21/03/2017 Project Life Cycle Iterative and Adaptive

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Project Management Life Cycle-Iterative & Adaptive

 JUNE 23, 2014  | NAMITA GUPTA
Homepage (https://www.izenbridge.com) > Blog (https://www.izenbridge.com/blog/) > PMP (https://www.izenbridge.com/blog/category/pmp/) >
Organizational Inꪾ�uences and Project Life Cycle (https://www.izenbridge.com/blog/category/pmp/organizational-inꪾ�uences-and-project-life-
cycle/) > Project Management Life Cycle-Iterative & Adaptive (https://www.izenbridge.com/blog/project-management-life-cycle-iterative-
adaptive/)

All projects across industries follow a life cycle approach. Often I have seen there are so many questions in mind
for  many  PMP®  (http://www.izenbridge.com/pmp/online­course/)  aspirants  on  different  types  of  life  cycles.
Why do we really need anything other than predictive life cycle, which goes quite sequential and looks perfect?
What are these new buzz words, i.e. iterative & adaptive? What these new life cycles do differently? Let’s clarify
all these doubts today and be ready to answer all the questions revolving around it.

First of all we shall look at what is a Predictive Life Cycle

“Predictive life cycles are ones in which the project scope, and the time
and cost required to deliver that scope, are determined as early in the
project life cycle as practically possible”
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This life cycle is known as plan driven life cycle TOP
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This life cycle is where requirements are defined early and not expected to change

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21/03/2017 Project Life Cycle Iterative and Adaptive

With this, project phases proceed through sequential or overlapping mode
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Change during the later stages of projects cause huge cost over runs
The end result is delivered only at the completion of all the phases
E.g.  a  yearlong  project  will  have  Planning,  Analysis,  Design,  Code,  testing  phases  one  by  one  and  then  the
final result is delivered over a year

Now  we  are  clear  how  this  most  common  life  cycle  work.  Let’s  go  to  the  next  step.  What  is  an  iterative  life
cycle?

“Iterative and incremental life cycles are ones in which project phases
(also called iterations) intentionally repeat one or more project
activities as the project team’s understanding of the product increases.
Iterations develop the product through a series of repeated cycles,
while increments successively add to the functionality of the product”

This life cycle is used for projects where change in the scope need to be managed
In this life cycle plan is detailed for coming iterations and high level vision is created for rest
With this, project phases proceed through sequential or overlapping mode in every iteration
Change during the project is naturally handled in upcoming iterations
The end result is delivered at the end of each iteration
E.g. a yearlong project will have 3 months iterations and each iteration will execute Planning, Analysis, Design,
Code, testing phases and deliver the result at the end of the iteration

Ok, we now understand these two bits, i.e. Predictive and Iterative and this is pretty much everything one can
do, then what this adaptive life cycle is

“Adaptive life cycles (also known as change-driven or agile methods)

are intended to respond to high levels of change and ongoing
stakeholder involvement. Adaptive methods are also iterative and
incremental, but di៛�er in that iterations are very rapid (usually with
duration of 2 to 4 weeks) and are fixed in time and cost”

This  life  cycle  is  used  for  projects  where  rapid  changes  are  expected  and  scope  is  not  possible  to  define  up
front
In this life cycle scope is decomposed into a set of requirements known as product backlog and getting picked
as per priority from the set in every iteration
With this, project phases proceed through sequential or overlapping mode in every iteration
Change during the project is naturally handled in rapid iterations
The end result is delivered at the end of each 2­4 week iteration
E.g. a yearlong project will have multiple 2­4 week iteration and each iteration will execute Planning, Analysis,
Design, Code, testing phases and deliver the result at the end of the iteration

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This is how the world is moving, especially the software industry. The transition is happening from predictive to
iterative  to  adaptive  i.e.an  agile  way  of  working.  PMBOK®  Guide  Fifth  Edition    (http://www.pmi.org/PMBOK­
Guide­and­Standards.aspx) also included flavors of Agile in it in the form of adaptive life cycle. Ever changing
needs of customers and inability to foresee the market and predict the behavior is the key driver to make this
transition.

Let’s quickly recap the similarities and differences of all these three types of life cycles

Particular Predictive Iterative Adaptive

Stages/ Can happen sequentially or Can happen sequentially or Can happen sequentially or
Phases overlap overlap overlap

Planning/ Analysis/ Design / Planning/ Analysis/ Design/ Planning/ Analysis/ Design/ Code/
Stages/Phases
Code/ testing all takes place Code/ testing all takes place testing all takes place

De៯�ned for upcoming iteration Scope is set in the form of features

De៯�ned upfront at the
Scope and high level vision for the from which features are picked for
beginning
rest the current iteration

At initial phases/stages can Taken care even more rapid

be accommodated. Cost
Change
overruns as late it comes up
during project Lifecycle
Taken care with less cost
changes every 2-4 weeks with less
impact during the planning of
cost impact during planning of
the next iteration
next iteration

The risk of change/ feedback The risk of change/ feedback is The risk of change/ feedback is
Risk is huge at later stages/ less as iterations reduce it least as iterations are too small
phases naturally and reduces it naturally

Customer feedback is Customer feedback is received

received at the end of the
Customer
project only and customer
Feedback
involvement is more at the
beginning and end
Customer feedback is received at
at the end of each iteration
the end of each rapid iteration.
with which customers are
Customers are involved/engaged
involved multiple times during
continuously
the project

Used for projects where the
product to be delivered is
Complexity well understood and
complexities are not there to
handle
Used where a change in
objectives/ scope need to be
managed and complexity
reduction is required as the
project progresses
Used in a rapidly changing
environment, where scope/
requirements are di៝�cult to de៯�ne
in advance and possible to de៯�ne
small increments

Delivery happens at the end Delivery happens at the end of Delivery happens very rapidly after
Delivery/Value only once and the customer each iteration and customer each 2-4 weeks and customer get
gets value at the end gets value early in the project the value delivered very frequently

You can watch and listen to the live video presentation on predictive, iterative and adaptive life cycles here:

PMP® FAQs : Iterative versus Adaptive Life Cycle | iZenBridge

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You can join the discussion on the same in our Forum (http://forum.izenbridge.com). You can also log into our
YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/user/izenbridge ) channel watch the video on the same
 

Article Summary

Article Name Project Management Life Cycle-Iterative & Adaptive

Description What is predictive, iterative and adaptive life cycle? Find out the basic di៛�erences
between predictive, iterative and adaptive life cycles?

Author Namita Gupta

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Namita Gupta

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(mailto:namita.gupta19@gmail.com)
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Ashutosh Ghildiyal • 3 months ago
Can someone give a simple example/ilustration
of an adaptive life cycle
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Seema Sonkiya PMI PBA  Mod   > Ashutosh Ghildiyal  •  3 months ago

Please watch following video, it will give many examples of adaptive life cycle:

Webinar on Selecting Right Project Life Cycle

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Ashutosh Ghildiyal > Seema Sonkiya PMI PBA • 3 months ago
Thanks, the video did help in making the understanding better. Also was looking for real example than general explanation. Example
like Construction of a house may come under predictive life cycle, Construction of a Sports stadium (in case this example is
correct) under iterative and for adaptive life cycle..?
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Nitika • a year ago
Nice explanation. covered with a nice explanation and perfect pictorial diagram. thanks again
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Saket Bansal  Mod   > Nitika  •  a year ago

Thank you for your comment , checkout our discussion forum for PMP related topics , forum.izenbridge.com
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hitender • 2 years ago
Perfect explanation.Cleared all doubts
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Saket Bansal > hitender • 2 years ago
Thank you for commenting and i am happy to know that you found this blog useful.

Regards,
Saket
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Dipti Raisoni • 2 years ago

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Dipti Raisoni • 2 years ago
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Nice explanation really covered gaps after several reads of PMBOK
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Namita Gupta > Dipti Raisoni • 2 years ago
Thanks Dipti
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