{"id":4083,"date":"2023-02-09T16:53:51","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T16:53:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/?p=4083"},"modified":"2025-05-15T12:38:02","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T12:38:02","slug":"project-life-cycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-life-cycle","title":{"rendered":"Mastering the project life cycle: Your complete guide (+ examples)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The project life cycle<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, just like a good story, has a beginning, a middle, and (hopefully) a happy end. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The beginning involves the ever-so-important planning; then comes the middle, where teams complete various tasks to move the project closer to completion; and finally, an end to review what went well and what didn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This, in a nutshell, is the project life cycle: the phases a project moves through from start to finish. It\u2019s a useful way to think about projects, as it helps teams successfully navigate them from initiation to closure, no matter how big or small the project is.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, there\u2019s quite a bit more to it than this. And so, in this guide, we leave no stone unturned, exploring almost everything you need to know about the project life cycle, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this article \ud83d\udcd6<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-life-cycle\/#What-is-a-project-life-cycle\" >What is a project life cycle?\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-life-cycle\/#Types-of-project-life-cycles\" >Types of project life cycles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-life-cycle\/#The-phases-of-a-project-life-cycle\" >The phases of a project life cycle<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-life-cycle\/#Advantages-and-disadvantages-of-project-life-cycle\" >Advantages and disadvantages of project life cycle<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-life-cycle\/#Critical-success-factors-across-the-project-life-cycle\" >Critical success factors across the project life cycle<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-life-cycle\/#Project-life-cycle-examples\" >Project life cycle examples<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-life-cycle\/#The-bottom-line-on-project-life-cycles\" >The bottom line on project life cycles<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-is-a-project-life-cycle\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a project life cycle?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project life cycle is a framework project managers use to help them plan and execute projects strategically and effectively to meet project goals.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project life cycle definition\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project life cycle consists of a series of steps, phases, or stages a project goes through from beginning to finish\u2014sometimes linearly and sometimes not. There are usually five<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0phases of the project life cycle<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Characteristics of the project life cycle include:<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A start and finish with distinct phases<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project objectives defined at the beginning\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A plan for achieving the objectives<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deliverables and tasks to be completed<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Systems for managing projects<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A list of stakeholders<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Types-of-project-life-cycles\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Types of project life cycles<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the project life cycle stages are widely recognized, there are variations in how project teams use and follow them. Some follow them linearly, while others go for a more flexible approach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are different types of project life cycles teams can make use of depending on the type of project they\u2019re working on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are five of the most common types of project life cycles:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Predictive (or waterfall) life cycle<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as the waterfall or fully-plan-driven project cycle, the predictive life cycle is the most traditional and easiest to understand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The plan is created upfront, with a defined schedule, scope, and costs. A single product or service usually gets delivered at the end.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project follows a linear progression through the five steps of the project cycle: initiate, plan, execute, control, and close. The team moves on to the next phase only once the previous stage is complete\u2014and performs each phase once.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This approach provides a solid project plan that\u2019s easily replicated.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4093\" style=\"width: 953px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4093\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4093\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-waterfall-model-943x521.png\" alt=\"The waterfall model\" width=\"943\" height=\"521\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-waterfall-model-943x521.png.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-waterfall-model-1042x575.png.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-waterfall-model-1536x848.png 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-waterfall-model.png 1912w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-waterfall-model-943x521@2x.png.webp 1886w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4093\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The linear and predictive waterfall model.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Iterative life cycle<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The iterative life cycle also consists of the five project phases, but there\u2019s no linear progression. Each stage in the cycle is performed as many times as needed. For instance, a project team may move between the execution and monitoring phases multiple times before moving on to closure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This life cycle is ideal when the project scope is unclear, but the customer still wants the best solution. Customer feedback is received at the end of each phase and informs the next stage, so planning continuously happens throughout the project\u2019s life.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Incremental life cycle<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the incremental life cycle, the project is delivered in multiple increments or sets. Each set consists of progressing through the five project phases linearly until completion. And each phase must be completed before moving on to the next.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the end of each set, a deliverable is produced, with feedback informing the next set. This means that the cycle of moving through the five phases happens multiple times.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As with the iterative life cycle, the incremental one is ideal for unpredictable scopes and where timely delivery is crucial.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Agile (or adaptive) life cycle<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as the change-driven or adaptive approach, the agile life cycle combines iterative and incremental life cycles. This type of cycle is more open to change and adaptation and doesn\u2019t follow a linear progression. The initial phase only happens once\u2014with planning, execution, and control stages happening in iterations, usually multiple times.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each iteration delivered is followed by feedback that informs the next iteration or set. This life cycle is ideal for projects where feedback is essential, timely project delivery is crucial, and the scope is unclear.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4095\" style=\"width: 953px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4095\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4095\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-agile-model-943x521.png\" alt=\"The agile model going through its stages iteratively.\" width=\"943\" height=\"521\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-agile-model-943x521.png.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-agile-model-1042x575.png.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-agile-model-1536x848.png 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-agile-model.png 1912w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-agile-model-943x521@2x.png.webp 1886w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4095\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The Agile model is more open to change and adaptation and doesn\u2019t follow a linear progression.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Hybrid life cycle<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hybrid life cycle is a combination of project management approaches. An example is the agile life cycle, which combines iterative and incremental project management approaches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hybrids are ideal for when any of the other approaches aren\u2019t suitable.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Okay, now that we\u2019ve got the hang of different types of project life cycles, let\u2019s dive a bit deeper into the phases and what happens in each.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-phases-of-a-project-life-cycle\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The phases of a project life cycle <\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The diagram below shows the five stages of the project life cycle, which we will discuss in more detail next. Just keep in mind that not everyone uses five stages. Some choose to focus on a four-phase project life cycle while others may opt for something entirely different.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we mentioned earlier, the choice mostly boils down to personal preference and the needs of the project. For instance, some PMs may prefer the 5-phase cycle because it\u2019s more detailed, while others may pick four phases because it\u2019s more straightforward.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re dealing with a complex project, you might want to opt for the 5-phase cycle, whereas if you\u2019re in a time crunch, you might want to opt for the 4-phase cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4087\" style=\"width: 953px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4087\" class=\"wp-image-4087 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/5-phases-of-project-life-cycle-943x583.png\" alt=\"An overview of the five phases of the project life cycle, briefly outlining each.\" width=\"943\" height=\"583\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/5-phases-of-project-life-cycle-943x583.png.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/5-phases-of-project-life-cycle-1042x645.png.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/5-phases-of-project-life-cycle-1536x950.png 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/5-phases-of-project-life-cycle.png 1912w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/5-phases-of-project-life-cycle-943x583@2x.png.webp 1886w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4087\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>An overview of the five phases of the project life cycle.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phase 1: Initiation\u2014kicking things off<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Initiation is the project kick-off phase, to get the full download of information from key stakeholders. At a high level, this phase defines the problem, details what needs to be done, and is an opportunity to define all the stakeholders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The initiation phase will vary depending on the size of the project. For a freelancer working with a client to write a few blog posts, the initiation phase may involve one brainstorming meeting to clarify the details.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a project team working on a large project with many deliverables over months, this phase will be more comprehensive\u2014and will probably involve producing a business case and feasibility study.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless, <\/span><b>these are the types of tasks you can expect to tackle during the project life cycle initiation phase<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Create a project charter that details the scope and project objectives<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Identify the stakeholders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which includes the project team, project managers, project sponsors, and clients<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Conduct a feasibility study<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to determine if it\u2019s possible to tackle the project<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Create a business case<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to see if the project is worth pursuing: analyze benefits, costs, and risks<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Build an estimate of the project costs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to guide budgeting<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll usually capture all this information in a Project Initiation Document (PID).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phase 2: Planning\u2014the foundation of your entire project<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have the green light for the project, it\u2019s time for planning. Planning lays the groundwork for the rest of the project and helps you move intelligently through it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll detail all the work and how you plan on doing it. More specifically, <\/span><b>the project life cycle planning phase involves<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Creating a <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/how-to-create-a-project-plan-from-beginning-to-end\"><b>project plan<\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that includes project objectives, deliverables, timelines, project constraints, a project schedule, and project dependencies<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Preparing a project budget<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by building a financial plan with cost estimates for labor, material, and equipment<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Specifying resource requirements<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like labor and materials to help with resource scheduling and allocation\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Managing risk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by identifying potential problems and creating contingency plans\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Creating a communication plan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that details the information you\u2019ll need, who needs that information, how often you\u2019ll communicate, and how you\u2019ll communicate<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Setting quality targets<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and control measures via a quality plan<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Listing the criteria for what customers deem a completed project<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Detailing the processes, systems, and tools you\u2019ll use to manage and track your projects<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. How will you manage and schedule your team? How will you track resource utilization to ensure you\u2019re making the best use of those resources? Workload planning tools can help.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Workload planning tools for happier teams and smoother projects<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/workload-planning-guide\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">workload planning<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tool like Resource Guru helps you identify, categorize, and better schedule resources by seeing who\u2019s overloaded and underutilized. From there, you can:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify bottlenecks where demand (for people) is higher than supply, so you can plan ahead and hire more people if needed<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assign the right people to the right projects to prevent overload and burnout, while improving employee retention<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s as simple as dragging and dropping to rebalance workloads. Et voila! Resource scheduling is done.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2850\" style=\"width: 953px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2850\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2850\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/resource-guru-flexible-schedules-943x588.png\" alt=\"Resource Guru's flexible drag and drop schedule\" width=\"943\" height=\"588\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/resource-guru-flexible-schedules-943x588.png.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/resource-guru-flexible-schedules-1042x650.png.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/resource-guru-flexible-schedules-1536x958.png 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/resource-guru-flexible-schedules.png 1912w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/resource-guru-flexible-schedules-943x588@2x.png.webp 1886w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2850\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Resource Guru&#8217;s flexible drag-and-drop scheduling tool.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phase 3: Execution (or implementation)\u2014getting the work done\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The execution or implementation phase is where you put planning into motion. The aim is to complete deliverables to achieve the project objectives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project manager will typically carry out these tasks <\/span><b>during the project execution phase:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allocating resources and budget<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scheduling tasks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Briefing the project team\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coordinating and managing the team and schedule<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attending client reviews and regular team meetings to share progress\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phase 4: Monitoring (or controlling)\u2014tracking progress against the plan<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The monitoring or controlling phase goes hand-in-hand with the execution phase. It\u2019s about monitoring the project\u2019s overall progress to see if you\u2019re meeting project objectives and are on track.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll need to track <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-manager-performance-metrics\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">performance metrics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like budget, cost variance, resource utilization, and client satisfaction. Where there are deviations from the original plan, always first try to get the project back on course. If this isn\u2019t possible and you need to modify the plan, take note of this, so you have a record to refer back to later.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Ways to track project progress<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Regular team meetings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to get feedback on how things are going.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Client review meetings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where you answer questions. This helps create a constant feedback loop that allows you to include client changes earlier, rather than later when it may be difficult to backtrack and can become costly. Make sure you compare these change requests against the initial <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/what-is-project-scope\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project scope<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to control scope creep before it gets out of hand.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Using tools like resource management software to track resource utilization<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ensure you\u2019re getting the most out of your team and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/team-burnout\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">preventing team burnout<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phase 5: Closure\u2014wrapping things up<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During this phase, the project winds down and comes to a close. You\u2019ll spend time wrapping things up by handing over project documentation, releasing final deliverables, terminating contracts, and informing everyone that the project is complete.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also conduct a project post-mortem to assess what worked and what didn\u2019t. This could be a wrap-up meeting with all stakeholders or a project report you deliver to everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless, use this information to learn from mistakes and build on the wins to ensure the success of future projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Advantages-and-disadvantages-of-project-life-cycle\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advantages and disadvantages of project life cycle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you have a thorough understanding of the phases of the project management life cycle, let\u2019s look at the pros and cons.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Take note<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The following is a high-level look at the pros and cons of the project life cycle and doesn\u2019t involve a one-to-one comparison between the different types of project life cycle models.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advantages of project life cycle<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A<\/b> <b>reliable structure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for managing and delivering projects <\/span><b>helps teams navigate and deliver projects<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on time and on budget<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The framework<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is usually visible to all, <\/span><b>makes it easy to define roles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, so everyone knows what to do<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>You can easily track the project\u2019s progress against the phases<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Everyone can easily stay updated on the project\u2019s status<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Clear steps, deliverables, and project goals<\/b> <b>foster better communication and collaboration<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Planning for risks is easy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> so that you can minimize their impact<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Disadvantages of project life cycle<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The project life cycle consists of distinct phases, making it rather rigid<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This rigidity is not suitable for all projects. It may be why there are different versions of the cycle to accommodate different project types<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A rigid project approach can stifle creativity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly moving through the project linearly<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Some teams overcomplicate the stages of the cycle<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which leads to slow project delivery and unnecessary costs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Moving through the life cycle can be overly time and resource intensive<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Teams can waste time, money, and resources<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if the need or problem isn\u2019t properly defined<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Critical-success-factors-across-the-project-life-cycle\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critical success factors across the project life cycle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Specific and measurable project objectives<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. For instance, the objective of \u201cincrease total organic traffic by 20% by the end of August 2023\u201d is much better than \u201cincrease traffic.\u201d It provides a precise number for the increase, so you know what to aim for and you aren\u2019t choosing a number arbitrarily during the project. It\u2019s also measurable; you can pull stats to see if you\u2019ve reached your goal. Finally, there\u2019s a deadline, so you\u2019re not aimlessly tracking a metric indefinitely.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Proper planning<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Planning is the foundation of any project as it guides your actions. It includes your project plan, budget, communication plan, schedule, and systems for success.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Scope control<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Scope control helps keep a project on track and on budget. Without it, you risk the project going beyond what was agreed. A real possibility considering that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pmi.org\/-\/media\/pmi\/documents\/public\/pdf\/learning\/thought-leadership\/pulse\/pulse-of-the-profession-2017.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nearly 50% of all projects experience scope creep<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/scope-creep\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scope creep<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> causes project delays, resource allocation issues, and budgeting problems. Control scope creep by having a clear project schedule and a change management plan.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Proper project tracking<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Tracking progress against the plan helps you stay on track. Weekly status meetings can help steer the ship.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The right project management tools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The right tools help simplify project management, keep you organized, and help you stay on track. Use them for task scheduling, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-allocation-guide\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource allocation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, budgeting, and compiling cost estimates.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Proper communication<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Regular communication between stakeholders ensures everyone stays aligned and is working together.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Management support and buy-in<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Without management agreement that the project is essential, you\u2019ll struggle to progress. Create a business case to get buy-in.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Resource allocation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Project success depends on allocating the right resources to the right areas and in the right amount. If you have too few resources, your team will be spread thin. Too many, and you may blow your project budget out of the water.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strong leadership<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. PMs must be competent and effective leaders who inspire and can get the most out of their teams.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Risk management<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. No project is without hiccups. There need to be contingency plans.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Project-life-cycle-examples\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project life cycle examples<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below are two project management life cycle examples: one for a smaller project and another for a larger one.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Example 1: Website redesign<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b>Initiation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A web designer (Joe) has a project kick-off meeting with a client to understand the problems with the existing site and the goal of the new one. One of the objectives is to modernize the site.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Planning<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Joe completes the creative brief, which includes the scope, milestones, and costs. The milestones allow for client feedback. Both parties agree on the number of changes allowed at each milestone and what the definition of a change is, so there\u2019s no confusion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Execution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Joe produces wireframes and mock-ups for delivery at different milestones. Feedback at each checkpoint informs the next phase.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Monitoring<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Joe uses the checkpoints to track project progress and control scope creep. For instance, at the first checkpoint, the client wants to change the placement of an icon. This change is minor, so scope creep is not a concern. For the remaining checkpoints, the project proceeds without a hitch.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Closure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Joe delivers the final prototype. The client is happy and signs off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Example 2: Developing software<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b>Initiation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A moving company wants to create an app to help price their moves because the team is making math mistakes that are costing the company thousands of dollars. A business case is created to detail the problem as well as the benefits and costs of the software. The project gets the green light, and a project manager (PM) is appointed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Planning<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The PM creates a project plan highlighting the costs, deliverables, timelines, scope, and resources. One new resource is a specialist app developer the team had not initially discussed. The PM flags this to the CEO, who approves the extra budget. They hire a developer to work in-house.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Execution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The PM works with the developer and implements checkpoints across design, development, and testing. After milestones one and two, the project is moving ahead as planned.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Monitoring<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The third milestone arrives, and the team needs to confirm if the app is ready for testing. But they need more development time and want to add an extra feature.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The PM, again, flags this to the CEO, who approves and agrees to a budget increase of $40,000. The PM adjusts the project schedule to account for the changes\u2014and pushes it out by two months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Closure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The team deploys the app and starts using it. The developer helps train everyone, so they understand how to use it. The PM conducts a project post-mortem with the team where they recognize they were flexible and adaptable but could\u2019ve better defined the requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-bottom-line-on-project-life-cycles\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bottom line on project life cycles<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sure, the inflexibility of the life cycle makes it an unsuitable framework for certain projects. But it\u2019s still a valuable way to think about them because it provides structure to otherwise chaotic projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, you definitely don\u2019t need to follow this structure blindly\u2014it\u2019s not the be-all, end-all for project success. Instead, use the underlying concepts, ideas, and information from this guide and adapt them to build your own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe your projects will follow a more linear progression and closely resemble the traditional predictive cycle? Or perhaps you\u2019ll lean toward a more hybrid model and embrace adaptability?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>It\u2019s your choice<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a project manager, you know your project, resources, and team better than anyone else. So view these life cycles as an adaptable framework and apply them when needed\u2014you know what\u2019s best for your project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Recommended Resource Guru reads:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/workload-planning-guide\">Workload planning: a complete guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-collaboration\">Project collaboration: the key to successful project management (and happy teams)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/team-burnout\">Team burnout: 9 ways project managers can prevent it (before it\u2019s too late)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The project life cycle, just like a good story, has a beginning, a middle, and (hopefully) a happy end. The beginning involves the ever-so-important planning; then comes the middle, where teams complete various tasks to move&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":4084,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-project-management"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The project life cycle: your complete guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Master the project life cycle with this guide. 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