What Are Project Management Methodologies and Why Are They Important?

What is a project management methodology, and why is it important to my business?

A project management methodology is a structured approach used to plan, execute and deliver projects effectively. It offers a clear structure for organizing tasks, managing resources and keeping projects moving forward. No matter your team’s size, the right methodology helps everyone stay aligned, accountable and focused from kickoff through completion.

Clint Padgett, CEO and president of Project Success Inc., emphasized that a clear, shared methodology is essential when team members have different levels of experience and institutional knowledge. 

“You might have 10 different people who come into the organization at 10 different times,” Padgett said. “Some are new, some have been there for five years and some have been there for 10 years. Some [may be] brand new to the company, but they have 25 years of experience. So you get all these different levels of experience and this different background of knowledge. You need to have a level set of what the process needs to look like.”

Maintaining consistency and managing deadlines are also crucial reasons for selecting and sticking with a project management methodology.

1. Maintain consistency across projects.

Project management skills and methodologies help teams manage scope, resources and timelines more effectively. Whether your team works on software development, marketing campaigns or operational changes, a clear methodology drives consistent, successful results, reducing risk and improving outcomes.

“The reason to implement a project management framework, approach or methodology is to be more consistent and repeatable around that project execution and hopefully increase the likelihood of project success,” said Alan Zucker, founding principal of Project Management Essentials. “When we don’t use a framework or a methodology, we end up with a chaotic approach. Rather than being able to improve our project outcomes, every project is just not that successful.”

2. Manage critical deadlines.

When selecting the right methodology for your team, Padgett noted that leaders must have a firm grasp of the role deadlines play in their organization.

“The first question is: Does the deadline matter? Because if the deadlines don’t matter, you can just use a checklist, and Excel will probably work just fine for you because you can just list all the activities and check them off as they’re done,” he said. “If deadlines matter, then the thing I would look for is, does the software have the capability of a critical path? Will the software identify which [tools] are making the project take the length of time that it does?”

What are the types of methodologies?

There is a wide variety of project management methodologies, each suited to different industries, teams and project goals. According to Zucker, even if a particular framework works well for one project, it may not be the best fit for another. Teams may need to adapt their approach based on how clearly defined the project is and how costly it would be to change course midstream.

“There’s different ways of thinking about which types of projects or which types of frameworks fit best for us,” Zucker said. “One of the ways is thinking about the cost of the change versus the clarity. Where the cost of change is low and the clarity of needs is low, Agile works well because, with our iterative approach, we can get feedback and use that feedback as a way of deciding what suits us. However, where the cost of change is high, clarity of needs is high — i.e., doing a construction project and blueprints, traditional [methods like Waterfall] work well.”

Below are some of the most widely used methodologies among business leaders and project teams.

• Agile
• Scrum
• Kanban
• Waterfall
• Lean
• Six Sigma
• DevOps
• PRINCE2 (Projects in Controlled Environments)
• SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework)
• Design Thinking
• RAD (Rapid Application Development)

Agile

Agile project management emphasizes adaptive planning, collaboration and continual improvement, making it ideal for fast-moving business environments. Teams work in short cycles to deliver incremental value and adjust to changing requirements quickly.

• What it is: Agile is an iterative project management framework rooted in the Agile Manifesto, developed in 2001 by software developers seeking a more flexible alternative to rigid, process-heavy models. Agile encourages continuous feedback and cross-functional teamwork to deliver value more quickly and efficiently.
• Projects to use it for: Agile is ideal for projects with evolving requirements, such as software development, mobile app creation, product design and marketing campaigns. It’s especially useful in industries where customer needs or technology trends shift rapidly.
• Tools: Popular Agile tools include Jira, which lets teams create interactive timelines, data-driven dashboards, reports and customizable workflow maps. Business owners can also use Asana, Trello, Zoho Sprints, Pivotal Tracker, ClickUp and Paymo for project management, development and customization. Monday.com is another widely used platform for Agile projects, including email marketing campaigns, thanks to its quick flexibility and ease of use. (Read our monday.com email marketing review to learn more.)

Scrum

Scrum is a specific Agile framework that helps teams structure their work into time-boxed sprints with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. It’s widely adopted for its discipline, speed and ability to produce working deliverables frequently and predictably.

• What it is: Scrum originated in the software development world but has since been adopted across many industries. It organizes work into fixed one- to two-week sprints, led by a Scrum Master, who facilitates progress and removes blockers. Scrum also includes defined roles such as the product owner and development team and promotes continuous feedback through regular reviews and retrospectives.
• Projects to use it for: Scrum is best suited for complex, evolving projects — particularly software development. It’s also used in product design, event planning and marketing workflows that benefit from repeatable, structured cycles.
• Tools: Popular Scrum tools include Jira and monday.com, which let teams build customizable Scrum boards and manage sprints and backlogs. Other tools include ClickUp, Targetprocess, VivifyScrum, Trello, MeisterTask, QuickScrum, nTask and Scrumwise.

Kanban

Kanban helps teams visualize and manage work using a card-based system organized on a physical or digital board. Its simplicity and flexibility make it easy to adopt and integrate into existing workflows, especially in operational or service-oriented environments.

• What it is: Originating from Toyota’s lean manufacturing processes, Kanban is a visual workflow method that focuses on continuous delivery without overburdening the team. It’s also a key component of Agile workflows. Cards represent tasks on a board and move through stages such as To Do, In Progress, In Review and Done.
• Projects to use it for: Kanban is ideal for customer-service management, editorial calendars, marketing campaign workflows and other ongoing or repeatable business processes that benefit from transparency and real-time updates.
• Tools: Visualize your work with Kanban boards to customize your workflow and optimize productivity. Popular tools include Trello, KanbanFlow, Zapier Interfaces, Kanban Tool, workstreams.ai, Kanbanchi, Microsoft Planner and Taskworld.

Waterfall

Waterfall is a linear, structured methodology often used in traditional industries. Each project phase must be completed before the next begins, making it best for well-defined projects with minimal expected changes. Waterfall is sometimes seen as outdated, but Padgett encourages business owners to give it a fair shot.

• What it is: The Waterfall method follows a sequential design process: planning/requirements, design, development/implementation, testing/verification and deployment/maintenance. Once one phase ends, the next begins. That predictability is valuable for projects in which changes are costly or disruptive. It can also suit team members who prefer focusing on one task at a time. Padgett recommends that teams using Waterfall hold biweekly meetings to review and update the project plan.
• Projects to use it for: Construction projects, enterprise software rollouts and compliance-heavy initiatives such as health-care and education systems benefit from Waterfall’s rigid structure and thorough documentation.
• Tools: Asana offers free templates for the Waterfall methodology, and it’s a popular choice for business leaders. Monday.com provides timeline- and dependency-tracking features ideal for Waterfall project planning. Other tools include ClickUp and Wrike.

Lean

The Lean framework focuses on delivering value to the customer by eliminating waste and optimizing workflows. This project management methodology is especially useful for organizations that want to boost efficiency and cut business costs.

• What it is: Lean project management stems from lean manufacturing principles developed by Toyota through the Toyota Production System. It promotes continuous improvement, team empowerment and prioritizing work that directly contributes to customer value.
• Projects to use it for: Lean is ideal for manufacturing process improvements, logistics optimization and operations projects in which reducing waste and increasing throughput are key goals.
• Tools: Tools that support Lean workflows include KaiNexus, InnovationCast, Crowdworx, ITONICS, Planview IdeaPlace, Ideawake and Viima. These platforms help track, automate and scale repeatable Lean processes.

Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a data-driven methodology that aims to improve processes by identifying and eliminating defects and reducing variability. It’s highly analytical and widely used for quality assurance across various industries.

• What it is: Developed by Motorola engineer Bill Smith in the 1980s, Six Sigma applies statistical tools and quality-management principles to systematically improve performance and product quality. It typically follows the DMAIC framework — define, measure, analyze, improve and control — for improving existing processes. For new products or processes, teams use DMADV: define, measure, analyze, design and verify.
• Projects to use it for: Six Sigma is ideal for complex, data-heavy projects that require precision, consistency and measurable quality improvements. It’s commonly used in health care, education, manufacturing and service-based industries.
• Tools: Monday.com can help track Six Sigma project phases and metrics. Other tools include Minitab, Microsoft Excel, JMP and SigmaXL for statistical analysis.

DevOps

DevOps brings together software development and IT operations to speed up delivery and improve reliability. It’s more than just a set of tools — it’s a cultural shift that relies on collaboration, automation and ongoing integration.

• What it is: DevOps promotes close collaboration between development and operations teams through practices such as automation, continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD). The methodology helps organizations release software more frequently, reliably and with improved quality.
• Projects to use it for: DevOps is ideal for cloud deployments, frequent software updates, infrastructure as code (IaC), and digital transformation initiatives that require speed, scalability and operational resilience.
• Tools: Popular DevOps tools include Atlassian Jira, Structure PPM, GitLab, Azure Boards and Amazon Web Services (AWS) DevOps. The tools help automate workflows, manage CI/CD pipelines and support real-time collaboration.

PRINCE2 (Projects in Controlled Environments)

PRINCE2 is a highly structured methodology used worldwide, especially in government and large enterprises. It focuses on organization, control and managing risk throughout a project’s lifecycle. 

• What it is: PRINCE2 provides a clear project governance structure with defined roles and responsibilities. It divides projects into stages with regular reviews to ensure alignment with business goals. Padgett advises larger companies to view this framework as one part of their toolkit, not a one-size-fits-all solution. Before implementing PRINCE2 via your project management software, bring the whole team together and clearly define the project scope.
• Projects to use it for: Ideal for projects that are complex or involve multiple stakeholders, such as infrastructure, telecommunications, finance, health care and public-sector programs.
• Tools: Templates and documentation are essential to PRINCE2. Use monday.com, Smartsheet, Airtable, Zoho Projects and Microsoft Project to build repeatable frameworks and monitor progress.

SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework)

SAFe helps larger organizations scale Agile practices across multiple teams and departments. It introduces structure and coordination when scaling like an enterprise, while still maintaining Agile’s flexibility.

• What it is: SAFe is a framework designed to align development, operations and strategy in large organizations. It brings structure to Agile workflows using Lean-Agile principles and a clear approach to planning and execution. By doing so, it supports Agile team productivity across departments and helps ensure goals remain aligned at every level.
• Projects to use it for: Use SAFe for enterprise software development, digital transformation and large-scale organizational change initiatives involving cross-functional teams.
• Tools: Targetprocess, monday.com and Planview LeanKit are useful for visualizing progress across teams. Jira Align, VersionOne and Digital.ai SAFe are tailored platforms for enterprise-level Agile scaling.

Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a user-focused approach to problem-solving that encourages creativity and innovation. It’s ideal for projects focused on understanding customer needs or designing new solutions.

• What it is: Design Thinking is a human-centered, iterative process that follows five phases: empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. This nonlinear method emphasizes experimentation, empathy and problem reframing. Through these five steps, teams research user needs, define key problems, brainstorm ideas, build prototypes and test solutions, often repeating phases as they refine the best outcome.
• Projects to use it for: Design Thinking is well suited for product design, service innovation, UX research and user journey mapping.
• Tools: Use platforms such as SessionLab, Sprintbase, InVision and Batterii to manage the full Design Thinking process. For tools specific to each phase, consider the following:
  • Empathize: Respondent.io, Hotjar, Mixpanel, Typeform, Zoom, Calendly
  • Define: Smaply, EnjoyHQ, Userforge, MakeMyPersona
  • Ideate: SessionLab Library, Stormboard, Ideaflip, Miro, MindMeister
  • Prototype: Boords, Balsamiq, POP, Figma, Proto.io
  • Test: UserTesting, PingPong, Maze, VWO

RAD (Rapid Application Development)

RAD is all about speed and user feedback. It favors rapid prototyping over long planning cycles, making it ideal for projects that require fast turnaround and adaptability.

• What it is: RAD is a fast-paced project management methodology that emphasizes building functional prototypes early and refining them through ongoing employee and customer feedback. The Agile-based approach minimizes upfront planning and maximizes flexibility through iterative development.
• Projects to use it for: RAD works well for custom software projects, web applications and proof-of-concept builds, especially when speed is more important than fully detailed specifications.
• Tools: Low-code platforms such as OutSystems and Zoho Creator are designed for RAD. Additional tools include Alpha Software, Mendix, WaveMaker and Kony, which help teams manage and track rapid development cycles.

After executing a project using a particular methodology, Zucker recommends reviewing your results and evaluating next steps.

“It’s [about] understanding how these frameworks work … and then noting the effort to figure out what’s not working and how we improve,” he said.