Fundamentals of Project Management

What is Project Management?

Project Management is the structured way of planning, organizing, and executing tasks to achieve a goal within a timeframe, budget, and scope.

Five Stages of Project Management

Initiation – Defining the project goal and scope (e.g., deciding your capstone problem statement).

Planning – Breaking down tasks, setting deadlines, and allocating resources.

Execution – Doing the actual work (coding, testing, debugging).

Monitoring & Controlling – Tracking progress, handling blockers, and making adjustments.

Closing – Wrapping up, reviewing learnings, and finalizing the deliverable.

Types of Project Management

Waterfall Model (Traditional, Sequential Approach)

• Linear and structured: Each phase is completed before the next begins.
• Best for well-defined projects where requirements don’t change.
• Downside: Changes are hard to implement once the project starts.

Agile Model (Iterative, Flexible Approach)

• Incremental development: Work is done in short cycles (sprints), and feedback is continuously integrated.
• Best for dynamic projects where requirements evolve.
• Advantage: Encourages collaboration, adaptability, and customer feedback.

Features of Agile Methodology

Agile means flexibility, speed, and adaptability.

It focuses on iterative development, where smaller, working pieces of the project are delivered and improved continuously.

Agile practices respond to customer feedback in real time, ensuring the product evolves according to user needs.