Agile vs. traditional project management: the right choice for your project

In the world of project management, you are often faced with a decision: should you follow the tried and tested path of classic project management, or should you turn to the agile approach? Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages and are suitable for different problems.

Let's take a closer look at what these differences are and when to use which method.

The Magic Triangle of Project Management

The magic triangle of project management, also known as the project management triangle, describes the balance between three essential factors: time, cost and quality. Every project requires careful planning and coordination of these elements. Changes in one will inevitably affect the other two. For example, a reduction in project time often leads to higher costs or a reduction in quality.

Successful project management means maintaining this balance and ensuring that the project objectives are achieved without overstepping the boundaries of the magic triangle.

Classic Project Management

In classic project management, scope and quality are defined. Deadlines and costs are estimated at the beginning and the project is planned on this basis.

Classic project management follows the traditional project management cycle of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and closing. This approach is particularly suitable for projects where the requirements are clearly defined and do not change significantly during the course of the project.

An example of the use of classic project management would be the construction of a high-rise building. The steps and processes are known, the requirements can be specified in advance and the milestones are clearly defined.

Agile Project Management

In agile project management, costs and deadlines are defined at the start of the project. The scope or quality of the end result is developed iteratively and can be adjusted in regular cycles.

Agile project management is based on the values and principles of the Agile Manifesto and focuses on continuous adaptation to changing requirements and conditions. The three pillars of agile project management - transparency, review and adaptation - enable teams to respond flexibly to new insights and focus on deliverable results.

The best-known agile project management framework is Scrum, which emphasises iterative development cycles, regular reviews and close team collaboration.

An example of the use of agile project management is the development of a software application. Requirements may change during the development process, and an agile team can respond quickly and adapt the software to meet customer needs.

Making the right choice

The choice between agile and classic project management depends on the type of project. If the requirements are clearly defined and will not change significantly, then classic project management is the right choice. However, if flexibility and adaptability are required to respond to changing requirements, agile project management is the better choice.

Depending on the project, a hybrid model may also be the right approach, e.g. using a classic approach in the projects, supplemented by elements of agile project management, such as daily check-ins and lessons learnt after each project phase. In today's dynamic business world, choosing the right project management method for each project is critical to achieving the best results and ensuring success.

Outlook: Our next articles on project management will look at the project management cycle and the Scrum framework.

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