Agile project management is a fast-paced and dynamic field that requires a deep understanding of the many roles and responsibilities involved.
But when you consider the job trends of product managers, this understanding is absolutely worthwhile.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are making many traditional human-led processes obsolete because technology makes us more efficient and productive.
But we can't solely rely on this. Businesses still need managers as the driving force behind a project teams and meeting objectives. This is the traditional project manager role.
And within this role, there are several frameworks you can choose from:
One popular method you may want to consider is the Agile method. Agile is a project management style that is better suited to the fast-paced nature of modern business.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at the key roles and responsibilities you need to master to be an effective project manager in an agile environment.
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Agile project management is an iterative and collaborative method that uses shorter development cycles (called “sprints”) to incorporate customer, team and stakeholder feedback at each stage of a project lifecycle.
The idea is that this constant iterating of feedback produces better and more accurate results for projects.
The other interesting thing about Agile is that it can be implemented using the frameworks we mentioned earlier.
So it works as a hybrid project management style too, a further testament to its flexibility.
Agile’s roots can be traced back to the 90s, up until this point most management styles followed the Waterfall method, a more rigid process based on traditional hierarchies.
Software development required flexibility that traditional methods simply couldn’t give, and so agile was born.
Then in 2001, a group of software developers came together to define the guiding principles behind the agile philosophy and produced the Agile Manifesto.
While the manifesto and the birth of agile centres around software development, the core philosophies of agile are highly transferable to any industry, whether that’s construction, marketing or healthcare.
The agile manifesto explains these 4 values:
The core philosophies of agile are highly transferable to any industry.
The manifesto describes these 12 principles as a guide:
If we dissect these principles, there’s one thing that stands out above all else: the focus is on people - how they collaborate and maximise efficiency.
An Agile project manager (APM) can be expected to assume a large number of responsibilities, typically these would include:
The focus is on people - how they collaborate and maximise efficiency.
An Agile project manager’s roles can be broken down into these sections:
Agile project management is a demanding role with high expectations, in order to become one you’ll need to have or develop the following skills:
You’ll need to know how to plan, budget, schedule and manage entire teams and projects to a high standard.
Another element is knowing how to prioritise tasks accordingly. Agile teams work in shorter cycles and therefore time is your biggest enemy, knowing what needs attention and in which order is key.
Priorities can change quickly, as can customer demands. You’ll need to be comfortable working under pressure and flexible when having to switch gears and meet project deliverables.
APMs work with multiple teams and even departments, this means the ability to communicate clearly and concisely is an important part of your toolkit. You’ll need to make sure everybody involved in the project understands their role and what needs to be done.
Critical thinking plays a role in almost every situation for Agile project managers. From choosing the right team to planning deadlines and budgets to brainstorming ideas and evaluating data. You’ll need to show initiative and think on your feet quickly to make decisions.
Scrum is a management framework that uses Agile methodologies. The main difference in Scrum is that it uses fixed sprint cycles, so 1-3 weeks for example, whereas Agile is much looser with its definition. Having experience or at least a working knowledge of both is essential to get started as an APM.
Agile project management is more than a trendy buzzword. Since its widespread implementation, agile has produced more iterative, faster and adaptable results for clients and organisations across the globe.
With this in mind, let’s have a look at some of the most common benefits of agile project management.
Traditional methods rely on predicted outcomes at each stage of a project cycle, so ‘x’ will happen after ‘y’ and so on.
With agile methods, teams are continually analysing data and gathering feedback to iterate during development cycles. This makes agile project management highly adaptable to sudden changes in priority or client requests.
Customer collaboration is one of the 4 values of agile. In practice, the collaboration between teams, stakeholders and customers means that deliverables are measured and assessed at the end of sprints.
This close working relationship prevents disapproval or rejection at the latter stages and ultimately, gives greater customer satisfaction.
To get the best out of individuals in the workplace, they need to feel heard, to feel valued and that what they do matters.
Agile grants a level of autonomy, trust and freedom that traditional hierarchies lack and this translates into teams that are happier to collaborate, share ideas, make decisions and perform at a higher rate.
For a balanced argument, let’s also look at the potential drawbacks:
Because of agile’s inherent flexibility and adaptability, this can cause projects to veer off track.
If too many changes or deviations are made in a project lifecycle, individuals might start to forget the original goal as their attention keeps switching. It’s important to remind teams of the plan and keep a close eye on progress.
If you recall another of agile’s 4 values, individuals and interactions over processes and tools, a great deal of agile success relies on the actual people involved.
This makes selecting the right teams, with the appropriate skillsets, critical. It also opens up the door for incompetence if done incorrectly and can cost precious time and resources.
Now you understand the difference between an Agile and a traditional project manager.
If you're interested in a career in this role then becoming an Agile project manager is a great choice.
And if you are wondering where to start from, here is an interesting list of some of the best project management courses with certification.
As organisations shift towards less hierarchical structures and customer expectations, demand more flexibility from their suppliers, agile project managers pose a solution to keep pace and deliver excellent results.
Agile project management can be broken down into five phases, each with their own unique set of tasks and goals. These five phases are:
Envision: This is where you dream big and come up with the project's big picture. Think of it like a vision board, but for a project!
Speculate: This is where you break down that big picture into smaller, more manageable pieces. You'll create a backlog of tasks and prioritise them based on their importance.
Explore: This is where you get to work! You'll start tackling those tasks, experimenting, and learning as you go.
Adapt: This is where you'll assess your progress, review what's working and what's not, and make adjustments to your plan as needed.
Close: This is where you celebrate! You'll wrap up the project, document what you learned, and share your successes with the team.
Agile project management is a flexible, collaborative approach to project management that emphasises continuous improvement, rapid iteration, and delivery of value to customers. It involves breaking work into small, manageable parts, called "sprints," and working closely with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality products or services.
Here are the recommended steps to become an Agile project manager:
Getting a degree in a relevant field such as computer science, engineering or business can be a great way to gain valuable knowledge and skills for a career in agile project management.
But it is not always necessary to.
Agile project managers prioritise individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Traditional project managers prioritise processes and tools over individuals and interactions
Agile project managers welcome and adapt to change
Traditional project managers aim to minimise changes to the plan
Agile prefer face-to-face communication
Traditional rely heavily on documentation and reports
Agile emphasise working software as the primary measure of progress
Traditional measure progress primarily through meeting deadlines and staying within budget
Agile work in short, iterative cycles
Traditional work in long, linear phases
Agile encourage collaboration and self-organising teams
Traditional use a hierarchical command-and-control structure
Learn managing projects that create ecstatic clients, hyper-productive teams and super-satisfied stakeholders in under 12 weeks.
Our Project Management Certificate will cover:
Module 1 - Terms, methods and approaches
Module 2 - Project initiation, stakeholder management and business strategy
Module 3 - Project planning and documentation
Module 4 - Project execution and leadership
Module 5 - Project monitor, control and communication
Module 6 - Project closure, teams and interpersonal skills
See the full course overview here.
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