Selecting a Project's Methodology

Different methodologies are inevitable, stemming directly from the questions of what constitutes a methodology and what are a methodology's underlying principles. Projects differ according to size, composition, priorities, and criticality. The people on a project have different biases based on their experiences, principles, and fears. These issues combine so that what is optimal differs across projects. This article describes principles for methodology selection, including when to go with a heavier or lighter methodology; a framework for methodology differentiation; and project experiences using these ideas.