Question

As a newly appointed project manager, you are about to commence a cutting edge I.T. project within your organisation. It is the first time your organisation has undertaken a project like this in-house.

How do you decide whether to use a predictive or adaptive approach?

Briefly explain some of the characteristics common across all project life cycles.

Which project lifecycle do you choose and why?

Answer 1

Predictive or Adaptive approach.

Predictive Approach

In project or System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Predictive approach provides a linear, specific development plan structure around producing a pre-determined end result within the specific time frame.

A predictive approach is sometimes called as an incremental approach in the project development life cycle.

Normally a system/project development life cycle involves a design phase, implementation phase, and testing phase. These are done by incremental in the predictive approach or they are undertaken piece by piece until the project is finished or may be satisfies all the requirements in the project/system development life cycle.

The project allows a partial utilization of product which means that we can use the completed features before the full project is finished. So, we can reduce the long development time.

In the predictive approach it generates the working software product more easily.

Easy to manage risk because potential obstacles are identified and handled during their first iteration itself.

Easy to test and debug the product because it is done piece by piece than on the full product.

It is more flexible.

The output of the project are expectable and knowable.

The project may support waterfall model.

Adaptive Approach.

In adaptive approach they are vey suitable for face changing conditions. It involves breaking a project into small components over an undetermined timeline to allow ultimate flexibility in directing the course of project.

In case of adaptive approach they may yield surprising outcomes.

The project may support agile/change-driven method.

In this method they react quickly to the changes in project scope and system requirement. Sometimes it refers freeform software design as it offers an incredibly flexible design model

Here in this model, it allows for evolving requirements so change can be implemented very easily given the shorter planning cycle.

It gets a customer satisfaction because of fast and continuous delivery.

It encourages active involvement and interaction from key project stakeholders, which allows for product build based on priority and accuracy.

Project Life Cycle.

In a project life cycle, there are four main phases which through team can accomplish the target of the project.

The four main phases are:

1. Start/Conception Phase

2. Planning Phase

3. Execution/Implementation Phase

4. Closure Phase.

In the first or Start phase the need or requirement of the project get identified. Here we can choose for a feasibility study whether the project want to start? or Do we have the resource to finish the project? And the justification study is carried out. And the team is then identified.

In the second or Planning phase what are the individual task involved in this project? And make a project budget to get reliable for the project development. Here in this phase risk management and quality plan is carried out.

In the third or Execution Phase, evaluate the progress of the project. The resultant of the project is analysed and understand.

In the last or Closing phase, final result will be out and also, they release the documentation of the project. And finally, they conclude the project.

Characteristic of Project Life Cycle are:

1. Define the beginning and end of the project.

2. Deliverables usually approved before work starts on the next phase.

3. Define the technical work and implementers.

4. Cost of change and error correction generally increase as the project continues.

5. Some times fast tracking is done. That is subsequent phase is begun prior to approval of the previous phase.

6. Cost and staffing level are low at the initial phase, and higher towards the end, and drop at the closing.

7. Probability of the project success is low at the beginning of the project and higher as the project continues.

Organizations should not employ a one size fits all method in the project development life cycle they are used to tailor their strategy to meet the maximum quality and productivity.

Here we can use predictive approach to develop the project.

When the requirements are clear and can be implemented in logical phases, even though some details may evolve with time.

And if we may have some high-risk features and goals or they may call for a new technology.

In this predictive method client needs some clarity on and strict adherence to the target delivery/end date based on the agreed upon scope.