the Customer is presented with a working increment of the product - those very important “pieces” that can already be used. For example, a website with part of the functionality or a program that is already working, albeit partially. After this, the project team begins the next Sprint. The duration of the Sprint is fixed, but the team chooses it independently at the beginning of the project, based on the project and its own performance.

To ensure that the project meets the Customer's requirements, which tend to change over time, before the start of each Sprint, the unfulfilled project content is re-evaluated and changes are made to it. Everyone participates in this process - the project team, the Scrum Master (Scrum Master, project team leader) and the Product Owner. And responsibility for this process lies with everyone.

As already mentioned, the Product Owner is the Customer’s representative in the project, or represents all clients of the future project if there is no Customer. To do this, he must thoroughly know their needs and way of thinking, as well as understand the product and its manufacturing technology. The Scrum Master is designed to help project participants better understand and accept the values, principles and norms of Scrum practice. He is a leader and mediator between the outside world and the team. His task is to ensure that no one interferes with the team’s ability to independently and comfortably work on the assigned tasks. The team is responsible for ensuring that at the end of the sprint all the necessary tasks are completed and deliveries are completed.

The basic structure of Scrum processes revolves around 5 main meetings: backlog alignment, Sprint planning, daily stand-up meetings, Sprint wrap-up and Sprint retrospective.

For many, Scrum may seem difficult to implement - a new process, new roles, a lot of delegation and a completely new organizational structure. But this is a flexible and at the same time structured approach to project implementation, which, unlike vague and general principles Agile will not allow work to go in the wrong direction.

StrengthsScrum

Scrum was developed for projects that require "quick wins" combined with tolerance for change. In addition, this framework is suitable for situations where not all team members have sufficient experience in the area in which the project is being implemented - constant communication between team members allows the lack of experience or qualifications of some employees to benefit from information and help from colleagues.

The online TV channel Netflix is ​​an excellent example of fast delivery of results. The resource website is updated every two weeks thanks to Scrum, which not only allows you to work at high speed, but also accumulates user experience and makes it possible to identify the most important things for clients.

During each iteration, developers add and test new site features and remove those that were not used by customers. According to the Netflix team, the main benefit of Scrum is that it allows you to “fail fast.” Instead of taking a long time and at great expense to prepare a large release, Scrum biweekly deliveries are small in size. They are easy to track and, if something goes wrong, correct quickly.

Weak sidesScrum

Scrum is very demanding of the project team. It should be small (5-9 people) and cross-functional - that is, team members should have more than one competency necessary to implement the project. For example, a software developer must have knowledge of testing and business analytics. This is done so that part of the team does not “stand idle” at different stages of the project, and also so that employees can help and replace each other.

In addition, team members must be “team players”, actively take responsibility and be able to organize themselves. Finding such a mature team is very difficult!

Scrum is not suitable for all teams and organizations also because the proposed process may not be suitable for developing a specific product - for example, an industrial machine or building a building.

Lean

Agile tells us to break down work into small, manageable packages, but it doesn't tell us how to manage the development of that package. Scrum offers us its processes and procedures. Lean, in turn, adds a workflow diagram to the Agile principles so that each iteration is completed with the same quality.

In Lean, as in Scrum, work is broken down into small delivery packages that are implemented separately and independently. But in Lean, there is a workflow for developing each delivery package, with steps similar to those created for Project Apollo. As in classical project management, these can be the stages of planning, development, production, testing and delivery - or any other stages necessary for the high-quality implementation of projects.

Lean phases and their flexibility allow you to be sure that every part of the project is implemented as required. Lean does not have clear boundaries of stages, as Scrum does not have Sprint boundaries. In addition, unlike classical project management, Lean allows you to perform several tasks in parallel at different stages, which increases flexibility and increases the speed of project execution.

Like Agile, Lean is more of a concept, a way of thinking, rather than something set in stone. Using Lean ideas, you can independently create a system that meets your project management requirements.

StrengthsLean

If you like the ideas of Agile, but the project requires very consistent quality and precise execution, Lean provides a set of tools to meet these requirements. Lean combines flexibility and structure like Scrum, but in a slightly different way.

Weak sidesLean

Not every part of the project requires equally detailed and meticulous study and attention. But Lean assumes exactly this approach to each task and stage. This is the main disadvantage of using Lean for large and heterogeneous projects.

Also, unlike Scrum, Lean does not offer a clear workflow for implementing “pieces” of the project, which contributes to the extension of the project timeline. This problem can be solved with effective leadership and clear communication - the main thing to remember is this.

Kanban

Lean looks a little abstract on its own, but when combined with Kanban it becomes much easier to use to build your own project management system. Created by Toyota engineer Taiichi Ono in 1953, Kanban is very similar to an industrial production flowchart. At the input to this process, a piece of metal enters, and at the output, a finished part is obtained. Also in Kanban, an increment of a product is passed forward from stage to stage, and at the end there is a ready-to-deliver item.

In addition, the creator of Kanban was inspired by supermarkets, namely their principle - “keep on the shelves only what the customer needs.” Therefore, Kanban allows you to leave an unfinished task at one of the stages if its priority has changed and there are other urgent tasks. An unedited article for a blog, a post without a publication date, or a piece of code for a feature that may not be included in the product are all normal for Kanban work.

Kanban is much less strict than Scrum - it does not limit the time of sprints, there are no roles, with the exception of the product owner. Kanban even allows a team member to manage multiple tasks at once, which Scrum does not allow. Also, meetings on the status of the project are not regulated in any way - you can do it at your convenience, or you can not do it at all.

To work with Kanban, you need to define the stages of the workflow. In Kanban, they are depicted as columns, and tasks are represented by special cards. The card moves through stages, like a part in a factory moving from machine to machine, and at each stage the completion rate becomes higher. As a result, we receive a product element ready for delivery to the customer. A board with columns and cards can be either real or electronic - even here Kanban does not impose any restrictions on users.

Your own Kanban system can be as flexible as you want it to be - in many ways, Kanban is a visualization of the idea of ​​Agile. But Kanban has 4 pillars on which the entire system rests:

1. Cards: For each task, an individual card is created in which all the necessary information about the task is entered. Thus, all the necessary information about the task is always at hand.
2. Limit on the number of tasks per stage: The number of cards at one stage is strictly regulated. Thanks to this, it becomes immediately clear when a “jam” occurs in the flow of operations, which is promptly eliminated.
3. Continuous flow: Tasks from the backlog are added to the flow in order of priority. So the work never stops.
4. Continuous improvement (Kaizen)kaizen)): The concept of continuous improvement emerged in Japan at the end of the 20th century. Its essence is the constant analysis of the production process and the search for ways to improve productivity.

StrengthsKanban

Like Scrum, Kanban is well suited for fairly cohesive teams with good communication. But unlike Scrum, Kanban does not have strict deadlines, which is good for motivated and experienced teams.

When set up and managed correctly, Kanban can greatly benefit a project team. Accurate calculation of the workload on the team, correct placement of restrictions and concentration on continuous improvement - all this allows Kanban to seriously save resources and meet deadlines and budgets. And all this combined with flexibility.

Weak sidesKanban

You can often hear that Kanban, unlike Scrum, allows you to work with almost any team. But it is not so. Kanban is best suited for teams whose members' skills overlap with each other. In this way, they can help each other overcome difficulties in solving problems. Without this, Kanban will not be as effective as it could be. Also, as already mentioned, Kanban is better suited in cases where there are no hard deadlines. For tight deadlines, the classic approach or Scrum is better.

6 Sigma (Six Sigma)

Motorola, along with Toyota, also contributed to the development of global project management. The company's engineer Bill Smith created the concept of 6 Sigma in 1986. This is a more structured version of Lean than Kanban, which adds more planning to save resources, improve quality, and reduce the number of defects and problems.

The ultimate goal of the project is customer satisfaction with the quality of the product, which can be achieved through a continuous process of improvement of all aspects of the project, based on a thorough analysis of indicators. The 6 Sigma concept pays special attention to eliminating emerging problems.

A 5-step process known as DMEDI has been proposed for this:

• Definition (Define): The first stage is very similar to the early stages of other project management systems. It determines the content of the project, collects information about the prerequisites of the project, and sets goals.
• Measurement (Measure): 6 Sigma is focused on collecting and analyzing quantitative data about a project. At this stage, it is determined what indicators will determine the success of the project and what data needs to be collected and analyzed.
• Study (Explore): During the research stage, the project manager decides how the team can achieve its goals and meet all requirements on time and within budget. At this stage, it is very important for the project manager to think outside the box when solving problems that arise.
• Development (Develop): At this stage, plans and decisions made at previous stages are implemented. It is important to understand that at this stage you need a detailed plan that describes all the actions necessary to achieve your goals. Also at this stage the progress of the project is measured.
• Control (Control): Key stage in the 6 Sigma methodology. Its main task is long-term improvement of project implementation processes. This stage requires careful documentation of lessons learned, analysis of collected data, and application of acquired knowledge both in projects and throughout the company as a whole.

6 Sigma is very similar to Kanban, only with established stages of task implementation - planning, goal setting and quality testing. Most likely, there will be significantly more team meetings when using 6 Sigma than when using Kanban, but the project implementation process is more structured and it is more difficult for the team to go astray. And, like Kanban, 6 Sigma can be relatively easily adapted to the needs of a specific company or team. A strict requirement is only careful measurement and control of project indicators at the implementation stages - without this, continuous long-term improvement of project implementation processes is impossible.

Strengths of 6 Sigma

The 6 Sigma concept provides a clear framework for project implementation and continuous process improvement. By defining goals, then carefully analyzing and revising them, you gain quantitative data to better understand the project and make better decisions. Although collecting, analyzing data and drawing lessons may take some time, it will improve and optimize project implementation processes and thus save resources in the future.

6 Sigma is suitable for difficult projects that involve many new and complex activities. This approach allows you to implement project elements, learn from mistakes and improve quality in the future.

Weaknesses of 6 Sigma

The problem with 6 Sigma is that although the main declared goal is to reduce costs and increase efficiency, customer satisfaction often comes to the fore. Given some differences in goals at different stages of a project, teams often end up with confusion about priorities, and this is not easy to avoid.

In addition, the main leitmotif of 6 Sigma is: “Everything can always be done even better.” This can demotivate employees who do not feel satisfied with their work. In addition, if the project is a one-off project and the company does not plan to implement similar projects in the future, all the costs of analysis and learning lessons may be in vain.

PRINCE2

NASA is not the only one state organization, which contributed to the development of project management. The British Government has long appreciated the effectiveness of project management, and in 1989 the British PRINCE2 methodology was created. The name comes from the acronym " PR ojects IN C controlled E environments version 2 ”, which translates to “Projects in a controlled environment version 2”. Unlike agile methods, PRINCE2 does not take an iterative approach to a project. If PRINCE2 is compared with other products, it can be compared to a hybrid of the classical approach to project management and the focus on quality from 6 Sigma.

The PRINCE2 methodology, unlike, for example, the PMBOK body of knowledge, does not contain:

• Specialized aspects of project management, such as industry specific ones;
• Specific project management practices and tools, such as Gantt chart, WBS, etc.

PRINCE2 focuses on the management aspects of the project, expressed in 7 principles, 7 processes and 7 project themes.

• 7 principles define the general rules of project management according to PRINCE2, define the basis of the methodology;
• 7 processes define the steps to progress through the project cycle;
• 7 topics - aspects that are monitored to achieve project success.

At the beginning of a project, PRINCE2 asks us to define 3 main aspects of the project:

• Business aspect (Will this project bring benefits?)
• Consumer aspect (What product is needed, what will we do?)
• Resource aspect (Do we have enough to achieve our goal?)

PRINCE2 has a more clearly defined project team structure than most project management approaches. This is due to the fact that PRINCE2 is focused on large-scale government projects and large organizations.

According to PRINCE2, each team member has a clear role in each of the 7 processes:

• Start of the project (Starting upa project): During this process, a project manager is appointed and overall product performance requirements are determined. The Project Manager, whose primary focus is attention to detail, reports to the Project Steering Committee, which is responsible for the overall management of the project. It is the Steering Committee that ensures that the project stays on track and is ultimately responsible for the success of the project.
• Project Initiationa project): During this process, the project manager writes a “Project Initiation Document,” which contains a phased plan for the project. The stages may last different amounts of time, but, as in classical approach, they follow strictly one after another.
• Project management (Directing a project): This process allows the Steering Committee to take overall responsibility for the success of the project without getting bogged down in details that are within the scope of the project manager.
• Stage Controlling a stage): During the implementation of the project, even under ideal conditions, certain changes will be made. The Stage Control process implements one of the PRINCE2 principles - the principle of management by exception. It is the responsibility of the project manager to monitor deviations from the planned parameters of the project in terms of timing, content, budget, etc. during the execution of the stage. If these deviations exceed the powers given to the project manager by the Steering Committee (in PRINCE2 terminology - tolerances), the project manager is obliged to inform the Steering Committee and propose ways out of the situation.
• Product creation management (Managing Product Delivery): The product creation management process is the interaction between the project manager and the team manager to create one of the project products. The project manager's responsibilities in this process include delegating authority to create the product to the team manager and accepting the created product.
• Stage Boundary Management (Managing a stage boundary): During this process, the project manager provides the Steering Committee with all the necessary information to evaluate the results of the completed stage and make a decision on moving to the next stage.
• Completion of the project (Closinga project): One of the differences between PRINCE2 is that the process of completing a project is not separated into a separate stage or stage, as in the classical approach, but is carried out as part of the final stage of product creation. The purpose of the process is to confirm that the project's product has been accepted or the project can no longer provide anything useful.

PRINCE2 can be adapted for projects of any size and any subject area. The methodology offers specific recommendations for changing the project life cycle, role model and set of mandatory documents in accordance with the needs of the project.

Strengths of PRINCE2

• Adaptability to the characteristics of the organization;
• Availability of a clear description of roles and distribution of responsibilities;
• Focus on project products;
• Certain levels of management;
• Focus on economic feasibility;
• Subsequence project work;
• Emphasis on capturing experience and continuous improvement.

Weaknesses of PRINCE2

• Lack of industry practices;
• Lack of specific tools for working in the project.

The best project management system... for you!

Project management is a science, but it's not an exact science. There are no unshakable foundations in this area and universal solutions. If you manage to find a method that is ideal for your project, consider yourself very lucky, because most less fortunate managers have to put in the effort to create and configure their own project management systems. These systems can be made up of elements of existing systems or even created entirely from scratch, as was the case with the Apollo mission. The main thing is to use something that will give you at least some structure and will allow you to remember what is important for your project.

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