As we discussed here, managing innovation and new projects properly is extremely important for companies of all sizes and industries, although frequently overlooked -when looked at at all.

However, to do it properly, companies must have an appropriate methodology in place -if each team member uses a different tool, things won’t connect, and chaos will almost certainly ensue. There are a few of these methodologies widely spread throughout the market and used by many companies. The Project Management Institute (PMI) and its associates have been working on the PMBOK and have published seven editions of it. That is a collection of good practices that span from the initial project negotiation to the review of all its deliveries.

The PMBOK, despite bringing this list of suggestions on how to manage the diverse steps of a project, should be understood. It’s not a full, one-size-fits-all methodology. As a collection of good practices, companies and managers should select the ones that fit their reality and needs, rather than following everything blindly. The entirety of the PMBOK can be rather bureaucratic, making it time- and capital-consuming.

Not long ago, various agile methodologies were developed by different teams and organizations. The term “agile” is associated with the recent technological behemoths from Silicon Valley, and it was adopted because the PMBOK, as mentioned above, can be perceived as bureaucratic, slow, and overly complex with unnecessary steps and controls.

There’s gotta be a better way!

And that thought led to the creation of the Scrum, Kanban, and Lean project management methodologies. However, not all of the steps that those methodologies bring should also be blindly followed. Physical, personal, or time needs/constraints might not make any of those fully compatible with an organization’s reality.

So, even though those modern tools were created for the newer times, they suffer from the same issues as the PMBOK: it’s not for everyone. And if companies need something in place to help them manage their projects, but no single tool might fully meet their needs, what should they do? Create your own!

It’s essential to clarify what we mean by “create your own,” as it’s not advisable for each company to reinvent the wheel, especially since existing methodologies are constantly being developed and tested, with regular tweaks and improvements. Useful management methodologies are something hard to put together, and will very likely end up in another tool that will not fit all cases, but if you use parts of what already works, you can end up with something tailored and useful.

Maybe, then, the risk assessment tool that the PMBOK brings can be the right fit for you, but the project kick-off process described in the SCRUM methodology suits your company’s case more. By piecing together all the different tools and steps that make sense for you, the organization will find a tool -YOUR tool- that can become the single source of truth and standardize project management efforts, and just like any other methodology, it must be tested, verified, iterated, corrected, and retested. Companies might even use parts of modern and traditional methodologies, but ensure that the inputs and outputs for the diverse stages align and match.

There’s one catch in all of that, though. This “Frankstein” methodology needs a tool. Usually, apps such as Trello, ClickUp, or Asana can do the trick and help in most cases, but -again- not all. Just as the different parts and their connections need to be tested, the use of such a platform also needs to be tested and validated, including functionalities, user interface, reports, and automation possibilities. Most of those apps can also be configured and set up in different ways, which will require tests and someone who knows how to use the software effectively.

In summary, companies can develop their own methodologies and tailor them to their specific needs, but this process must be done thoughtfully and appropriately, without disrupting operations further.

Plan, test, iterate, correct, and implement.

Do you want to learn how an appropriate project management methodology can help your business in Oxford County, or any other part of Southern Ontario? Talk to us!