Project Life Cycle
The project life cycle is the series of phases that a project passes through from its start to its completion.
Explanation
Every project, regardless of size or complexity, can be mapped to a generic life cycle structure: starting the project, organizing and preparing, carrying out the work, and ending the project. Within this generic structure, specific phases are defined based on the needs of the organization, industry, or technology involved. A phase is a collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of one or more deliverables.
The project life cycle provides a high-level framework for managing the project. It defines what work should be performed in each phase, what deliverables are produced, who is involved, and how each phase is controlled and approved. Phase gates (or stage gates) are review points at the end of each phase where a decision is made to continue, modify, or terminate the project.
Project life cycles can range from highly predictive (plan-driven, sequential) to highly adaptive (change-driven, iterative). Most real-world projects fall somewhere on this spectrum, and many use a hybrid approach that combines elements of both. The choice of life cycle depends on factors like the degree of requirements certainty, risk tolerance, stakeholder involvement, and the need for early delivery of value.
Key Points
- •Defines the phases a project passes through from start to finish
- •Phases produce deliverables and end with phase gate reviews
- •Ranges from predictive (plan-driven) to adaptive (change-driven)
- •Provides a framework for governance and decision-making
Exam Tip
Know the difference between a project life cycle (the phases of the project) and a development life cycle (the approach used to build the product, such as waterfall or agile). The exam may test this distinction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
Predictive Life Cycle (Waterfall)
A predictive life cycle is a plan-driven approach where the project scope, schedule, and cost are determined early and changes are carefully managed.
Adaptive Life Cycle
An adaptive life cycle is a change-driven approach that is both iterative and incremental, where the detailed scope is defined and approved before the start of each iteration.
Hybrid Life Cycle
A hybrid life cycle is a combination of predictive and adaptive approaches, using elements of both based on the nature of the work.
Iterative Life Cycle
An iterative life cycle is an approach where the project scope is generally determined early, but time and cost estimates are routinely modified as understanding increases through repeated cycles of work.
Incremental Life Cycle
An incremental life cycle is an approach where the deliverable is produced through a series of iterations that successively add functionality within a predetermined time frame.
Most-studied PMP concepts
High-yield topics our learners drill most before exam day.
Predictive Life Cycle (Waterfall)
A predictive life cycle is a plan-driven approach where the project scope, schedule, and cost are determined early and changes are carefully managed.
Subsidiary Plans
Subsidiary plans are the individual management plans that are components of the overall project management plan, each addressing a specific Knowledge Area or management function.
Burndown Chart
A Burndown Chart is a graphical representation of work remaining versus time in a Sprint or release, showing whether the team is on track to complete the planned work.
Resource Leveling
Resource leveling is a resource optimization technique in which adjustments are made to the project schedule to keep resource usage at or below a defined limit, often resulting in a longer project duration.
Risk Register
The risk register is a project document that records the details of individual project risks, including their identification, analysis results, response plans, and current status.
Stakeholder Mapping
Stakeholder mapping is the visual representation of stakeholder relationships, influence, interest, or other attributes using grids, matrices, or diagrams to support analysis and engagement planning.
Relative Estimation
Relative Estimation is an agile technique where work items are sized in comparison to each other rather than in absolute units like hours or days, providing faster and more accurate estimates.
Cost Performance Index (CPI)
Cost Performance Index (CPI) is an EVM efficiency metric that measures cost performance as the ratio of earned value to actual cost: CPI = EV / AC.
Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
Schedule Performance Index (SPI) is an EVM efficiency metric that measures schedule performance as the ratio of earned value to planned value: SPI = EV / PV.
Part of
PM Fundamentals & Frameworks
Test your knowledge
Practice scenario-based questions on this topic with detailed explanations.