Project Management Methods / Frameworks

Agile & Lean (team level)

  • Scrum — Time-boxed sprints, fixed roles, lightweight artifacts.
  • Kanban — Flow-based, WIP limits, continuous delivery.
  • Scrumban — Hybrid of Scrum cadence with Kanban flow.
  • Extreme Programming (XP) — Engineering practices (TDD, pair programming) + short iterations.
  • Lean — Eliminate waste, optimize flow and learning.
  • Crystal — Tailor rigor to team size/criticality.
  • Feature-Driven Development (FDD) — Model & build by features.
  • DSDM / AgilePM — Time-boxed delivery with strong business ownership.

Scaling Agile (multi-team / enterprise)

  • SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) — Portfolio→Program→Team layers, lean governance.
  • LeSS (Large-Scale Scrum) — Keep Scrum minimal; scale by descaling org.
  • Scrum@Scale — Fractal Scrum networks (SoS / Meta-Scrum).
  • Nexus — Scrum with integration focus for 3–9 teams.
  • Disciplined Agile (DA) — Toolkit to choose your WoW (way of working).

Predictive / Plan-driven

  • PRINCE2 — Process-based, stage gates, business case-driven.
  • Waterfall — Sequential phases; heavy up-front planning.
  • V-Model — Verification/validation mapped to development stages.
  • Stage-Gate (Phase-Gate) — Idea→Launch pipeline with go/kill gates.
  • PERT / Critical Path Method (CPM) — Network scheduling & durations focus.
  • Critical Chain (CCPM) — Resource-constrained schedules with buffers.

Hybrid & Governance blends

  • PRINCE2 Agile — PRINCE2 controls + Agile delivery at team level.
  • Hybrid Agile-Waterfall — Agile for build, predictive for compliance/contract.
  • AgilePM (DSDM) — Often used to bridge governance with agile teams.

Quality, process & improvement (often combined with above)

  • Six Sigma (DMAIC / DMADV) — Defect reduction/statistical control.
  • Lean Six Sigma — Lean flow + Six Sigma quality.
  • Kaizen — Continuous, incremental improvement.

High-uncertainty / R&D heavy

  • Spiral — Risk-driven iterative cycles.
  • Incremental/Iterative SDLC — Deliver in slices; refine with feedback.
  • Event Chain Methodology — Manage schedule risk via event chains.

Program/Portfolio (related, for bigger scope)

  • MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) — Benefits-led program mgmt.
  • MoP / P3O — Portfolio selection & PMO structures (UK best-practice).
  • OPM / PfM (PMI) — Organizational/portfolio standards used with methods.

Standards & bodies of knowledge (not “methods” but commonly used)

  • PMBOK Guide / PMI — Process groups/knowledge areas; tailoring guidance.
  • ISO 21502 — International guidance for project management.
  • IPMA ICB — Competence framework for PM roles.

Empiricism in YottaDots: Learning Through Reality

YottaDots embraces empiricism not just as a principle, but as a core operational mode. In a world where AI augments human decision-making and federated teams operate autonomously, empiricism ensures that:

  • Decisions are grounded in data and experience, not hierarchy or assumptions.
  • AI and humans collaborate to observe, measure, and adapt—AI provides real-time insights, but human teams validate and interpret them.
  • Transparency, inspection, and adaptation are not just Scrum pillars—they’re embedded in every layer of YottaDots’s architecture.

Key Empirical Practices in YottaDots

  1. Federated Feedback Loops
    Each team, whether Scrum, Kanban, or Prince2-based, maintains its own feedback loop. These loops feed into a central intelligence layer (AI + human oversight), enabling cross-team learning and systemic adaptation.
  2. AI-Augmented Observability
    AI tools continuously monitor work patterns, outcomes, and team health. But decisions are never automated blindly—teams inspect AI insights and adapt based on context.
  3. Principle-Driven Experimentation
    YottaDots encourages teams to run experiments aligned with core principles. Results are shared openly, fostering a culture of learning across the organization.
  4. Empirical Governance
    Governance in YottaDots is lightweight but evidence-based. Policies evolve through observed outcomes, not top-down mandates.

Why Empiricism Matters More in an AI-Native Framework

In traditional Agile, empiricism helps navigate uncertainty. In YottaDots, it balances the power of AI with human judgment. It ensures that:

  • AI doesn’t become a black box.
  • Teams remain empowered to challenge, validate, and improve.
  • The organization evolves based on what actually works, not what should work.