HKSM

A delivery method that emphasizes thorough upfront planning with baselined scope, schedule, and cost; work proceeds in structured phases, requirements are expected to remain stable, and changes are handled through formal change control. Also called the predictive approach.

Key Points

• Extensive upfront planning and documentation establish scope, schedule, and cost baselines.
• Best suited to projects with stable, well-understood requirements and low uncertainty.
• Work typically follows sequential or phase-gate stages (e.g., waterfall).
• Changes are evaluated and approved through formal change control processes.

Example

A state-funded highway project uses a design-bid-build approach. The team finalizes detailed requirements and designs before construction, tracks progress against baselines, and routes any scope change through a change control board for approval.

PMP Example Question

Which situation most strongly favors using a plan-driven (predictive) approach?

1. A startup building an MVP where requirements evolve weekly.
2. An infrastructure project with stable requirements and strict regulatory standards.
3. A research initiative exploring unknown technologies with high uncertainty.
4. A product team releasing small features on a continuous delivery pipeline.

Correct Answer: B — Stable, regulated infrastructure project

Explanation: Plan-driven approaches work best when requirements are well-defined, uncertainty is low, and compliance and documentation needs are high.