Ideas, innovation, techniques, and modules are the important components for completing any task in this labyrinthine scenario of project management. From the idea formation until its completion and also the execution of functionalities after the end of the project from the different stakeholders' side such as project managers, project team members, and more, the task of project management may go on and on. In the previous blogs, we have excavated various terms of project management such as Kanban vs Scrum, differences between Agile and Waterfall, risks involved in project management, and many more. Today, we will be delving into the in-depth analysis of Linear Project Management (LPM). Different modules of project management are implemented for the successful operations of any project. According to the project size, operation, project requirements, and project type, the effective project technique should be selected. We are going to enter into a thorough explanation of one of the popular methods of project management which is the structured i.e. sequential approach to managing the projects where each task or phase of a project is completed or finished before moving on to the next phase.
This sequential approach of linear project management is ideal for businesses with predetermined objectives, well-defined and linear processes, and clear goals such as manufacturing, construction, engineering, tech companies, remote or hybrid teams, etc. But the objectives, goals, and processes should be well defined previously otherwise flexible approaches should be adopted.Linear Project Management is also known as Waterfall Project Management as the flow of tasks and phases is similar to the flow of water downfall same as a waterfall. As every process is clearly defined, this method focuses on clear worklists, deadlines, project needs, and milestones to achieve or outputs to gain ensuring the project phase from one time to another in a sequential order. In the LPM method, tasks are interdependent as each task needs to be completed before the initiation of the other task. Let's indulge in the key aspects or characteristics of Linear project management.
1. LPM follows a sequential and interdependent process as each phase constitutes beginning and ending timelines like without the end of the first project, the second project cannot be implemented and without the completion of the second project, the third can't be initiated and the list goes on and on.
2. The budgets, timelines, and objectives are already predetermined with a detailed plan allowing for very limited flexibility and low chances of Scope Creep.
3. Careful planning and documentation are required with defining milestones so that the project stays on track without any loopholes maintaining quality assurance in project management.
4. Due to the predetermined predictability of timelines, the budgeting and allocation of resources are easier which helps to avoid budget overruns.
5. Top-notch communication methods should be applied as every team member should be informed about every task so that everyone stag on the same platform and communication gap can be neglected.
LPM yields quite better results in comparison to other Agile, adaptive, or iterative models as every process is known previously, and exact stipulated outputs can be gained which results in effective management of costs, workload, deadlines, resources, and many more. For instance, the construction of a new bridge. The LPM model can be used in this as one phase of work needs to be completed before reaching the next phase.
1. LPM is very simple to use and easy to understand. Project members can easily understand this sequential approach and every update is flown to the team members along with expected outcomes.
2. Resources' allocation is done previously hence there is reductionism in expenses as requirements are determined on a previous basis.
3. Review and analysis methods are adopted as all requirements are expected ensuring the state quality in every step of the project.
4. Monitoring falls upon the roles and responsibilities of the project manager so the monitoring of progress is done frequently which enables tracking the issues and progress of the project.
5. The linear method offers the benefits of exactness in terms of project structure and presage ensuring that these methods can be best used for projects where less flexibility and scalability are required.
1. This method is very rigid and inflexible as everything is decided in front regarding beginning and ending points so it's very challenging to incorporate any new ideas or changes in the middle of the project.
2. Feedback and recommendation sessions are done after the end of the project development. Hence, the mistakes or inadvertent issues may go unnoticed and it takes plenty of time and budget to debug such loopholes.
3. Sometimes the limited resources' allocation and budget estimation may be limited in the project development process. Due to the limited room for flexibility, it may lead to financial issues in the later points.
4. In this fast-paced world of new tools, trends, and technologies, the original tech used may be moribund and no longer provide the services as anticipated before.
5. Due to the rigidity and flexibility issues, these methods may be unsuitable for organizations that may require frequent changes in technology, resources, and budget.
6. This project involves a sequential aka linear approach and this delay in such a project will create a domino effect on every task as one task is dependent on the completion of the other.
As Linear Project management consists of a rigid framework for managing projects as project management tools are also essential providing the proper structure, sequence of tasks, and enough transparency for all project members on the project. These project management tools include milestone tracking, Gantt charts, scope management, and many more. Click here to read the blog on Project Management tools so that you can grab enough knowledge. These tools help in team alignment, ease in predictability and visibility, and many other tangible and visible benefits. Microsoft Project, Wrike, and Smartsheet are the types of project management tools that assist in better project management. These tools help to break down complexities into a manageable form that helps in many ways. One should choose the right project management tool based on:
1. Project Size and Type
2. Project Complexity
3. Project Team Size
4. Possibility of remote and hybrid module collaboration
5. Integration with other software
Linear Project Management is effective for such projects that involve fixed sequential phases but its disadvantage of inflexibility may not be useful in constantly changing projects. But LPM excels in various sectors like pre-planned requirements selection, issue tracking, better team alignment, and many more. Hence, project managers and professionals should select this method after thorough research and analysis based on project size and other bases aforementioned above