Download IS “AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT” AN OXYMORON?

IS “AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT” AN OXYMORON?
Chuck Cobb, PMP, ACP, PSM, CSPO
April 11, 2014
04/11/2014
© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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The Challenge to the
Project Management Profession
• The Project Management Profession is On the Brink of Some
Very Significant and Major Changes
• We Need to Broaden Our Thinking about What “Project
Management” is to Include Both:
– Agile(Adaptive) Principles and Practices
– Traditional Plan-Driven Principles and Practices
• The Role of a “Project Manager”, as We Know It, May Change
Significantly in Some Environments
Existing Efforts (PMI-ACP and Agile COP) are going in the right direction
but much more needs to be done
The real challenge is figuring out how to integrate Agile and traditional PM
Principles and Practices
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Project Management History
Is Project Management Really the Oldest Profession?
Early History – Egyptian Pyramids
c 3,000 – 1,500 BC
The Great Wall of China
c 700 – 200 BC
Transcontinental Railway
1863-1869
Frederick Taylor – Studies of Work
Henry Gantt – Order of Operations in Work
c 1900
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Project Management History (cont.)
Is Project Management Really the Oldest Profession?
Manhattan Project
1945
Large Government Programs
(e.g., Polaris) 1950 - 1960
CPM, PERT Invented
1950 - 1960
PMI Was Formed
1969
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What’s Next?
The Pace of New Technology Has Increased Dramatically
And Calls for a New Project Management Approach
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Why Is Agile Important?
• Agile Provides:
1.
Adaptability - An Alternative Way for Companies to Manage Projects
that Involve High Levels of Uncertainty
2.
Time-to-Market - The Potential To Significantly Accelerate the Startup
Phase of New Projects
3.
Reduced Costs - Opportunities to Reduce the Costs and Overhead
Associated With Projects
4.
Customer Satisfaction - Produce Higher Value Solutions that are More
Well-aligned with User Needs
5.
Organizational Agility - Build Much Higher Levels of Collaboration,
Trust, and Shared Responsibility Within the Organization
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Why Is Agile Important? (cont.)
• Agile Provides:
1.
Adaptability - An Alternative Way for Companies to Manage Projects
that Involve High Levels of Uncertainty
2.
Time-to-Market - The Potential To Significantly Accelerate the Startup
Phase of New Projects
3.
Reduced Costs - Opportunities to Reduce the Costs and Overhead
Associated With Projects
4.
Customer Satisfaction - Produce Higher Value Solutions that are More
Well-aligned with User Needs
5.
Organizational Agility - Build Much Higher Levels of Collaboration,
Trust, and Shared Responsibility Within the Organization
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Blending Agile and Plan-driven Approaches
Perception:
Gap
Waterfall
Agile
Reality:
Increasing Agility
Plan-Driven
Approaches
Iterative
Approaches
Adaptive
Approaches
Increasing Agility and Adaptivity
We need to learn how to blend Agile and Traditional Project Management
Principles and Practices
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© 2012-2013 Charles G Cobb
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The Impact on Project Management
• Many Popular Stereotypes and Misconceptions About
Project Management:
– Some of These Stereotypical Behaviors Are Real, and
– Are Based on the Environment that Project Managers Typically Operate
In
• A Lot of Confusion Exists About the Impact of Agile on the
Project Management Profession:
– What is the Role for a Project Manager in an Agile Project?
– Are Traditional Project Management Principles and Practices in Conflict
with Agile Principles and Practices?
– How Does a Typical Project Manager Shape His or Her Career to Move in
a More Agile Direction?
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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PROJECT MANAGEMENT &
AGILE STEREOTYPES
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Popular Project Management Stereotypes
• Project Managers:
– Are Very “Command-and-Control” Oriented
Project Managers Are Expected to Deliver Results
– Are Also Rigid and Inflexible
Project Managers Are Often Measured on Achieving Cost and Schedule Goals
– Only Know How to Manage by the “Waterfall” Methodology
Many Project Managers Have Been Heavily Trained in a Waterfall-style Methodology
– Cannot Adapt to an Agile Environment
Because of the Characteristics Above, Project Managers Cannot Adapt to Agile
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Popular Project Management Stereotypes
• Project Managers:
– Are Very “Command-and-Control” Oriented
Project Managers Are Expected to Deliver Results
– Are Also Rigid and Inflexible
Project Managers Are Often Measured on Achieving Cost and Schedule Goals
– Only Know How to Manage by the “Waterfall” Methodology
Many Project Managers Have Been Heavily Trained in a Waterfall-style Methodology
– Cannot Adapt to an Agile Environment
Because of the Characteristics Above, Project Managers Cannot Adapt to Agile
04/11/2014
© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Popular Project Management Stereotypes
• Project Managers:
– Are Very “Command-and-Control” Oriented
Project Managers Are Expected to Deliver Results
– Are Also Rigid and Inflexible
Project Managers Are Often Measured on Achieving Cost and Schedule Goals
– Only Know How to Manage by the “Waterfall” Methodology
Many Project Managers Have Been Heavily Trained in a Waterfall-style Methodology
– Cannot Adapt to an Agile Environment
Because of the Characteristics Above, Project Managers Cannot Adapt to Agile
Some of these behaviors are a product of the environment that project managers
operate in and the project managers are only doing what is expected of them.
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Popular Agile Stereotypes
• Agile is Completely Unplanned:
– There is No Point in Planning an Agile Project Because it is Only Going
to Change
– Planning is Inconsistent With Agile Because It Would Restrict The
Adaptivity That is Needed
• Agile is Completely Uncontrolled
– An Agile Project is Not Really Managed at All
– There is No Discipline To Agile, It is Just a Bunch of “Cowboys” Writing Code
• There is a Binary, All-or-Nothing Choice Between:
– A Totally Unplanned and Uncontrolled Approach With 0% Upfront
Planning (e.g., Agile) and
– A Rigidly Planned and Controlled Approach With 100% Upfront
Planning (e.g., Waterfall)
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WHAT’S REALLY
DIFFERENT ABOUT AGILE
PROJECT MANAGEMENT?
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Emphasis on Maximizing Value vs. Control
Traditional Project
Agile Project
Heavy Emphasis on
Planning & Control
More Emphasis on
Producing Value
Decisions Based
Heavily on Managing
Costs and Schedules
Decisions Based
Heavily on Maximizing
Business Value
Project Manager Has
Primary Responsibility for
the Success of the Project
Product Owner Has
Primary Responsibility for
the Success of the Project
A Very Adaptive Approach is Essential in a Very Volatile and Uncertain Environment
To Focus on Maximizing Value
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Emphasis on Empowerment and Self-Organization
Agile Project
Traditional Project
The Team is
Works Under Direction
The Team is
Empowered and Self-Organizing
The Project Manager
Plays an Active Role in
Leading the Project Team
The Scrum Master
Plays a Facilitation Role
The Scrum Master is a “Servant Leader”
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Limited Emphasis on Documentation
Traditional Project
Agile Project
Heavy Emphasis
On Documentation
Emphasis on Producing
Results Quickly
Project Manager Has a
Key Role in Developing
and Managing Project
Documentation
Less Project
Documentation is
Required
Documentation May Be
a Key Project Deliverable
Documentation is Used
to Provide Value
as Necessary
Documentation Should Provide Value in Some Way
It Should Not be an End in Itself
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Managing “Flow” Instead of Structure
Traditional Project
Agile Project
Emphasis on Managing
and Improving Flow
Emphasis on Planning and
Managing Structure
•
•
•
Work Breakdown Structure
PERT Charts
Gantt Charts
Agile Coach/
“Process Engineer” Role
Traditional Tools Associated with Structure Can Become Irrelevant in an Agile Environment
An Agile Project Manager Should Focus on People, Process, and Tools to Optimize Flow
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Where Does that Leave the Project Manager?
Traditional Project
Agile Project
Reduced Emphasis on Planning & Control
More Emphasis on Maximizing Value
Less Emphasis on Active Leadership
More Emphasis on Empowerment & Selforganization
Less Emphasis on Documentation
More Emphasis on Producing Results Quickly
Less Emphasis on Managing Structure
More Emphasis on Managing Flow and Efficiency
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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AGILE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT ROLES
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Agile Project Management Role
•
An Agile Project Manager is Not Someone Who Only Knows How to
Practice Agile
•
An Agile Project Manager Understands Both Traditional Plan-driven
Project Management and Agile Principles and Practices, and
•
Knows How to Blend Them Together in the Right Proportions to Fit a
Given Situation
You Have to Fit the Right Approach to the Project Rather Than
Force-Fitting a Project To a One Single Approach
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Team-level Role
1. Officially, In an Ideal World, There is No Role for a Project
Manager at the Team Level in an Agile Project; However:
–
Although There May Be No One With The Title Of “Project Manager”, Project
Management Skills Are Still Needed In the Other Agile Roles:
• Scrum Master Has Responsibility for Team Leadership and Facilitation
• Product Owner Has Overall Responsibility for the Success of the Project and for
Planning and Prioritizing Work to be Done
–
Many Times Those Individuals Need Help in Filling Those Roles
2. In Any Case, The Agile Project Management Orientation is Very
Different in a Number of Ways:
–
Emphasis on Maximizing Value versus Control
–
Emphasis on Empowerment and Self-Organizing Teams
–
Limited Emphasis on Documentation
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Enterprise-level Project/Program Role
• Providing Project/Program Management of Large, Complex Initiatives
Requiring Additional Planning and Management Above the Team Level
• Projects Requiring Multiple Teams
• Projects Requiring Integration with Other Efforts Outside the Agile Team
• Planning and Leading Enterprise-level Agile Transformations Designed to
Align with the Company’s Business Objectives
• Helping Companies Integrate an Agile Approach with Their Business
• Leading Enterprise Level Transformations and Change Management
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Example – Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare
(Provided by Michael Hurst)
Overview:
•
Very Large, Complex Effort with Approximately 100 Teams
•
A Large Part of the Development Effort Was Outsourced
•
Hybrid Agile/Plan-driven Approach
Key Success Factors:
•
Immediacy and Persistency
• Tools
•
Leadership Support
• Collaborative Approach with Other Companies
•
Well-trained People
• Early Planning
•
Cultural Change
• Execution and Bringing it Home
•
Integrated, Hybrid Methodology
Results:
•
Very Successful Hybrid Approach and Portfolio Management
•
Agile Contracting Approach
•
Ranked #1 for Nine Years in Member Satisfaction and Quality of Care Despite Massive
Changes
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Hybrid Agile Project Role
• Blending Traditional Agile and PM Principles and Practices in the Right
Proportions to Develop a Hybrid Management Approach When Required
• Taking a more iterative and adaptive approach to traditional project
management projects
Situations Where a Hybrid Approach Might be Needed:
1.
Contracts, Especially Fixed-Price Government Contracts
2.
Regulatory Requirements
3.
Larger, More Complex Enterprise-level Projects
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Hybrid Process Example:
Managed Agile Development Process
Traditional
Project Management Layer
“Macro” Layer:
Project Charter
Limited Form of Change Management
Project Schedule
On-going Project Management
Development Layer
Based on Scrum
“Micro” Layer:
SOURCE: HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/SCRUM_(DEVELOPMENT)
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Example – General Dynamics, UK
(Provided by Nigel Edwards)
Overview:
•
Large, Fixed-Price Government Contract
•
Used Hybrid Management Process Based on DSDM
•
Prioritized Requirements to Manage Scope
Key Success Factors:
•
Relationships, Professionalism, and Transparency
•
Coaching and Mentoring
•
Teamwork
•
Conflict Management
•
Risk Management
Results:
•
Collaborative Approach to Contract Management Was a Big Win
•
More Efficient Project Management Approach
•
Very Successful Project and Highly Satisfied Customer
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© 2013-2014 Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
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Using Agile Concepts in Non-Agile Projects
•
There Are Many Ways to Use Agile Concepts in a Non-Agile Project:
– Developing a More Collaborative Approach With the Business Users
– Putting More Emphasis on Maximizing Business Value
– Taking a More Iterative Approach
– Reducing Unnecessary Documentation and Overhead
– Improving Project Process Efficiency
Even If You Are Never Involved in a True Agile Project or Hybrid Agile Project,
Agile Concepts Can Improve Your Skills as a Project Manager in Many Other Projects
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Overall Summary
• The Project Management Profession is at a Major Turning
Point in It’s History That Will
– “Raise the Bar” for the Entire Profession and
– Potentially Impact the Roles of Many Project Managers
• A Very Similar Transformation Took Place in the Quality
Management Profession in the Late 1980’s and Early 1990’s
– Emphasis on Quality Control and Inspection Was Changed to
– A Broader Emphasis on Going Upstream in the Process to Prevent
Defects
– That Changed the Role of Many Quality Managers and Raised the Bar
for the Entire Quality Management Profession
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Overall Summary (cont.)
•
In Order to Better Understand “Agile Project Management”, We Need to
Get Past a Lot of Stereotypes and Misconceptions That Exist About Both
Agile and Traditional Project Management
•
There is a Role for an Agile Project Manager; However, it Will Require a
Shift in Thinking for Many Project Managers:
–
Emphasis on Maximizing Value versus Control
–
Emphasis on Empowerment and Self-Organizing Teams
–
Limited Emphasis on Documentation
These Changes May Not Be Easy for Many Project Managers and Will Also Require
Changes in the Environments That They Operate In and The Measurements and
Expectations of Project Managers
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Resources to Help
•
One-Day Workshop on Agile Project Management
•
Graduate-level Boston University Course to be Offered in the Fall
•
Customized Corporate Workshops
•
Blog Site: www.ManagedAgile.com
•
Books:
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THANK YOU!
Chuck Cobb
Breakthrough Solutions, Inc.
(508) 359-7375
[email protected]
04/11/2014
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