Hybrid vs Agile Approach: Which is Better for Efficient Project Management

You start working on a new project.

Not having any set method in place, you simply start planning and execute the project as it seems fit.

Will the project see the light of day?

Probably not, right?

With 93% of organizations reporting the standardized use of project management practices, you cannot afford to lag behind with an inappropriately implemented strategy.

According to the Principles of Management, “Initiative” plays a significant role. Unless you are taking the right initiative to recognize and implement the perfect project management methodology, ensuring successful project execution and coveted ROI will be difficult.

In this blog post, we compare the two popular project management methodologies – hybrid and agile. Let the hybrid vs agile comparison begin!

The Agile Project Management Methodology

Agile project management methodology refers to:

“ the iterative approach to designing and guiding project processes.”

The methodology prioritizes the rapid delivery of a particular application in its complete functional components.

As part of the latest developmental approach to project management, the pure Agile method focuses on organizing tasks and schedules in boxed phases called sprints.

Each sprint has a pre-determined duration with a running list of deliverables planned at the beginning.

In case the planned work for the sprint cannot be completed on time, the work is subjected to reprioritization and the information is utilized for other sprint planning for the future. As the assigned project is completed, it can be reviewed and analyzed by the team.

Now that we are already aware of the primary functionality of the Agile Project Management approach, let’s evaluate the major advantages and disadvantages associated with the same.

Advantages of Agile Project Management Methodology:

• Allows managers to keep track of the work being delivered.
• Helps managers in making crucial decisions and changes throughout the project lifecycle
• Quicker in producing a basic version of the working software.
• User-oriented developmental process

Disadvantages of Agile Project Management Methodology:

• Possibility of deliverables to be incomplete within the specified frame o
• Very frequent changes or refactoring required
• Feasible mostly when the team members are located in the same territory

Meet Project Deadlines Easily By Adopting the Agile Approach. Try ProProfs Project for Free.

Hybrid Project Management Approach

There are many project managers who still use traditional project management methodology. However, this methodology has its limitations. So, instead of changing the entire methodology, many managers are adopting the hybrid approach.

What is the hybrid project management methodology?

Project management is gradually evolving just like any other profession. In today’s world, many organizations look at project management as a gateway to linking their projects with other strategies.

This, as a result, calls for a dramatic deliverance of higher efficiency in project execution, candidate identification and establishment of a better competitive advantage. This is where the concept of Hybrid/Waterfall project management approach comes in. It is said to play a crucial role in conflict management where the project managers often have to intervene in order to resolve disputes between two parties.

In simpler terms, agile + waterfall = hybrid methodology.

The Hybrid methodology is primarily based on the following fundamental aspects:

✓ Accumulating and documenting requirements

✓ Designing

✓ Coding and unit testing

✓ Performing system testing

✓ Performing user acceptance testing

✓ Fixing all issues

✓ Delivering the end product

Taking each of the aforementioned elements into consideration, it is to be noted that the very concept of a Hybrid project management approach brings forth a series of significant pros and cons.

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Related Read: 5 Project Management Methodologies for Startups

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Advantages of Hybrid Project Management Methodology:

• Both the developers and consumers agree on the deliverables at an early stage in the development lifecycle
• Progress can be marked easily as the entire scope of work is already known in advance
• Business analysts are more likely to scrutinize and document all primary requirements of the project
• Testers can eventually prepare test scripts from the “requirement” documentation while coding takes place simultaneously

Disadvantages of Hybrid Project Management Methodology:

• Inability to track deliverables or whether the set deadlines will be met
• Continuous administrative intervention to resolve team conflicts results in a waste of time and effort

The Hybrid approach can be a better choice to opt for if your organization is primarily based on the theory of competitive advantage, thus, accepting the fluidity of projects. This, as a result, paves ways for a more nuanced approach to work.

Now that you know about the different fundamental aspects of Hybrid and Agile Project Management approaches, making a choice between the two is the bigger question.

Hybrid vs Agile Project Management Methodology: Which is Better?

#	Agile Project Management	Hybrid Project Management
1	Consumers involvement is available throughout the project.	Consumer involvement needed only at milestones.
2	Mid-project changes are possible, but affect project expenses, schedules and other factors.	Changes aren’t easily implemented in this methodology, it is best that project scope is known during project initiation.
3	Best for smaller or mid-sized companies with high-level team coordination.	In hybrid project management methodology, team coordination is limited to handoff points.
4	Project funding plans are easily implemented through this methodology.	Hybrid approach is a little complicated to implement project funding plans effectively.

Hybrid VS Agile: What’s the Best Bet?

With our agile vs traditional project management comparison, it is evident that both these project development methodologies have their individual functional traits.

So, put on your thinking cap, analyze each of the features and key functional areas of the approaches closely and consider roping in the one that fits your project best.

Always make sure you choose a project management software, like ProProfs Project, that implements the methodology perfectly by offering you all the needed features to execute projects effortlessly.

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Recommended Read:

• Kanban vs. Scrum: Which to Use?
• Top 51 Project Management Tools
• How to Identify Project Scope