ADVANTAGES OF AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Agile project management is an iterative methodology, which is ideal for dynamic

working environments and makes quick delivery of the products possible. Agile project
management methodology focuses on bringing continuous improvements, gives flexibility and
ensures delivery of high-quality results before the deadline.

Agile is the ability to successfully respond to changes, faster than the rate of change.
This ability is suggested to come in the form of mental, physical and interpersonal adaptability
(Mueller-Hanson et al. 2005). An iterative and incremental framework that allows project
manager teams and organization to adapt to the changing condition of uncertain project
environment.

There are at three important critical factors affected by uncertainty in the project
environments:

1. The uncertainty of the requirements of the project deliverable – that is “what is to be

produced”;
2. The uncertainty of the processes that are necessary to transform project resources into
deliverables – that is “how is to be produced”;
3. The uncertainty of the capacity of the project to generate the project deliverables – that is
“what resources and infrastructure are needed and available to be used in the project.
 The Complexity Theory guide you by offering an additional method to select the appropriate
management actions in a complex adaptive system (CAS) based on two axes:
 Vertical axis = the degree of certainty and
 Horizontal axis = level of agreement on the issue in question.

Possible applications
 Choosing management or leadership approaches for a specific issue or decision.
 Making sense of an array of decisions (or agenda for a group).
 Communicating with others why a particular approach is appropriate.
 Promote creativity: When innovations and creative alternatives are needed, this matrix
can be used to deliberately increase the uncertainty and disagreement and so nudge the
system to the edge of chaos and potential creativity.

Definitions

Close to Certainty
Issues or decisions are close to certainty when cause and effect linkages can be determined.
This is usually the case when a very similar issue or decision has been made in the past. One
can then extrapolate from past experience to predict the outcome of an action with a high
degree of certainty.

Far from Certainty

At the other end of the certainty continuum are decisions that are far from certainty. These
situations are often unique or at least new to the decision makers. The cause and effect
linkages are not clear. Extrapolating from past experience is not a good method to predict
outcomes in this area far from certainty.

Agreement
The vertical axis measures the level of agreement about an issue or decision within the group,
team or organization. As you would expect, the management or leadership function varies
depending on the level of agreement surrounding an issue.
The Edge of Chaos (The Zone of Complexity)

There is a large area on this diagram which lies between the anarchy/chaos region (4) and
regions of the traditional management approaches (1, 2 & 3). Stacey calls this large center region
the zone of complexity (5) - others call it the edge of chaos. In the zone of complexity the
traditional management approaches are not very effective but it is the zone of high creativity,
innovation, and breaking with the past to create new modes of operating.

1. Technical Rational decision-making: Much of the management literature and theory

addresses the region on the matrix which is close to certainty and close to agreement. In
this region, we use techniques which gather data from the past and use them to predict the
future. We plan specific paths of action to achieve outcomes and monitor the actual
behavior by comparing it against these plans. This is sound management practice for
issues and decisions that fall in this area. The goal is to repeat what works to improve
efficiency and effectiveness.

2. Political decision-making: Some issues have a great deal of certainty about how
outcomes are created but high levels of disagreement about which outcomes are
desirable. Neither plans nor shared mission are likely to work in this context. Instead,
politics become more important. Coalition building, negotiation, and compromise are
used to create the organization's agenda and direction.
 3. Judgemental decision-making.:Some issues have a high level of agreement but not
much certainty as to the cause and effect linkages to create the desired outcomes. In these
cases, monitoring against a preset plan will not work. A strong sense of shared mission or
vision may substitute for a plan in these cases. Comparisons are made not against plans
but against the mission and vision for the organization. In this region, the goal is to head
towards an agreed upon future state even though the specific paths cannot be
predetermined.

4. Anarchy/Chaos: Situations where there are very high levels of uncertainty and
disagreement, often result in a breakdown or anarchy. The traditional methods of
planning, visioning, and negotiation are insufficient in these contexts. One strategy to
deal with such contexts is avoidance of the issues that are highly uncertain and where
there is little disagreement. While this may be a protective strategy in the short run, it is
disastrous in the long run. This is a region that organizations should avoid as much as
possible.

5. Complexity zone: There is a large area on this diagram, which lies between the anarchy
region and regions of the traditional management approaches. Stacey calls this large
center region the zone of complexity - others call it the edge of chaos. In the zone of
complexity the traditional management approaches are not very effective but it is the
zone of high creativity, innovation, and breaks with the past to create new modes of
operating. In management much time is spent teaching how to manage in areas (1), (2)
and (3). In these regions, models are presented which extrapolate from past experience
and are thereby used to forecast the future. This is the hallmark of good science in the
traditional mode. Models in area (4) may seem 'soft' by lacking of prediction. Managers
and leaders of organizations need to have a diversity of approaches to deal with the
diversity of contexts. Stacey's matrix honors what we already have learned but also urges
us to move with more confidence into some of the areas which we understand intuitively
but are hesitant to apply because they do not appear as 'solid.'

Agile works best when:

 You can’t estimate the time you’ll need and don’t know the full scope of requirements
 You don’t know whether there’s a need on the market for your software
 You can’t map out the business needs so the design needs to emerge through trial and
error
 You have unlimited access to your customer who’s ready for extensive involvement
  You can afford to iterate and don’t need to deliver a fully functional software at once
 Neither you nor your client have a complex bureaucracy that delays decision
 Clients don’t have a fixed budget/schedule
 You need to capture the market before there’s any competition
 Your customers don’t have trouble updating their software (or don’t even notice it, eg.
they use a web app)

As you can see, agile is more suited for small-to-medium size organizations than
corporations. The reason is simple: the less people there are, the easier it is to make a decision
and respond to change. Also, agile is more suited for product companies over consultancies.

Agile is also great for startups, where “fail fast” is the dominant mantra. Venture capitalists
encourage startups to try crazy ideas and let the markets do the work. Most of the ideas will fail
those few that succeed will change the world.

Agile methodology vs. Traditional development

Before going through the benefits of agile project management, I would like to compare the
traditional & the agile development. In software development, we often talk about the “traditional
model” which refers to the Waterfall Model. Very different to Agile method specially because it’s
not iterative, Waterfall is more about a process where you can see the progress “flowing”
through the difference phases. In fact it’s a sequential model usually going from requirement
analysis, design, implementation, testing and maintenance. The image below illustrates the
difference regarding the value proposition of both methodologies and how agile development
tends to deliver visibility, adaptability and value in the beginning of the process and reduces a
lot the risks during the project.

Agile methodologies address perfectly customer’s needs. During the whole cycle, user
involvement is encouraged, providing visibility & transparency, showing the actual progress of
projects. As mentioned earlier, Agile method is all about iterative planning, making it very easy
to adapt when some requirements change (if you work in the software development industry, I
am sure you know how much they can change!). The fact that there is continuous planning and
feedback through the process means that we start delivering business value from the beginning
of the project. Again, the idea is to deliver business value early in the process, making it easier
to lower risks associated with development. Let’s go through the main benefits of agile project
management, point by point.
5 Benefits of agile project management

1. High final product quality

In Agile development, testing is integrated during the cycle, which means that there are
regular checkups to see that the product is working during the development. This enables the
product owner to make changes if needed and the team is aware if there are any issues.

 Defining and elaborating requirements just in time so that the knowledge of the product
features is as relevant as possible.
 Incorporating continuous integration and daily testing into the development process,
allowing the development team to address issues while they’re still fresh.
 Taking advantage of automated testing tools.
 Conducting sprint retrospectives, allowing the scrum team to continuously improve
processes and work.
 Completing work using the definition of done: developed, tested, integrated, and
documented.
 Software is developed in incremental, rapid cycles. This results in small incremental
releases with each release building on previous functionality. Each release is thoroughly
tested to ensure software quality is maintained.

With testing tightly integrated into the agile methodology, you can be rest assured that
the final product you deliver meets the quality standards. More importantly, you can conduct
regular inspections, which gives your team members a glimpse into the loopholes so it is easier
to correct them before delivery. You can easily get over all the issues that could have a negative
impact on the quality of projects.

2. Higher client engagement and satisfaction

The product owner is always involved, the progress of development has high visibility and
flexibility to change is highly important. This implies engagement and customer satisfaction.

 Demonstrating working functionalities to customers in every sprint review.

  Delivering products to market quicker and more often with every release. The clients get
early access to the product during the life cycle.
 Keeping customers involved and engaged throughout projects.

What really made agile project management methodology stands out from other project
management approaches is client engagement. Active participation of the clients throughout
the project is necessary for this process. Collaboration and cooperation between all
stakeholders results in effective project management, thanks to this project management
methodology. When clients get the product he or she wants, customer satisfaction level
increases automatically.

3. Increased project control

 Sprint meetings.
 Transparency.
 Jira usage (visibility of each step of the project for both parties).

Another benefit of using agile project management methodology is that all the stakeholders
are fully aware of the project progress. With clear visibility, none of the stakeholders are kept in
the dark. As a result, clients and other stakeholders know what to expect from the project. This
prevents unrealistic expectations issue many project managers have to deal with. It also saves
you from rework and making frequent changes.

4. Proper Risk management

 Agile methodologies virtually eliminate the chances of absolute project failure.

 Always having a working product, starting with the very first sprint, so that no agile
project fails completely.
 Developing in sprints, ensuring a short time between initial project investment and either
failing fast or knowing that a product or an approach will work.
 Generating revenue early with self-funding projects, allowing organizations to pay for a
project with little up-front expense.
  Agile gives freedom when new changes need to be implemented. They can be
implemented at very little cost because of the frequency of new increments that are
produced.
 Adaptation to the client’s needs and preferences through the development process. Agile
commonly uses user stories with business-focused acceptance criteria to define product
features. By focusing features on the needs of real customers, each feature incrementally
delivers value, not just an IT component. This also provides the opportunity to beta test
software after each iteration, gaining valuable feedback early in the project and providing
the ability to make changes as needed.
 Project managers following other project management approaches struggle when it
comes to feedback. This is not the case with project managers using agile. Quick
feedback on every iteration is a hallmark of agile project management methodology. It
helps your team to bring constant improvements in every phase of the project, resulting
in the refined final product. When you deliver a polished final product to the client, their
satisfaction level increases manifold.

What really made agile project management methodology stands out from other project
management approaches is client engagement. Active participation of the clients throughout the
project is necessary for this process. Collaboration and cooperation between all stakeholders
results in effective project management, thanks to this project management methodology. When
clients get the product he or she wants, customer satisfaction level increases automatically.

5. Faster ROI

The fact that agile development is iterative means that the features are delivered incrementally,
therefore benefits are realized early while the product is in development process.

 Development starts early.

 A functional ‘ready to market’ product after few iterations.
 First Mover Advantage.
 Long delivery cycles are often a problem for businesses, particularly those in fast-moving
markets.
  Agile means fast product releases and ability to gauge customer reaction and alter
accordingly, keeping you ahead of the competition.
 Focusing on Business value. By allowing the client to determine the priority of features,
the team understands what’s most important to the client’s business, and can deliver
features in the most valuable order.

With better collaboration, easy to follow schedules and improved integration, you can
easily get the job done before the specified deadline. Agile methodology helps you in efficiently
prioritizing tasks. If you have to make few changes, you can do it easily without wasting time
due to flexible agile process. All this translates into higher levels of productivity, which will only
benefit your project and your company.

Project managers following other project management approaches struggle when it

comes to feedback. This is not the case with project managers using agile. Quick feedback on
every iteration is a hallmark of agile project management methodology. It helps your team to
bring constant improvements in every phase of the project, resulting in the refined final product.
When you deliver a polished final product to the client, their satisfaction level increases
manifold.

Advantages of agile project management

 You can deploy software quicker so your customer can get value sooner rather than
later
 You waste less resources because you always work on up-to-date tasks
 You can better adapt to change and respond faster
 Faster turnaround times
 You can detect and fix issues and defects faster
 You spend less time on bureaucracy and meaningless work
 There’s a big community of agile practitioners with whom you can share knowledge
 You can get immediate feedback (which also improves team morale)
 Developers can improve their coding skills based on QA feedback
 You don’t have to worry about premature optimization
 You can experiment and test ideas because it costs are low
 There are a lot more benefits to using Agile. Here are 13 reasons why teams like yours are
using this flexible project management process more and more:

1. Agile is evolutionary, giving teams an opportunity to learn with each new iteration or
draft.
2. Agile lets teams deliver a prototype and improve upon it with every cycle.
3. Teams can manage shifting priorities more effectively.
4. This fast and flexible process increases productivity.
5. Agile supports regular and collaborative troubleshooting.
6. The inherent collaborative nature of Agile improves project visibility.
7. Agile helps teams and individuals effectively prioritize work and features.
8. Teams can anticipate incoming project changes.
9. Teams can make quick-course corrections based on stakeholder feedback.
10. Teams can prototype a solution or process for the next version of the project.
11. Stakeholders and clients can provide feedback as the project evolves—without holding
the project up (because the feedback is part of the process).
12. Teams get rapid feedback from each version or iteration.
13. Empowers project teams to work creatively and effect

One of the differences between traditional and agile project management lies in the
expected responsibilities of the key project stakeholders:

1. Project Managers;
2. Customers; and
3. Project Team

The customer of agile project is also called the Product Owner and has some very different
expectations than customer of a traditional project.

The Project Manager role of Agile often called agile project manager or the scrum master
and has similar expectations as in traditional project management – that is to be a leader,
administrator, coach and mentor, facilitator, and active learner.

The following are customer roles of agile project:

1. expected to be a single person who conveys the views and requirements of other
stakeholders of the project (e.i. project sponsors, end-user, regulatory agencies;
2. expected to develop the vision of the product of service and articulate this vision to the
team;
3. defines the project requirements or “what” is produce by the project team;
4. expected to assess every requirement in terms of importance, “why” and in terms of
“when” each requirement most needed.
5. expected to perform economic and viable analysis of each requirement (e.i. ROI) and to
rank the list of requirement (i.e. the product backlog0 in terms of importance;
6. expected to update stakeholders on the progress of the project;
7. relies on advice from the team with respect to “what”, “when” and “how” fast”
requirements can be produced;
8. and at the end of iteration, the project customer is ready to provide with the list of
requirements that has been revised (i.e. addition, deletion, re-prioritization of
requirements) based on learning about the product or service, the marker, or any other
business condition that affects the project;
9. defines when and how much money will be invested in the project
10. provide final decision about time (i.e. when certain requirements are most needed);
11. costs (i.e. how much will be invested is the next iteration); and
12. scope (i.e. what requirement s are to be included in the next iteration.

The following are expected on the team of an agile project:

1. expected to be a cross-functional, integrated team with a membership of nine members

maximum to limit the communication and coordination needs of the team.
2. Cross-disciplinary integrated project teams are commonly used in traditional project
management.
3. expected to be self- organized and self-managed, for which trusting the team is
necessary. Trust on the team is dependent on the team’s technical and cognitive –
behavioral proficiency.
4. expected to have a set of core members that are necessary for the daily works that must
be done and a set of executed members that will participate in the team operation as
required.
 The initial work on a new cross – disciplinary team might be challenging due to
technical language barriers; however; as team works together, it generates a social-
intellectual capital that makes it highly capable to cope with challenging project
environments. Nevertheless, this social intellectual is affected every time a new member
is replaced as the team adjusts and learns how to work with the new member.

Conclusion

If you want to reap the aforementioned benefits of agile project management

methodology then you will have to learn how to use it effectively. Agile project management
helps you to be more flexible, reduce risks, improve productivity, create a revenue stream and
reduce costs.

References:
1. Stacey, R. (1996) Complexity and creativity in organization. San Francisco, CA:
Berrette-Koehler Publishers;
2. A guide in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (4th ed.)(2008) Newtown
Square, PA: Projects management Institute
3. A guide to the Project Management body of Knowledge (5th ed) (2013)Newtown Square,
PA: Projects Management Institute;
4. Slinger, M., & Broderick, S. (2008). The software project manager’s bridge to agility.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley.
5. Mueller – hanson, R.A. White, S.S., Dorsey, d. W. & Pulakos, E.D. (2005) Training
adaptable leaders: Lesson from Research and Practice. Arlington, VA: U.S. Army
Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Science.