Project Management Self-Evaluation

For a project manager who has been heavily-oriented to a traditional, plan-driven approach to project
management, there may be a significant shift in mindset that is needed to develop a more adaptive
project management approach. The purpose of this self-evaluation is to help you evaluate your project
management style and help you identify and plan some shifts in thinking that you may want to make to
adopt a more adaptive Agile Project Management approach. Here are some notes to consider before
taking this self-evaluation:

 This information is intended only for your own use – it is totally confidential and does not need
to be shared with anyone; however, you can choose to use it as a tool if you want to initiate a
conversation with the management of your organization about making a change in project
management style
 Please be honest and objective in your answers – you shouldn’t feel bad if any of these
stereotypes apply to you because they are common to many project managers who come from
a traditional plan-driven project background and many times these behaviors are expected of a
project manager by the environment that they work in
 There is no right or wrong to the answers to these questions – the project management
approach you adopt should be appropriate to the nature of the project and the important thing
is to be aware of your approach and to be able to adapt it as necessary to fit the project

If you need help in completing this evaluation, please feel free to ask for help!
1. “Project Managers are ‘Command-and-Control-oriented’”
To what extent do you think that this stereotype could be applied to you in a typical project?
 10 = might strongly apply
 0 = does not apply at all
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Potential attributes of a highly plan-driven version of this stereotype:

 Perceived as having individual responsibility for the success or failure of the project
 Play an assertive role in setting direction and goals for project teams
 Take responsibility for planning and organizing project tasks to meet project goals
 Take responsibility for delivering results and tracking progress
 Play an active role in taking action and resolving problems as necessary
Potential attributes of a highly adaptive version of this stereotype:
 Collectively shares responsibility with the project team for the success or failure of the
project
 Share leadership responsibility for developing direction and goals with the project team
 Delegate responsibility to individual project team members to organize and plan their
own tasks to meet project goals
 Rely heavily on the individual project team members to take responsibility for fulfilling
their own commitments to deliver results and to report their own progress
 Work through the team to take action on resolving problems as necessary
What behavior do you think is expected of you by your organization?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

What behavior do you think would be more appropriate if you were to develop a more adaptive
project approach in your organization?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

How significant of a change is needed (10= most significant)?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

How difficult is it to make this change? (10= most difficult)?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2. “Project Managers are ‘rigid and inflexible”
To what extent do you think that this stereotype could be applied to you in a typical project?
 10 = might strongly apply
 0 = does not apply at all
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Potential attributes of a highly plan-driven version of this stereotype:

 Requirements for projects are planned in detail prior to the start of the project and
approved prior to the start of the project
 There is a relatively firm “contract” with the users and sponsors of the project to deliver
results within a specific budget and schedule and any changes to the requirements are
managed through a change control process once requirements are approved
 The project manager is responsible for controlling the scope of the project to
successfully meet cost and schedule goals
 There is a well-defined process for the project that is heavily plan-driven that is heavily
oriented around controlling the scope of the project to meet cost and schedule goals
Potential attributes of a highly adaptive version of this stereotype:
 Upfront planning for a project may be limited to high-level requirements only and
details of requirements are allowed to evolve as the project is in progress
 There is a mutual understanding between the contract team and the users and sponsors
of the project that it is more important to take an adaptive approach rather than a
heavily plan-driven approach with relatively firm cost and schedule estimates
 There is a spirit of partnership between the users and the project team to work
collaboratively to further define the requirements as the project progresses
 There is some level of flexibility in the project methodology and approach to provide an
appropriate balance of predictability/control versus adaptivity to uncertain needs
What behavior do you think is expected of you by your organization?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

What behavior do you think would be more appropriate if you were in a more adaptive role a
typical project in your organization?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

How significant of a change is needed (10= most significant)?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

How difficult is it to make this change? (10= most difficult)?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
3. “Project Managers Only Know How to Manage by the “Waterfall”
Methodology
To what extent do you think that this stereotype could be applied to you in a typical project?
 10 = might strongly apply
 0 = does not apply at all
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Potential attributes of a highly plan-driven version of this stereotype:

 My knowledge and skills are primarily oriented around a plan-driven (aka “Waterfall”
approach to project management and that is what I am most comfortable with
 My knowledge of Agile is limited and I would need more experience working in an Agile
environment
 I don’t believe Agile or a hybrid Agile approach is an appropriate methodology for most
of the projects I am engaged in.
Potential attributes of a highly adaptive version of this stereotype:

 I am equally knowledgeable and comfortable taking either a plan-driven approach or a

more adaptive, Agile approach depending on the nature of the project
 I am very knowledgeable and experienced in applying an Agile approach to a project
 I am open to using whatever methodology is most appropriate for a project including an
Agile approach or a hybrid Agile approach if necessary
What behavior do you think is expected of you by your organization?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

What behavior do you think would be more appropriate if you were in a more adaptive role a
typical project in your organization?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

How significant of a change is needed (10= most significant)?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

How difficult is it to make this change? (10= most difficult)?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4. “Project Managers Cannot Adapt to an Agile Environment
To what extent do you think that this stereotype could be applied to you in a typical project?
 10 = might strongly apply
 0 = does not apply at all
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Potential attributes of a highly plan-driven version of this stereotype:

 I don’t see a role for a project manager in an Agile environment and I don’t think that
there is a reason to adopt a broader definition of “project management” that includes
Agile as well as traditional plan-driven project management
 I think the project management profession is likely to continue as it has been for a
significant period of time and there is no compelling reason to change
 I don’t see a need to modify my style of project management to take a more adaptive
approach to include Agile as well as traditional plan-driven project management
Potential attributes of a highly adaptive version of this stereotype:

 I can see the potential for taking a broader view of what “project management” is that
includes Agile as well as traditional plan-driven project management
 I think it is a survival issue for the project management profession to redefine what
“project management” is to embrace both Agile and traditional plan-driven project
management
 I am open and anxious to develop a more adaptive approach to project management
that is appropriate to fit this broader vision of “project management”
What behavior do you think is expected of you by your organization?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

What behavior do you think would be more appropriate if you were in a more adaptive role a
typical project in your organization?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

How significant of a change is needed (10= most significant)?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

How difficult is it to make this change? (10= most difficult)?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Overall Summary and Action Plan
What do you think is the most significant area of change (if any) that is needed in your project
management style?

What are the obstacles for making this change?

What is your action plan for addressing these changes?