Why is the traditional project management approach less effective when project scope and technology are not well known?

The problem with the traditional approach or waterfall is that you have to define all the requirements upfront in order to estimate the duration and the cost of the project and then create the project plan. Usually in software projects, not all the requirements are known up-front and many requirements change (some are altered/some are dropped/some are added) throughout the liftetime of the project. Requirements changes are handled by an efficient process in traditional project management, which is called "change control". But when the requirements change very often, then it'll be very hard to control changes (and, less importantly, keep the project management up-to-date).

In such projects, Agile is a better alternative because Agile was created to accommodate non-static requirements.

Note that there are many articles out there debating whether Agile is a better approach or not, and whether Agile is actually a methodology or not.

answered 10 years ago by (46,940 points)

What are the problems of traditional project management?

Typical causes why projects fail Incomplete, scarcely analyzed and insufficiently detailed designs. Lack of performance measurement systems, not only those related to time, costs, productivity and quality, but also those focused on customer satisfaction. Lack of coordination between the different actors.

What is the difference between project management and traditional management?

While traditional project management methodology follows a linear approach, it can't manage complex projects where requirements are ambiguous, and work is complex. As we've mentioned earlier, you can't make sudden changes to this approach. Traditional is a better fit for less complex or small projects.

What is traditional project management approach?

Traditional project management is an approach executed in a linear sequence. The basic model includes initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure phases. It's essential to define the scope and project requirements at the start of the project.

Why traditional project management is used?

Traditional project management is a universal practice that includes a set of developed techniques used for planning, estimating, and controlling activities. The aim of those techniques is to reach the desired result on time, within budget, and in accordance with specifications.