Methodologies

A Predictive (Waterfall) life cycle determines scope, time, and cost early. Changes are minimized via formal change control.

Characteristics

• Requirements well-defined and stable upfront
• Sequential phases: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, Closing
• Deliverables at end of project
• Change is expensive; formal change control board (CCB)
• Extensive upfront documentation

PMI 10 Knowledge Areas

Integration, Scope, Schedule, Cost, Quality, Resource, Communications, Risk, Procurement, Stakeholder Management.

Key Roles

Project Manager, Project Sponsor, Functional Manager, Team Members, PMO, Steering Committee.

An Agile life cycle is iterative and incremental. Requirements evolve through self-organizing, cross-functional team collaboration.

Agile Values (Agile Manifesto)

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

Agile Domains

• Team: Self-organizing, cross-functional, servant leadership
• Stakeholder: Active involvement, frequent feedback
• Planning: Rolling wave, just-in-time, adaptive
• Delivery: Frequent working increments
• Measurement: Velocity, burndown, cycle time, lead time

Scrum Roles

Product Owner: Owns backlog, maximizes value. Scrum Master: Servant leader, removes impediments. Development Team: Self-organizing, 3–9 members.

A Kanban Board visualizes work, limits work-in-progress (WIP), and maximizes flow. Originated from Toyota's manufacturing system.

Key Principles

• Visualize the Workflow: Columns (To Do, In Progress, Review, Done)
• Limit WIP: Max items per column prevents overload
• Manage Flow: Optimize smooth movement through the system
• Make Policies Explicit: Define rules for stage transitions
• Continuous Improvement: Regularly analyze and improve

Kanban vs. Scrum

No fixed sprints, no prescribed roles. Continuous flow focused on throughput and cycle time reduction.