Title: Combining the best concepts of agile methods with concepts from predictive ones: applications of simulations, scenarios, and logic

Authors: Pinyarat Sirisomboonsuk; James R. Burns; Ray Qing Cao

Addresses: Department of Management, Marketing, and Industrial Technology, College of Business, The University of Texas Permian Basin, 4901 East University Blvd., Odessa, Texas 79762, USA ' Area of Information Systems and Quantitative Sciences, Rawls College of Business, Texas Tech University, 703 Flint Avenue, Lubbock, Texas 79409, USA ' General Business, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management Department, Marilyn Davies College of Business, University of Houston-Downtown, 320 North Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002, USA

Abstract: In this paper, we utilise deductive analytics based on a review of the literature as well as stochastic simulation, and scenarios to perform a comparison between predictive methods like waterfall and adaptive methods such as scrum. We compare these methods using several project management performance criteria such as cost, duration, value delivered, payback (breakeven) period, predictability, project size, criticality, complexity, challenges, etc. Based on these findings, we synthesise a new plan-driven, predictive procedure that will enable it to be competitive with the adaptive/agile methods in situations where it makes sense to use a predictive method.

Keywords: agile method; agile project management; adaptive method; predictive procedure; waterfall method; scrum; breakeven point; traditional project management; hybrid methodology; plan-driven method; iterative development; continuous delivery; disciplined agile; payback period.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPOM.2022.125877

International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 2022 Vol.14 No.3, pp.233 - 254

Received: 18 Jan 2021
Accepted: 08 Mar 2021
Published online: 03 Oct 2022 *

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