--- title: "Project Management Essentials: Strategy Before Automated Solutions" description: Companies like Japan Airlines have strategical project management to ensure that all variables in the workflow are performing at optimal efficiency. image: https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/AdobeStock_110801849.jpeg --- [![Kintone](https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/KintoneGlobal/svg/logo_kinton_black.svg)](https://www.kintone.com/en-us/) [![Kintone](https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/KintoneGlobal/svg/logo_kinton_black.svg)](https://www.kintone.com/en-us/) ![](https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/KintoneGlobal/svg/icon_search_black.svg) - Product Product![](https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/KintoneGlobal/svg/icon_plus.svg)![](https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/KintoneGlobal/svg/icon_back.svg) - Product ![](https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/KintoneGlobal/svg/icon_plus.svg) ![](https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/KintoneGlobal/svg/icon_back.svg) - [Intro to Kintone](https://www.kintone.com/en-us/intro/) - [Why Kintone](https://www.kintone.com/en-us/why-kintone/) - 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With over 40,000 employees serving more than 52 million passengers a year, companies like Japan Airlines have streamlined, strategical project management to ensure that all variables in the workflow are performing with minimal error and at optimal efficiency. If a large and multifaceted company like Japan Airlines can manage their processes in an industry where every minute wasted is worth thousands of dollars, so can you and your business.   ## Project Management Strategy Before you begin searching for a project management software, it is vital to first have a defined project management strategy so you know exactly what tools you need to support your team. A tool can facilitate for example, communication, but you must first define *how* you are communicating. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so you must define what's best to guide your team. There are two main philosophies when it comes to project management strategy: **waterfall vs. agile**.   ## What is waterfall? The waterfall methodology is the classic approach to project management. It is linear, sequential, and noniterative. This means that the process happens stage by stage and progresses via phases from start to finish. ![AdobeStock_99241225-1.jpg](https://blog.kintone.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AdobeStock_99241225-1.jpg?width=661&name=AdobeStock_99241225-1.jpg) The sequence of events in waterfall project management follows this order: 1. Requirements 2. Design 3. Implementation 4. Verification 5. Maintenance As you can see, the workflow is mapped out from inception and each phase must be correctly completed before the process moves forward. You cannot begin implementation until a prototype or wireframe is designed and mapped out. The largest downside of the waterfall methodology is that there is no room for error. Once you have proceeded to the next stage in the development process, it would be incredibly laborious to incorporate changes into the waterfall model. A change in technology or business goals could require a complete overhaul of the process that requires a complete restart.    ## What is agile? Like Japan Airlines, many companies are faced with too many variables in their processes for the waterfall model to work. In attaining an efficient workflow, a more flexible solution is needed. Agile is an iterative, incremental, team-based approach to project management that derives from the [Lean method](http://project-management.com/understanding-lean-project-management/) of continuous improvement to accelerate growth. According to the [Agile Manifesto](https://www.agilealliance.org/agile101/the-agile-manifesto/), agile prioritizes “individuals and interactions over processes and tools” and “responding to change over following a plan”. Thus, requirements can be changed within each phase, offering much more flexibility. Agile project management is best utilized in projects that require a lot of collaboration and creativity such as in non-physical deliverables.   ![](https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAJKAAAAJDI0YWNjYjlhLWQ4YWYtNDZmMi05Y2MwLTE0NzQ4OTgzY2ZjYQ.jpg) The flexibility in agility can be a downfall for certain teams if management is not properly implemented. As there is not a concrete, step-by-step plan set in stone like the waterfall methodology, efficient management and communication is essential to ensure your team does not lose track or deviate from the project goals.   ## What's best for my team? In the real world, most teams probably fall somewhere in-between both methodologies in terms of planning and flexibility. With the rising popularity of agile, more tailored project management methods have arised from the Agile philosophy that focuses on iterative processes. These methods include [Scrum](http://www.collab.net/sites/default/files/uploads/CollabNet_scrumreferencecard.pdf) and [Kanban](https://www.atlassian.com/agile/kanban), with Kanban being less time-structured than Scrum. Your team should explore all project management practices and decide what works best for you. Once you have defined your project management strategy, you can more efficiently utilized a tool to streamline your day-to-day operations, task assignments, and overall team collaboration. This is where a [workflow management platform](https://www.kintone.com/workflow-management-software/) like Kintone comes in. **[Kintone](https://www.kintone.com/)**'s solutions not only allows execution, management, visualization and analysis of the project management process, but it also enables all the collaboration and agility needed to seamlessly pursue continuous improvement of that process. [![drive lean process transformation white paper - by Kintone](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1857320/564de729-6b9b-4be6-aeb5-40b94bd301d2.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1857320/564de729-6b9b-4be6-aeb5-40b94bd301d2) [![Kintone Free Trial CTA](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1857320/a0c9f62e-cc45-42e5-ade0-913fa2ddcd53.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1857320/a0c9f62e-cc45-42e5-ade0-913fa2ddcd53) [![](https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/Harmony.png)](https://blog.kintone.com/business-with-heart/author/harmony-xu) About the Author [Harmony Xu](https://blog.kintone.com/business-with-heart/author/harmony-xu) Kintone Marketing Associate Recommended Posts Up Next [Avoid These 6 Common Mistakes When Starting Your Bimodal IT Project](https://blog.kintone.com/business-with-heart/avoid-common-mistakes-starting-bimodal-it-project) Previous [How Groupware Fosters the Creative Thinking & Collaboration Your Company Needs](https://blog.kintone.com/business-with-heart/how-groupware-fosters-the-creative-thinking-collaboration-your-company-needs) [Back to Business with Heart <3 Blog Page](https://blog.kintone.com/business-with-heart) ### Subscribe to Blog #### Recommended Posts [![](https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/Kintone%20%281%29-Jun-30-2026-04-48-58-0381-AM.png)](https://blog.kintone.com/business-with-heart/replace-microsoft-project-online-with-no-code-tools) Digital Transformation ##### Replace Microsoft Project Online With No-Code Tools Microsoft Project Online officially retires on September 30, 2026. After more than a decade as a core platform for project scheduling and portfolio management, the service will no longer be available after that date. But for many teams, this retirement is also... [Read More »](https://blog.kintone.com/business-with-heart/replace-microsoft-project-online-with-no-code-tools) [![](https://blog.kintone.com/hubfs/omakase%20sushi.jpg)](https://blog.kintone.com/business-with-heart/from-omakase-sushi-bar-to-software) Workplace Productivity ##### From Sushi Bar to Software: How Omakase Inspires Kintone’s Customer Journey Omakase and the Art of Guiding Customers for the Long Haul When you sit down at a sushi bar and say, “Omakase,” you’re placing your trust in the chef to craft a meal for you — course by course, based on your preferences, appetite, and needs. The chef doesn’t d... 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