Module 3: The project management life cycle and methodologies

Coursera: “Foundations of Project Management“

Understanding the project life cycle

1. Exploring the phases of the project life cycle

Question: Identify the correct order of the project life cycle.

• Initiate the project, execute and complete tasks, make a plan, close the project
• Make a plan, initiate the project, execute and complete tasks, close the project
• Initiate the project, make a plan, execute and complete tasks, close the project

2. Practice Quiz: Test your knowledge: Understanding the project life cycle

Question 1. What are some potential consequences of rushing through the initiation phase of a project? Select all that apply.

• Impact to previous projects
• Impact to the budget
• Impact to quality
• Impact to the timeline

Question 2: Imagine that a project manager has just begun working on a project for a trucking logistics company. The customer wants to see a proposal as soon as possible, but it is taking the project manager longer than expected because he needs more input from stakeholders and the project team. What should the project manager do to turn the project into a success?

• Tell the customer he will need four to six weeks to formulate a proposal.
• Ask the customer for more time to consult with stakeholders and the project team to deliver an accurate cost and timeline proposal.
• Immediately provide the customer the most recent comparable cost and timeline estimate for the work.
• Research the cost and timeline for similar projects at other trucking logistics companies and share that information with the customer.

Question 3: What are the main phases of the project life cycle? Select all that apply.

• Initiate the project
• Make a plan
• Define project roles
• Execute and complete tasks
• Close the project

Question 4: What are three benefits of closing a project? Select all that apply

• Celebrate the team’s success
• Share the team’s accomplishments with people outside the team
• Remove any obstacles that come up
• Evaluate what worked and what didn’t work

Analyzing the different project phases

1. Phases in action: Initiating and planning

Question: What does a project manager do in the project initiation phase of the project life cycle? Select all that apply.

• Close the project
• Define project goals
• Get project approval
• Determine resources, people, and project details

2. Phases in action: Executing and closing

Question: Which of the following activities are part of the “execute and complete tasks” project phase? Select all that apply.

• Confirm the acceptance of project outcomes
• Manage project progress
• Make adjustments to the project
• Communicate with the project team

3. Practice Quiz: Test your knowledge: Analyzing the different project phases

Question 1: What is the project manager’s primary job in phase three (execute and complete tasks) of the project life cycle?

• Monitor the project team as they complete tasks and break down any barriers
• Build out the project schedule to properly manage resources, budget, and timeline
• Document lessons the team learned during the project
• Step in to complete tasks when the team falls behind

Question 2: Phase two of the project life cycle (make a plan) includes which two of the following tasks?

• Break down any barriers that would slow or stop the team from completing tasks
• Determine the purpose and mission of the project
• Identify milestones and tasks
• Set the project schedule

Question 3: During which phase of the project life cycle does a project manager hand off all remaining deliverables?

• Close the project
• Initiate the project
• Execute and complete tasks
• Make a plan

Question 4: Imagine a project manager oversees their company’s transition to a new financial management system. They determine that the project goal is to make the financial portal easier for employees to use. They also identify key stakeholders and outline project objectives. During which phase of the project life cycle do these activities take place?

• Close the project
• Initiate the project
• Execute and complete tasks
• Make a plan

Comparing project management methodologies and approaches

1. Introduction to project management methodologies

Question: What is a project management methodology?

• A set of guiding principles and processes for owning a project through its life cycle
• A tangible outcome from the project
• An activity that needs to be accomplished within a set period of time by the project manager, team, or stakeholders

2. Discussion prompt: Evaluating approaches

Question: Consider the different steps of the Waterfall and Agile project management approaches and consider the benefits of each one. Then, reflect on a project that you recently completed. Write 5-10 sentences on which approach you would use if you were starting it from scratch, and why.

Then, visit the discussion forums to learn from your peers’ experiences, and reply to at least two posts.

Answer: Given the dynamic nature of modern projects, I would choose the Agile approach for its flexibility and iterative development. Agile’s emphasis on collaboration and continuous feedback enables quicker adaptation to evolving requirements and market conditions. This fosters a more dynamic and responsive project environment, aligning closely with stakeholder expectations. In contrast, while Waterfall provides structure and clarity, its sequential nature may not suit projects with shifting requirements. Agile’s iterative process ensures that the end product evolves in line with stakeholder needs, making it the preferred choice for dynamic projects.

3. Introduction to Lean and Six Sigma

Question: In which DMAIC step do project managers begin to identify gaps and issues?

• Define
• Measure
• Analyze
• Improve
• Control

Review: The project management life cycle and methodologies

Module 3 Challenge

Question 1: Which project management methodology is organized in sequential phases (including initiating, planning, executing, and closing)?

• DMAIC methodology
• Waterfall methodology
• Lean Six Sigma methodology
• Agile methodology

Question 2: As a project manager, your team is launching a new product. Each step to launch the product includes clearly defined tasks. A task won’t begin until another task ends. Also, once the project starts, any changes to the product will be expensive. Which project management methodology is best for this project?

• Lean Six Sigma methodology
• Waterfall methodology
• Agile methodology
• Scrum methodology

Question 3: While planning the project, a project manager considers possible delays, budget changes, and legal issues. What are they trying to reduce by considering these things?

• Deliverables
• Risks
• Plans
• Resources

Question 4: After a team meeting, the project manager realizes there might be a delay in delivery due to an unexpected obstacle. They reach out to the clients to explain the situation. At what stage of the project would this event take place?

• Planning
• Initiation
• Execution
• Closing

Question 5: In which project phase does the project manager break down barriers for teammates and address weaknesses in task processes?

• Close the project
• Execute the project
• Make a plan
• Initiate the project

Question 6: What are the phases of the project life cycle?

• Initiate the project, make a plan, communicate progress, close the project
• Initiate the project, make a plan, measure and analyze tasks, close the project
• Make a plan, initiate the project, communicate progress, close the project
• Initiate the project, make a plan, execute and complete tasks, close the project

Question 7: Why should project managers always make a plan (phase two) before executing and completing tasks (phase three)?

• Because creating a budget, setting a schedule, and determining roles and responsibilities is crucial to developing the project charter
• Because executing and completing tasks is crucial to creating a budget, setting a schedule, and determining roles and responsibilities
• Because creating a budget, setting a schedule, and determining roles and responsibilities is crucial to executing and completing tasks
• Because executing and completing tasks is crucial to understanding scope, cost, and timeline

Question 8: Which answer best describes the Waterfall project management methodology?

• Created in the eighties, the Waterfall methodology refers to the sequential ordering of phases, including defining, measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling.
• Created in the seventies, the Waterfall methodology refers to the sequential ordering of phases, including initiating, planning, executing, and closing.
• Created in the eighties, the Waterfall methodology refers to being able to move quickly and easily through a project by combining and eliminating tasks.
• Created in the nineties, the Waterfall methodology refers to being able to move quickly and easily through a project by working on many tasks at once.

Question 9: What is the main advantage of the Agile approach over the Waterfall methodology?

• Agile takes a flexible approach, letting teams make adjustments as they go.
• Agile allows the project manager to make centralized decisions and assign tasks.
• Agile focuses on reducing waste within an operation.
• Agile has clearly defined expectations and helps teams avoid expensive changes to a project once it has started.

Question 10: What phase in the Lean Six Sigma methodology focuses on collecting data to look at the current process and locate exactly where the problems are?

• Analyze
• Define
• Control
• Measure

Question 11: Which of the following are project manager responsibilities during the initiation phase? Select all that apply.

• Determine resources needed
• Set the schedule
• Get project approval
• Define project goals

Question 12: A project manager writes weekly progress reports and adjusts the project timeline as the team completes tasks. At what stage of the project do these events occur?

• Planning
• Execution
• Closing
• Initiation

Question 13: In which project plan phase does the project manager celebrate successes and release the team to support other projects within the company?

• Initiate the project
• Execute the project
• Make a plan
• Close the project

Question 14: Which project management tool involves sticky notes or note cards to represent the team’s tasks with categories like “To do”, “In progress”, and “Done”?

• Lean
• Agile
• Waterfall
• Kanban

Stella Thắm