10 Tips for Project Management under Agile Methodology
In the 1990s, software developers came up with an agile project management approach as an alternative to the lean-approach. Since then, this approach has become useful for many industries.
Agile project management approach uses sprints to focus on innovation, teamwork and persistent development. This approach prioritizes end users, and it intends to increase value while reducing waste. Companies need to embrace project management under agile methodology to avoid problems that come with the traditional approach.
The principles of Agile approach
The 12 principles include:
- Customer satisfaction is the top priority that you can achieve through timely and uninterrupted delivery
- Embracing changes even at the last stage of development is essential for the client’s competitive advantage
- Frequent delivery of products and services, preferably weekly
- Daily close collaboration between developers and stakeholders
- Business people and team members to remain motivated for the best project results. Team members should be trustworthy and be provided with the best tools and support
- Embracing face to face meetings as the most effective form of communication
- A final working product is the principal measure of achievement
- Sustainable development is vital to maintain a continuous pace
- Attention to technical excellence and appropriate design is essential for enhancing agility
- Simplicity is vital
- Self-organizing teams
- Team members should always be ready regularly adapt to changes for more effective results
10 Tips for Project Management under Agile Methodology
If you want to transform your business culture around agile, you must follow the experts’ advice and tips that will help you to succeed with project management under agile methodology. The following tips will help you to take your project management to the next level.
- Invest in Quality Training
Although agile methodology may look easy, there is a lot of complexity in it that calls for proper training to the project team members. If you are not training your team members on agile, then you are missing something big. It is essential to send members off for training so that they can apply the knowledge in the project management process.
Always start with a few less critical projects and regularly evaluate your team to determine the achievements and failures. If you are not well versed in the agile approach, it is good to hire an expert to help in guiding your team.
- Conduct Proper Orientation
Businesses apply agile approaches in different ways. Therefore, it is vital to onboard new members with your approach to agile and their specific roles in the team. The induction helps to prevent time wastage and misunderstandings that may occur in the future. It also helps the new members to understand your company’s culture and stick to it.
- Combine Agile with the Lean Approach
Although it was developed as an alternative to the lean approach, agile methodology is not enough. In areas like planning that require a slower approach, combining agile and waterfall would be ideal. While agile shows you how to build faster with minimum risks, lean methodology tells you what and why to build.
Lean helps to achieve maximum return on investment. When coupled with agile, it aids in enhancing efficiency while cutting the amount of waste created during the process. This hybrid approach makes agile more suitable in different industries. While combining different methodologies is useful, it is good to conduct due diligence to determine if different methods are ideal for your business.
On the other hand, if your company is working with inefficient, traditional approaches that can’t support agility, then it is high time to eradicate the old processes.
- Lead by Example
Actions speaker louder than words. Always be the role model for your team. Define what you want them to do, and then do it yourself. Your team members will always emulate you when they see good results of your daily actions.
Work closely with the early adopters to help you in spreading the new tools and ideas to the entire team. Invite conversations and feedback from your members and be ready to help where they may need assistance.
- Motivate Your Members
Give your members incentives to practice the new approach. Make it fun by rewarding those who bring change to the frontlines. It is the best way to convince your team they need change because those who do not perform will see and act accordingly. Celebrate every small win and encourage your team members to keep winning.
- Get Strong Executive Support to Hasten the Process
Try to find buy-in from other departments by making them understand your priorities. Get the executive sponsorship and support to push your ideas to different functional levels within the organization. Focus on creating the flexibility that will help you to reach your desired goal at the right time and within the set budget.
- Get Feedback from the Team Members
Hold regular meetings with the team members regarding the goals and execution of the agile approach. You can use video conferencing sessions if members are in different locations. Get feedback from each member and solutions to ensure that all barriers are reduced.
- Do Not Include Waste to Project
Make the project simple according to the client’s specifications. Do not include excess information if the client does not pay for it. The use of additional attributes results in reduced profitability.
Sophisticated features increase the project’s cost and create more misunderstanding, subjecting the projects to more risks. To avoid this problem, have a meeting between the customer and the technicians to understand the client’s requirements and budget.
- Observe Time During Meetings
It is against the agile culture to hold meetings with limitless agendas. You should hold brief meetings only when they are required.
- Risk Project Management is Crucial
Conducting a risk analysis before initiating the project implementation helps to prevent future problems. It helps you to achieve a more agile and practical project. Proper qualitative risk analysis helps you to identify potential risks that could affect the project’s execution.
Conclusion
As competition is increasing in today’s market, agile continues to offer more benefits and less downsides. Agile approaches will become popular as many companies are shifting to digital methodologies. If you are looking for flexibility and improved productivity in your business, shift to agile for the ultimate project management solutions.