Is PMP Agile or Waterfall ?

Is PMP Agile or Waterfall ?

Learning Mudra, Category - PMP

PMP and its Importance

PMP, which stands for Project Manager Professional, is a certification provided by the Project Management Institute, PMI, in the field of project management. PMP certification is considered as the gold standard among all project management certifications and is a great way to advance your career in the field of project management. The PMP certification is not industry specific and is equally important in all industries ranging from software development to construction project management. According to a survey conducted by PMI, the median salary of people with PMP certification is 25% higher than the people who do not have PMP certification.

Agile Vs Waterfall

Now the question is what is the difference between Agile and Waterfall.

• Waterfall is a linear life cycle sequential model. It basically divides the project into phases. Also, the Waterfall model does not allow for any scope changes or changes in requirements once the project has started. Waterfall is a rigid process and does not allow for changes but it is an easy to manage and has a sequential process. The construction industry generally follows the waterfall model
• Agile is a continuous iteration of development and testing. It basically divides the project into sprints. Also, the Agile model allows for scope changes or changes in requirements even after the project has begun. Testing is performed along with the development in Agile. Agile is a flexible model and works best where there is a high chance of requirement changes after the start of the project. The Information Technology industry is known to follow the Agile model.

PMBOK being interpreted as Waterfall

Now the question is whether PMP is Agile or Waterfall. So far up till 2020, the PMP exam was based on the PMBOK Guide 6th edition and the methodologies and frameworks prescribed on it basically resembled the waterfall model although the PMBOK Guide does not specifically dictate any particular methodology and leaves it upon the reader to determine which methodology is to be used for their project. May be the reason for everyone associating the PMBOK with waterfall model is that at the time the PMBOK guide was written, the waterfall model was the most prevalent model and it provided a framework that supported all of the PMBOK Guide practices.

Evolution of PMBOK

But as times changed, the PMBOK guide evolved and became more detailed with its practices, processes and methodologies. An important inference that was made out of the PMBOK Guide was that there is no hard and fast rule about choosing a particular model, either waterfall or Agile. The selection of the appropriate model depends on the requirements of the project and is a decision that has to be made by the project managers.

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Interpretation of PMBOK

The PMBOK® Guide says that the change from one phase to another phase usually involves some kind of technical transfer or hand off. This kind of phrasing is what leads readers to believe that only the waterfall methodology is relevant when following PMBOK® Guide practices. But if were to believe “hand-off” to mean that there is a hand off of an increment of code to the stakeholder to use in whatever way they want to, then agile is still in line with the most basic processes and practices of the PMBOK® Guide. When each iteration comes to an end, the team completes an increment of code and then the customer reviews it. Whatever might be the outcome, the subsequent iteration will start as it was originally planned.

Rise of Agile

In recent times, Agile technologies have proved to have improved quality, productivity and customer satisfaction and there has been a popular support for the adoption of the Agile Technologies in Project Management. The PMBOK Guide has supported the validity of the newer Agile technologies and PMI has also supported the training of the Project Managers in Agile Project Management. In 2021, PMI made changes to the PMP exam. Subsequently, a new PMBOK Guide would also be introduced which would be the 7th edition of the PMBOK. According to these changes, Agile technologies would be a must. According to PMI, Half of the test will be heavily focusing on Agile or hybrid technologies.

Conclusion to the Topic: Is PMP Agile or Waterfall ?

In conclusion, the PMP is neither Agile nor Waterfall. PMP is based on the PMBOK guide which has practices and frameworks which are in line with both Waterfall model and the Agile Technologies. It just depends on the interpretation of the reader and the requirement of the project. However, a little more emphasis would be given on Agile technologies for the PMP exam as Agile is the future and has shown incredible results in recent times.

Importance of Learning Mudra

Both Agile and Waterfall are complicated models and it is important to learn them well. Moreover, it is important to be able to interpret the PMBOK Guide wisely in order to make decisions regarding the choice of the appropriate model for the project. Also, the person needs to learn all the above discussed, in order to pass the PMP Exam. Therefore, it is important to enroll in the best PMP Training Institute, Learning Mudra, which teaches all these models, the PMBOK Guide and helps in improving the decision making for a real-life project.