What is a Methodology?

In my quest to define methodology, I started by asking colleagues and associates some questions with the intent of stirring the pot. I received at least 20 different definitions of what a methodology is and used only those definitions that seemed helpful. The questions I posed were: What is a methodology? Should there be many methodologies? Is one better than another? How would you know which phases to adopt? How can we apply these results to a project? The answers to those questions resulted in the following definition of a methodology:

A methodology is a set of guidelines or principles that can be tailored and applied to a specific situation. In a project environment, these guidelines might be a list of things to do. A methodology could also be a specific approach, templates, forms, and even checklists used over the project life cycle.

A methodology can also be defined in other ways; for example:

A process that documents a series of steps and procedures to bring about the successful completion of a project.

A defined process for accomplishing an end.

A series of steps through which the project progresses.

A collection of methods, procedures, and standards that define a synthesis of engineering and management approaches designed to deliver a product, service, or solution.

An integrated assembly of tasks, techniques, tools, roles and responsibilities, and milestones used for delivering the project.

A formal project methodology should lead the work of all team members throughout the life cycle of a project. All members of a team should be familiar with and use the chosen methodology throughout their projects. Many project management methodologies address the management of a single project, without appreciating that many other projects in a company compete for the very same resources and attention. The project management methodology should also provide project managers with the perspective that there is a project management framework and associated methodologies present in the company. It may be useful to think about what a project management methodology is not:

A quick fix.

A silver bullet. A temporary solution. A cookbook approach for project success.

How Many Methodologies Are There?

There is no one-size-fits-all methodology. Some companies have methodologies that cover everything from an initial sales call to operational support, while others cover merely the aspect of design and development. Most published books discussing methodologies focus on one role the IT community. These books elaborate on how specific IT designs should be performed, discussing a few techniques and a few drawing standards for a specific methodology. Fitting this into your companys idea of a project methodology framework is sometimes difficult to understand, impractical, and not always easy to implement.

There is an additional problem with the single universal project methodology approach. Many project managers have found that, in practice, you cannot simply use a methodology exactly as it stands. They soon realized that they needed to modify and tailor whichever methodology they selected to suit their own company project needs. They followed a pick-and-choose approach, using what they needed.

When examining methodologies later in this book, we see that a methodology is larger when it contains more elements. Because a methodology exists primarily for project managers to coordinate project team members, coordination is appropriately larger on a large project. The methodology grows proportionally to the number of roles and work product types. Therefore, we should not expect a small-team methodology to work properly for a big team, or a big-team methodology for a small team. Thus, you need to be practical about selecting an appropriate methodology.

Shortcomings of Many Project Methodologies

There are shortcomings to any methodology. Before we start by describing the best way to proceed with project methodologies, we need to first understand where methodologies can possibly go wrong. In my search for the uber-methodology to recommend, I realized that many project methodologies:

Are abstract and high level.

Contain insufficient narratives to support these methodologies.