TOPIC: Project life cycles

Hi,

Does project manager ever select a project life cycle manually on his own or type of project life cycle flows automatically with progress of project?

I understand that there is merely a single project in real world without any change that impact its scope. Any change to scope will lead to an iteration and every iteration will either correct the deliverable or enhance it in some form. All three different life cycles experience changes in scope. How to accurately identify that a particular project is following a Predictive life cycle and it is not following not an Iterative & Incremental cycle or an adaptive life cycle.

I guess, I am not able to understand and see the thin line that differentiate these three life cycles from each other.

Please help me understand it better.

Thanks!!!

Hi,

A PM should have the liberty / flexibility to choose between a Predictive V/s Iterative Life cycle. However his decision depends on:

1 - The level of detail known about the final product / service / result that is to be achieved by his performing organization.
2 - Performing organization's confidence level in the approach to be adopted / followed in order to achieve the desired product / service / result.

A predictive life cycle should be applied where the PM is confident that following a particular approach will result in a desired product / service. The PM is basically able to predict at the project start / even earlier that a particular approach will enable his organization achieve the project objective / desired product / service / result.

On the other hand an Iterative cycle will be applied when there isn't a surety that following a particular approach could result in a desired product / result, OR when the actual product itself is evolving. Under such circumstances, to reduce the liability, the PM should follow an iterative life cycle. Results from each iteration will then determine whether a particular approach / product needs to be pursued or changes are required to the approach / final product functionality.

When a Scope change occurs in a project following a predictive life cycle, well you incorporate it (if approved) but there isn't a change in your original approach to achieving the final project objective / product / service / result.

On the other hand on a project following an iterative life cycle, you are basically performing various iterations till you are satisfied with the achieved product / service / result.

Hope to have clarified your query.