Project Management Methodologies Explained: Agile Project Management
Agile project management is an iterative project management approach that values consistent feedback to develop the best project outcomes. Every iteration of the project is completed based on user or client feedback.
The agile project management strategy focuses on working in small batches of progression to create transparent processes, increase collaboration with the client and be provided feedback as soon as possible. These characteristics enable teams to work effectively, quickly, and collaboratively within the set scope of a project.
The core principles
Some of the core principles that underpin agile project management methodology are:
Prioritise customer feedback often and incorporate that feedback into the build and design
Change is welcome and encouraged and is seen as a key and important part of the process
Iterate often and showcase that to teams. Deliveries through “sprints” are often showcased and provided as a means of feedback into the process. Progress is often measured through the showcasing of working software for continual iteration and improvement
Communicate often and frequently, often done through “daily standups” where groups come together to align behind the priorities and tasks and review of key blockers and action items. This encourages face to face conversations to convey information to and within a development team
Teamwork is encouraged and cross functional teams are encouraged to join and work to solve problems and issues as they arise
The project pace is swift and consistent and measured
Task management, accountabilities and roles and responsibilities are clear and well defined and visible to all project participants. Progress is actively shared
Reflection and retrospection is encouraged as a way to learn and improve throughout.
Agile project management has twelve core principles which enable it to be implemented effectively;
Customer satisfaction is first priority and is established through continual development of the project.
Remain responsive and flexible to changing requirements.
Adhere to the shortest possible time-frame.
Management and developers must work together.
Provide the project’s proactive team the support and resources to complete the project successfully.
Communicate effectively to relay information to the development team.
Progress is measured through software that works effectively.
Project progression should remain at a consistent pace throughout its timeline.
Continuously strive for technical excellence.
Prioritise simplicity.
Trust teams to self-organise.
Frequently monitor performance in order to refine the project.
The Frameworks
There are two key frameworks that are often used in agile methodology; scrum or Kanban. Where scrum is focussed on supporting projects that are of fixed length, Kanban aids teams in the continuous release of project iterations and once completed, allows teams to swiftly move on to the next task. Both frameworks allow teams to work more effectively to achieve their goals. Below are some of the key and specific characteristics of each.
Scrum
Scrum is an agile project management tool that focuses on the body of work that needs to be completed by breaking it down into two distinct categories - the product backlog and the sprint backlog.
The product backlog consists of features you want to implement but have not yet prioritised for release. In contrast, the sprint backlog is composed of the sprint goal (why), a set of product backlog items selected for the sprint (what), and an actionable plan for delivering the sprint (how).
It allows a team to action several items at once and achieve measurable progress in more manageable increments.
Scrum can be further broken down into four actionable categories, referred to as the four ceremonies of scrum. These enable teams to adequately communicate during a sprint. The four ceremonies of scrum consist of;
Sprint Planning:
A team planning meeting involving the product owner and development team to establish what will be completed in the next sprint.
Daily Scrum:
A daily meeting to be attended by the whole team, but not necessarily the product owner, in which team members share progression, identify a plan for the work ahead of them that day, and verbalise any foreseeable roadblocks.
Sprint Review:
A meeting attended by the scrum team (inclusive of the product owner, development team and project lead, with the option of other external stakeholders) held to showcase the finished result of the sprint. In this phase, the product should be deemed completed by the standards of the development team. Revisions of the project are welcome to reach the goal of completion.
Sprint Retrospective:
The sprint retrospective is the last of the scrum ceremonies. This meeting is attended by the development team, the project lead and the product owner to discuss in hindsight the process of the sprint. Factors including challenges, successes, and valuable lessons learned are all shared.
These different phases of scrum allow for maximum benefit to all parties involved, allowing the scrum overall to remain targeted and effective. Scrum, however, is not the only framework when utilising agile project management.
Kanban
The Kanban framework was first introduced by Toyota as a method of scheduling for just-in-time manufacturing. The Japanese term ‘Kanban’, means ‘visual board, or ‘sign’, and has been used popularly in regards to process design since the 1950s, but was officially introduced as a project management methodology in 2007.
Kanban allows teams to react even faster to change than when using scrum, by heroing the team’s capabilities of getting things done as quickly as possible.
The main identifier of Kanban project management revolves around a Kanban board. A Kanban board, whether physical or virtual, is a tool for visualising and optimising workflow within a project team.
Simply defined by three categories – To Do, In Progress, and Done – Kanban boards encourage collaboration between team members and rectification of any road-blocks that may present themselves.
The beauty of this process is that it can be tailored to suit any team or project size, optimising how effectively teams can reach their goals and successfully complete their projects.
Kanban project management is made up of the following four core principles.
Visualise Workflow
Utilising a Kanban board will allow for a visual workflow to be adapted. Tasks are turned into cards, which are then spread across To Do, In Progress, and Done categories.
This process is extremely beneficial in creating the foundations for simple communication of progress across the whole team. It ensures that work can be completed in a timely manner whilst visually being able to see and understand where any road-blocks may be coming from.
Limit Work-In-Progress (WIP)
To manage workload effectively and appropriately, it is important to ensure that there are limitations on how many “cards” (or projects) can be worked on at any given time by the team.
By setting a cap on open tasks, it is much easier for the team to work smoothly and efficiently across the project and eliminate multi-tasking and unnecessary stress. Within this, teams should be completing top priority work first.
Focus on Flow
A smooth flow is the most valuable part of the Kanban process. If all is flowing correctly in the Kanban system, then project completion should be a very achievable milestone.
Factors that can be considered to monitor flow effectiveness could include how long it takes a card to move from To Do to Done, the number of items that have not been started, or the number of items in WIP.
Continuous Improvement
Like any project, even after integration of a project management system like Kanban, one of the most important things is consistent improvement. Evaluate what worked, what didn’t and put plans in place to ensure your teams and systems are optimised for success into the future.
Pros of the Agile Project Management Methodology
Agile project management is a great project management tool for teams as it empowers those involved by encouraging diversity and expansion of ideas. It promotes continuous improvement and personal and team accountability.
Agile is set up for early identification of issues and provides tighter feedback loops than the waterfall project management methodology.
Greater adaptability is a feature of agile project management that makes the system unique. Agile allows for priorities to be shifted and for different phases to be started as soon as necessary.
This not only poses the potential for greater productivity, but also the opportunity to make more relevant decisions throughout the project as opposed to adhering to rigid, pre-decided guidelines.
Agile project management encourages teams to work collaboratively with the client, in turn resulting in greater customer satisfaction. Feedback can be received in real-time during sprints, allowing teams to incorporate this and test fast and more effectively.
The end result? A high-quality, customised product aligned closely with the client’s expectations and desires.
Teams working under an agile model have high levels of autonomy and are provided with a framework that supports problem solving and creativity. This environment is ripe to allow the team to be in a creative and collaborative working environment.
Cons of Agile Project Management
Whilst agile project management has many obvious benefits, it also has its own challenges. First and foremost, planning can be more complicated due to factors that may not be finalised until later in the timeline, such as detailed design, budget or deadline.
These challenges can be further heightened when a project is larger-scale or more complex, making it much more complicated for teams to manage and handle. Furthermore, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can be difficult to measure particularly early on in the project, meaning trust from the client in terms of knowing that the project is tracking to its best potential, is key.
Sometimes, lack of detail and bigger picture upfront means that rework is necessary or there are inherent time delays as greater complexity is uncovered and key dependencies can often be overlooked.
Delivery in increments can be the agile project management methodology’s greatest benefit as well as its greatest hindrance.
Whilst it can be highly beneficial to be able to get through a project in sprints effectively and quickly, it can also result in a more fragmented, less well-rounded project by the time it reaches completion.
Successful agile projects require an understanding of strategy and desired end state, or the big picture so that the project is understood from the overall context and perspective.
In Summary…
Agile project management is a fantastic way for a project to remain malleable to achieve optimal success for all stakeholders.
Upholding a core of transparency, customer focus, adaptability, shared leadership and continuous improvement, agile project management proves to be a strong contender in the selection of project management methods for all kinds of projects.
Agile project management thrives on flexibility and creativity.
Angela Goodsir
Thinkly Founder and Director, Angela Goodsir is an enterprise wide executive with a proven track record in transformative industry and business change and has a vision to drive businesses successfully into the future.
