Application of Project Management Using the Agile Approach and PRINCE 2 Methodologies

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Introduction

Various project management methodologies could be applied to different projects. However, knowing the differences between these methodologies helps the project manager determine the methodology best suited under a given scenario (Kerzner, 2013). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to conduct an in-depth analysis of the ever-evolving project management methodologies; The Agile approach, and PRINCE 2 to determine which project management methodology can be leveraged for the successful planning, controlling, and analysis of the project (Walker, 2015).

The project selected for this study is a construction project that involved building a hospitality facility within the new Lifestyle Centre in the village of Brentwood. The hospitality facility will be a three-star hotel of 100 rooms that will be capable of accommodating numerous guests who come to visit their elderly relatives regularly in Brentwood. Hence, using the project management methodologies The Agile approach and PRINCE 2, the researcher will determine the one methodology that will be more feasible to ensure effective planning, control, and analysis.

Discussion

Agile Project Development

This is a project management methodology that utilises short-term development cycles that are also known as sprints. This allows the project manager to focus on changes taking place during the project and continuously improve throughout the project lifecycle. Conforto et al. (2014) stated that the approach was initially designed for the software industry. However, this has been adopted by various other industries, including construction, finance, and education, because of its extremely efficient and collaborative nature.

Planning

Traditional project management expects a sequential plan to be devised for the whole project, which must be followed rigidly. Any form of deviation in a plan leads towards halting the project. It is resolved to get back to the original project plan (Dybå, Dingsøyr, and Moe, 2014). However, this is where APM is better than other project management methods. Using this method, the construction project manager will create a detailed plan and act on it in the short term to ensure early delivery of the project. With that, this approach also involved devising a risk mitigation plan for the entire project, ensuring that the project does not hit any roadblocks, as decisions are delayed until the last responsible moment. Thus, when it comes to using APM in the construction sector, there are various tools that can be used by project management in the construction of three-star hotels in Brentwood. These include the Design Structure Matrix (DSM) and Analytical Design Plan Technique (ADePT) (Browning, 2016). These tools will aid the process of heavyweight planning; another tool that could be used is Quality Function Deployment (QFD), a tool that could be used to detail the project requirements exhaustively and at the beginning (Sohi et al., 2016). Finally, a WBS will be utilised for the division of tasks and ensure the timely completion of the three-star hotel project.

Controlling

During this phase of agile project management, the design of the construction project for this study is a 3-star hotel in Brentwood will be measured using various metrics such as the cost of the project, the maintaining, and the sustainability of the project.