Managing Projects Beyond Agile and Waterfall

Is project management really about choosing between Agile or Waterfall—or is there something deeper we’re missing?

In this thought-provoking episode of the 4PM Podcast, host Mounir Ajam challenges the traditional narratives around Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid project approaches. Drawing from years of industry experience and research at Uruk Project Management, Mounir introduces a new way of thinking: one that centers on value, context, and adaptability—not labels.

You’ll discover:

• Why Agile and Waterfall are product development approaches—not project management methods
• The two core principles that guide effective project delivery
• The Value Delivery Methodology (VDM) and its six essential components
• How every project—regardless of method—must move through a full life cycle
• The common myths that hinder real progress in project environments
• What truly makes a project manager successful in today's complex landscape

Whether you manage billion-dollar infrastructure or lean digital projects, this episode offers clarity on how to build fit-for-purpose systems that deliver lasting value.

🔗 Visit urukpm.com for the companion article and graphics.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
• 1:46 Beyond Labels: The Real Debate
• 3:36 Real Foundations of Project Management
• 5:39 Universal Project Components and Differences
• 9:07 Debunking Common Project Management Myths
• 10:50 Conclusion and Call to Action

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Welcome to the 4PM podcast, where ideas take shape and strategies find purpose. I am Mounir Ajam, founder and CEO of Uruk Project Management, and I have a deep-seated passion for project management and community development, growing on decades of global experience across diverse industries and roles. I am here to guide you through the transformative power of the 4PMs project program, product and portfolio management and our focus on business integrated project management. Let's explore how integration unlocks unparalleled value for you and your organization. Good day, my friends. Welcome back to the 4pm podcast. I'm your host, munir Ajam, and I'm grateful that you're joining me for this new episode. Today's topic may sound familiar at first agile, waterfall, hybrid but I promise you we're not here to repeat the usual debate. Instead, I want to explore a deeper question Are there fundamental differences in how we manage projects labeled as Agile or Waterfall, or are we simply labeling methods without understanding what lies beneath? At Uruk, we've spent years investigating this, looking at projects across industries and disciplines, and today I'll share a perspective that goes beyond trends and buzzwords. Before we begin, we must state that we see agile, waterfall and hybrid as product development approaches, not project management methods. Part one beyond labels, why the debate even matters. Let me start with this. Projects are business investments. They are initiated to respond to a need, an opportunity or a threat, and they exist to deliver value. Yet in our field, we often get stuck in the wrong debate. People ask should we go agile? Is waterfall dead? Is hybrid the future, however? Waterfall dead, is hybrid, the future. However, the real question is not whether Agile is better than Waterfall or if hybrid is more modern. The real question is is your project management approach designed to maximize value across the full project lifecycle? At Uruk, we say stop focusing on the label, start focusing on the principles. We follow two core principles which are simple yet powerful. Number one project must cover the entire project lifecycle, from ideation to initial operations. Number two management methods must be tailored to fit the specific context of your project. This is the essence of the ROOC framework. It's not about sticking to a methodology just because it's popular. It's about adapting with purpose. We're not here to be agile for the sake of being agile, nor are we defending sequential methods. We are here to design fit for purpose, value-driven project systems.

Speaker 1: 3:36

Part two the real foundation of project management let's go deeper. When we look at a project, we shouldn't view it as a technical exercise or a vendor activity. It's a business response, a structured investment that has a beginning, a middle and an end. So how should we manage it? We need a full project lifecycle, one that starts with ideation and ends with post-implementation success assessment. That's why, at Uruk, we use the value delivery methodology, or VDM for short. It integrates project management with business governance, product delivery and even early operations. And here's the important part Some elements of the project method are fixed.

Speaker 1: 4:25

For example, every project must have a life cycle, it must start with an idea and it must end with a final assessment, but much else can and should be tailored. How many phases you need? What you call them? What happens in each one? All of that depends on the size, complexity and nature of your project. In VDM, we work with six components that make up any project management method. These are a full lifecycle, distinct phases or stages, a process to manage each stage, outputs or deliverables from each stage, decision points or stage gates. And support for essential management domain like time, scope, cost, risk, change, quality. But again, tailoring is key. There is no one size fits all One size fits all. We don't manage a $5 billion infrastructure project the same way we manage a simple website rollout. This is why methodology must be adaptive, truly adaptive.

Speaker 1: 5:39

Part 3. What all projects have in common and what they don't. Let's walk through the project life cycle and discuss what stays the same and what changes. Before we explain, it would be helpful to check our website, urukpmcom. Look for the papers page under the knowledge tab. You will find the original article relevant to this episode, which includes the relevant graphics.

Speaker 1: 6:07

We begin with the discovery phase. Every project yes, every single one needs discovery. This is where we define the business case, study feasibility, get sponsor buy-in and set the foundation for success. Some guides call this pre-project, but I disagree. This is part of the project. It's where the value proposition begins. It is where we define value. We hear a lot about value which must be defined here, yet we consider this phase as outside the project. Does that make any sense? I will rephrase how can we ensure value if we consider the phase where we must define it to be outside the project lifecycle? A reminder this is true regardless of the product development approach.

Speaker 1: 6:58

Then we move into the requirement stage. Here we explore the stakeholders expectations and define requirements. We have not designed yet, just the what and the why. This apply whether we're building a hospital, a highway or a mobile app. After that comes the definition stage. Now things begin to diverge. In sequential projects, we define as much as possible, including the preliminary design, budget schedule, quality guides, assessment of risks and procurement strategy. As some practitioners misunderstand, this is not set in stone. We leave room for potential value-added changes. In iterative projects like software, we might build a high-level backlog and leave room for adjustments and changes. Both are valid. Both depend on the context.

Speaker 1: 8:03

Then comes the delivery phase, or implementation. Again, the difference isn't about waterfall or agile. It's about how we deliver. Sequential development we might see construction, installation testing and handover. Iterative development we might see sprints, demos and continuous releases. So the difference is not in how we manage the project. The difference is in the approach we use to build the products, and the best approach must align with the product context.

Speaker 1: 8:35

Finally, don't skip the operational readiness and project closure. Yes, even in agile environments, we need to prepare for operation, go to market, etc. We also need formal closure. We need to capture lessons learned, assess success and archive project records. That's how we ensure continuous improvement. So, to summarize, all projects need these phases. What changes is how we do them?

Speaker 1: 9:07

Part four myths, misconceptions and the path forward. Now let's tackle some myths because unfortunately, some well-meaning agilists or even traditionalists spread ideas that simply aren't true. Myth one traditional planning is rigid. Not true. Competent project managers plan progressively. We use rolling wave planning. Plans evolve. Myth two traditional projects don't communicate Wrong again, communication happens daily in meetings and reports, even informally. Myth three traditional projects don't allow change. Number change is allowed, but it's assessed for cost and impact and sometimes it's not worth the disruption. Myth four Agile doesn't need a project lifecycle.

Speaker 1: 9:59

Well then, what was the discovery phase, the business case, the backlog? Agile doesn't erase the PLC, it just looks at differently. Myth five requirements stage is unnecessary in Agile. If you don't know what problem you're solving, why are you building anything? We must stop drawing battle lines between agile and waterfall. These are not competing religions. We must focus on value, context and competence. A successful project manager is not the one who goes agile, it's the one who understands the environment, tailors the method and delivers value consistently.

Speaker 1: 10:50

All right, my friends, let's wrap this up. We explored today what it really means to manage projects beyond Agile and Waterfall. Projects are not about fitting into trendy methods. They are about delivering results, serving a purpose and transforming vision into value, and that required wisdom, flexibility and maturity. If today's episode helped you see things differently, I invite you to share it, subscribe, leave a review and, most importantly, have a conversation with your team. You and, most importantly, have a conversation with your team. Ask are we focusing on methods or on value? For more information about our work, visit urukpmcom or contact me directly on LinkedIn. Until next time, this is Munir Ajam, reminding you to lead with clarity, act with purpose and always manage with intent.