Project Lifecycles: The Structure Behind Successful Delivery

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Early in my career, I thought project lifecycles were one-size-fits-all. Then I worked on a critical railway upgrade where the train couldn't be taken out of service for long. It was responsible for inspecting London Underground tracks. Safety depended on it running its schedule.

Standard waterfall practice said: plan everything upfront, execute in sequence, deliver at the end. That wouldn't work. We couldn't stop the train long enough.

So we adapted. We borrowed from agile thinking, created a backlog of upgrades, and planned "pit stops" between inspection runs. Short bursts of focused work based on priority. What didn't get done rolled into the next window.

It wasn't textbook anything. But it worked. Train kept running, upgrades got delivered, everyone stayed safe.

Project lifecycles aren't rigid rules. They're frameworks you adapt.

There are three main types, each serving different needs:

• Linear (also called waterfall): plan everything upfront, execute in sequence
• Iterative (also called agile): work in short cycles, learn and adjust as you go
• Hybrid: mix both approaches where each makes sense

Here's the reality: in most cases, the lifecycle is already determined by your organisation. It's set at strategic level before you arrive.

But that's exactly why it's worth learning what each lifecycle has to offer. When you understand the strengths of different approaches, you can experiment and adapt. You can borrow what works from elsewhere and apply it to your context. That's where innovative solutions to your challenges come from.

The best PMs don't just follow the structure they're given. They know when to adapt it, when to borrow tools from other approaches, and when to stick with what's working.

Next time you review your project approach: Look at what lifecycle you're officially using. Then ask yourself: what's working well? Where are the friction points? What could you borrow from other approaches to smooth those rough edges? That's not breaking the rules. That's thoughtful project management.

Where have you had to adapt your project lifecycle? Hit reply. I read them all and often feature reader insights in future newsletters.

Want to go deeper?

You can read more in the full deep-dive where you can explore all three lifecycles, practical applications, and various tools used, or try the Mindcast for hands-on practice making these calls in realistic PM scenarios.

A Quick Word: When Everything Was New

Building this platform meant everything was new. New technology. New skills. New ways of thinking. The overwhelm was real.

I didn't know what I didn't know. There was no clear path because I wanted to build my creative vision from the ground up and make something original and authentic.

Every decision felt like guesswork. Should I learn to code? Which tools? What order? But here's what I learned: you don't need to see the whole staircase. You just need to take the next step. Each step reveals the next one. Embrace the uncertainty. It means you're building something truly yours.

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Take care and speak soon,
Bilal Jamil