Learning Outcome 2: Understanding project life cycles

Question 1

2.1 What are the different phases in Linear, Iterative and Hybrid life cycles:

Answer 1

Linear has five phases:
1. Requirements Gathering
2. Design
3. Implementation
4. Testing
5. Deployment
Iterative has four phases:
1. Planning
2. Execution
3. Review
4. Refinements
Hybrid:
Involves using both sequential and adaptive approaches in the project. It may start with the linear phase for requirements gathering followed by an iterative phase for design and implementation and then end with a linear phase for testing and deployment. Alternatively a project may use a linear phase for project planning and an iterative phase for execution.

Question 2

What are Linear, Iterative and Hybrid life cycles, best suited to:

Answer 2

Linear: Well defined requirements and stable environments. Often used in manufacturing, construction, and software development projects.
Iterative: Changing requirements, high uncertainty, and complex environments.
Often used in software development, product development, and research projects.
Hybrid: Suitable for projects that have both well-defined requirements and changing requirements.

Question 3

What are the advantages of Linear, Iterative and Hybrid life cycles

Answer 3

Linear: Clear and straight forward planning
Easy monitoring, and control of project progress.
Iterative: Flexibility, adaptability, and continuous improvement
Hybrid: Flexibility and adaptability while maintaining control and structure.
Often used in software development project wrong product development and construction projects advantages flexibility, control, and the ability to manage changing requirements.
Allows the project team to tailor the lifecycle to fit the project’s unique needs.

Question 4

What are the disadvantages of Linear, Iterative and Hybrid life cycles

Answer 4

Linear: Sequential nature makes it challenging to accommodate changes in requirements during the implementation phase.
Inflexible and does not allow for feedback from stakeholders until the testing phase which, may result in delayed delivery, increased costs, and dissatisfied stakeholders.
Iterative: Challenging to manage, and the constant changes and feedback may lead to scope creep and budget overruns.
Requires a high level of collaboration and communication among team members and stakeholders
Hybrid: Requires a high level of project management expertise to determine the appropriate mix of linear and iterative phases. Can also be challenging to manage and may result in increased project complexity and cost.

Question 5

What are the differences between Linear, Iterative and Hybrid life cycles with regards to Planning

Answer 5

Differences:
Linear:
Detailed planning before deployment phase
Iterative:
Planning of each iteration before execution
Hybrid:
Combination of detailed planning in advance and planning for each iteration

Question 6

What are the differences between Linear, Iterative and Hybrid life cycles with regards to Execution

Answer 6

Linear:
Executing each stage sequentially without feedback until the testing phase.
Iterative:
Executing each iteration with continuous feedback and improvement.
Hybrid:
Combination of sequential and iterative execution.

Question 7

What are the differences between Linear, Iterative and Hybrid life cycles with regards to Adaptability

Answer 7

Linear:
Inflexible and doesn’t allow for significant changes in requirements during the deployment phase.
Iterative:
Allows for feedback and changes during each iteration.
Hybrid:
Allows for some changes during iterative phases, but more rigid through the linear phases.

Question 8

What are the differences between Linear, Iterative and Hybrid life cycles with regards to Risk

Answer 8

Linear:
More susceptible to risk due to inflexibility.
Iterative:
More adaptive and can reduce risks through continuous feedback and improvement.
Hybrid:
Can reduce risks through combination of inflexible and adaptive processes.

Question 9

What are the differences between Linear, Iterative and Hybrid life cycles with regards to Stakeholder Involvement

Answer 9

Linear:
Minimal until the testing phase.
Iterative:
Continuous stakeholder feedback and involvement.
Hybrid:
Mixture through sequential and iterative phases.

Question 10

2.2 Why projects are structured as phases in a linear life cycle

Answer 10

Phased project management is an approach to project management that breaks down a project into distinct phases or stages each with its own set of activities deliverables and milestones. Phases are usually organised in a linear sequence, where each phase builds on the previous one and leads to the next one.

Question 11

What are the characteristics of the four phases of a linear lifecycle.

Answer 11

1. Concept: this phase involves defining project scope, objectives, and stakeholders. It also includes the identification of project risks, assumptions, and constraints.
2. Definition: in this phase the project plan is developed, including the detailed scope, schedule, budget and resource requirements. The risk management plan is also created, and the project team is assembled.
3. Deployment: this is the phase where the actual project work is performed. The project team works on the tasks identified in the project plan, and the deliverables are produced.
4. Transition: this is the final phase, where the project is formally closed, and the final deliverables are handed over to the customer. This phase also involves conducting a post project review to identify lessons learned and best practises future projects.

Question 12

The 6 advantages of a linear lifecycle

Answer 12

1. Improved project planning – this enables detailed phase plans to be created with timelines, resources and budgets and enables early identification of potential issues.
2. Better control and monitoring – enables monitoring against the plan to identify variances and take corrective action.
3. Reduced risk – the identification and assessment of risks at the beginning enables early mitigation of potential risks.
4. Improved quality – by focussing on deliverables the project team can ensure that each deliverable meets the quality standard.
5. Clear communication – phased delivery provides a clear structure for communication, this helps ensure that everyone is aware of status and any issues are addressed quickly.
6. Better alignment with business goals – through defining the scope and objectives at the beginning of the project.

Question 13

The 6 disadvantages of a linear lifecycle

Answer 13

1. Inflexibility – can be difficult to adapt to changes in scope and requirements without impacting the rest of the project.
2. Limited Collaboration – can lead to working in silos when each phase is delivered by different teams, which can limit communication.
3. Overemphasis on planning – high emphasis on planning can be at the detriment of delivery.
4. Unforeseen issues – can be difficult to adapt quickly to issues.
5. Limited creativity – as each phase is focused on specific deliverables and milestones it can make it difficult to explore new approaches.
6. Costly- as each phase requires a separate set of resources and deliverables, can result in duplication leading to higher costs.

Question 14

The 4 stages of a conventional linear lifecycle

Answer 14

1. Concept: this phase involves the identification and definition of the projects objectives stakeholders and deliverables. It also involves conducting a feasibility study to determine if the project is viable and aligns with the organisation goal and its and objectives.
2. Definition: in this phase the project manager develops detailed project plan, including the scope , schedule, budget, and the resources required to deliver the project successfully.
3. Deployment: this phase involves the actual implementation of the project plan. The project team performs the tasks outlined in the project plan, and the project manager monitors progress against the plan.
4. Transition: in this phase the project is completed, and the project team conducts a post project review to assess the projects’ success and identify areas for improvement.

Question 15

The 3 additional stages of an extended linear lifecycle

Answer 15

1. Benefits realisation: this phase involves identifying and quantifying the benefits the project will deliver and developing a plan to realise those benefits. The project team works with stakeholders to ensure that the benefits are achievable and aligned to the organisation goals and objectives.
2. Operations: this phase involves implementing the projects deliverables and ensuring that they are integrated into the organisation’s operations. This includes training employees creating standard operating procedures and developing a plan to support the ongoing use of the project deliverables.
3. Maintenance: this this phase involves ensuring that the project deliverables continue to meet the organisation needs and operate effectively efficiently. This includes monitoring system performance, identifying and addressing issues , and making necessary upgrades and modifications.

Question 16

2.4 Role of Knowledge and Information Management in decision making

Three ways it can impact decision making

Answer 16

The decision making process involves identifying problems or opportunities, gathering information and knowledge, analysing the options, and selecting the best course of action. Knowledge and information management can impact the decision in several ways:
1. Can provide decision makers with a comprehensive understanding of the problem or opportunity by gathering and analysing relevant data, decision makers can gain valuable insights into the nature of the problems or opportunity the potential risks and benefits of possible courses of action.
2. Can enable decision makers to identify and evaluate a range of options, by drawing on internal and external knowledge resources decision makers can identify a range of potential solutions to the problem or opportunity, evaluate the pros and cons of each option select the best course of action
3. Can help decision makers to monitor and evaluate the outcome of their decisions. By tracking key performance indicators and other metrics decision makers can evaluate the effectiveness their decisions, identify areas for improvement , and adjust their strategies accordingly.

Question 17

2.5 The three times that reviews are conducted throughout the lifecycle of a project

Answer 17

1. Decision Gates - Conducted at specific points in the project lifecycle, they enable project managers and stakeholders to make informed decisions about project continuation. If the project has not met specific criteria the review team may recommend re-planning or termination, or if it has met the criteria approve moving onto the next stage.
2. Benefits Reviews - Conducted after project completion in order to determine whether a project has achieved its intended benefits or not.
3. Audits - Independent assessments of project documentation, processes and results, they provide objective assessments of project performance.

Question 18

Six Benefits of conducting reviews throughout the lifecycle of the project:

Answer 18

1. Early identification of issues and risks - Project managers can identify issues and risks early before they become major problems this enables preventative actions to be taken early.
2. Improved project performance – Promotion of continuous improvement enabling project managers to identify best practise areas of improvements and lessons learned that can be applied to future projects.
3. Improved decision making - Provide stakeholders with insights into the project performance enabling them to make informed decisions about project status, risks and opportunities this promotes transparency and accountability.
4. Compliance with standards and regulations - Promote compliance with relevant standards and regulations enabling project managers to mitigate risks associated with non-compliance.
5. Reduced costs - Can help identify where costs can be reduced such as inefficient processes or unnecessary activities this can lead to cost savings and increased profitability.
6. Improved communication and collaboration - reviews throughout project lifecycle promote collaboration and communication approach amongst project team members enabling them to work together effectively to achieve project goals.

Question 19

2.6 Six reasons why projects may close early

Answer 19

1. Lack of proper planning and execution.
2. Insufficient budget or resources.
3. Unforeseen circumstances and changes in priorities
4. Misalignment of project goals and business objectives
5. Poor communication and collaboration
6. Lack of stakeholder engagement and support