Question

Compare two Project methodologies (definition, discussion, advantages, disadvantages) / what is the best methodology for systems (HR system

Answer 1

Solution:

Each method was originally designed to meet a specific project with specific requirements, which had to be considered throughout the entire project lifecycle. This basically means that project methods should be chosen to handle the project based on the project requirements, life cycle and final goals.

METHODOLOGY 1: WATERFALL

The waterfall method is an easy way to get to the PM. This is one of the project management methods, respectively, during which each phase of the project (feasibility, planning, design, building, testing, production and maintenance) is completed like a waterfall before moving on to the next stage. The idea for the methodology stems from the standard workflow process of the construction and manufacturing industries, where each project has a set, constructive, stage-by-stage approach.

The waterfall is known and loved for its simplicity and ease of use and is mainly used for simple, unalterable projects.

Advantages of Waterfall:

1. Easy to follow and manage – Waterfall method is so straightforward and thanks to the same design and approach every time, it's very easy to understand, follow and manage what project you're doing. No one needs to have prior knowledge or education before starting to work on any of the project management methods.

2. Low Risk - Specific tasks must be completed and reviewed at each stage of the process, increasing the chances of finding and correcting any errors / problems and resolving them on the spot before moving on to the next stage.

3.Solid Documentation - Waterfall emphasizes documentation for each phase, making it easier to convey your perspective to customers and stakeholders. In addition, customers can always refer to Docs when they need more detailed information (such as price, size, timeline, etc.).

Disadvantages of Waterfall:

1.Long Term - Because you can't take a step-by-step approach and need to complete each step before starting the next step, it takes a long time to reach the end or show the demo to the client.

2.Changes cannot be made easily - once the project phase is complete it is very difficult and expensive to go back and make some changes to the situation you need. For example, if a software development team plans a product and notices that a feature is missing, they will have to go back to include a single feature and start from scratch.

3.Accumulating all the data upfront - the first stage of the operation is probably the most important and also the most difficult. This requires communicating with clients and stakeholders and understanding exactly what they want to achieve as a result. However, many times customers struggle to decide exactly what they want from the beginning and their thoughts are formed on the progress of the project. The waterfall doesn’t work well from that point of view.

METHODOLOGY 2: AGILE

Agile uses a recurring, incremental rather than a linear, sequential approach. With this methodology, instead of breaking down the project into phases one by one, you combine the entire project to create a planned, designed, and individually distributed product that is then assembled.

The most common variation of the agile is the scrum, during which we break down the project into several parts, and then a two- to four-week period for that part - with daily sprints to deliver separate parts for that project - to give the project two to four weeks to complete.

Agile is widely accepted for its ability to effectively implement change, and consider comments and suggestions from each participating party, including customers, partners, developers, end users, and more.

Advantages of Agile –

1.Considering customer and user feedback - Customers and end users have many opportunities to input their feedback and have a positive, tangible impact on the end product.

2.Continuous Improvement - Encourages agile users, team members, and customers to provide feedback so that different stages of the final product can be reviewed as many times as needed.

3.Faster Delivery - Breaking down a project into smaller parts can result in quality and timely delivery of each part individually. The team can also conduct tests between each section, which will help identify any problems and resolve them quickly, allowing for a more consistent and successful delivery.

4.Change is easily implemented - because the project is divided into separate, small parts that do not depend on each other, changes can be easily implemented at any stage of the project.

5.No need to know everything upfront- theft is very effective for projects where it is a clear target for non-essential projects. As the project progresses, the objective can be understood and implemented smoothly.

Disadvantages of Agile –

1.Training is required - installing linear waterfalls is more complicated than chaplaincy, so get the team quietly and with that the team is at least initially difficult. Training is required at all times during operation.

2.Difficult Planning - As different parts of the project are broken down and each part has a different delivery, it is always difficult to determine the deadline for the final product. On top of that, PMs often change priorities, which can confuse initial planning and add extra sprints to the initial deadline.

3.Poor Documentation - Proper documentation is often overlooked because agile embraces have changed so drastically that there is clearly no expected expectation and delivery. Although documentation is not the most important thing so far, it is recommended to keep it.

CONCLUSION =

We can see that both methods have their own properties and it is all about what kind of project we are working on.

Nowadays, agile is considered to be the most widely accepted PM method, used to work in most projects, but not because it is better than a waterfall. The real reason is that today, customer experience and their challenges play vital important role for almost any product, requiring a lot of changes in the production phase. Thus, the Project Managers are forced to go with agility, because they know that many changes should be taken during the whole process.

You better use Waterfall for projects where you have all the data (from top to bottom) and no changes are expected. Whenever you come across a project that doesn't have a clear end goal and still needs constant change, go with Agile.

For HR Systems Agile methodology is best suitable and HR function constantly gets updated and it need a lot of changes.

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