Agile project managers possess unique competencies that empower them to complete their projects successfully, engage others, and solve problems that might emerge throughout the period. Complex ventures require evidence-based strategies, initiatives, and processes if they are to deliver positive results. This paper gives a detailed personal reflection of my knowledge and experiences as an agile project manager. Those who consider the presented insights will be in a position to succeed and mentor their followers.
Documentation Needs
Documentation remains a critical part of projects pursued using the agile manifesto. One of the most important issues to take seriously is that of efficiency (Jackson, 1). Managers should communicate all aspects and undertakings to different stakeholders or participants. This initiative is essential since it creates the best environment for reducing risks and improving chances of project success.
Several aspects are critical and agile project managers should capture them through effective documentation. The first one is recording occurrences and launch deadlines. The concept of version control ensures that unnecessary materials are deleted but saved for future use. Every stage requires documentation in an attempt to reduce workloads and empower leaders to respond to questions effectively. The involvement of technical readers and writers can ensure that flaws are detected before they can affect the project.
Another aspect is combining the documentation activity with the entire agile process (Rothman, 2). All engineers, programmers, and partners must also contribute or be part of the effort. A documentation leader is required to coordinate various efforts and functions. Finally, the agile approach requires that all documenters are involved in the project.
Success Factors
The selected initiative has an extended timeline and a complex scope. There are many engineers, programmers, and experts collaborating in an attempt to deliver positive results. Any agile leader in charge of this task requires various competencies, skills, and attributes that can take it to the next level (O’Brien, 3). This becomes the first success factor since the application of such characteristics will maximize responsiveness throughout the project period. The leader will use such abilities to solve emerging problems and empower all followers.
The second success factor is that of an effective documentation plan. As described earlier, an agile approach requires that stakeholders and partners are part of the process. The agile leader will have to be involved, capture necessary activities, and remove unnecessary information that might disorient the project. The third attribute that project managers should take seriously is that of efficient communication (Keane, 5). Such professionals will have to exhaust avenues that can support the entire process, including video-conferencing, emails, face-to-face, and mobile phones.
The concept of daily teamwork is another success factor for a project of this magnitude. The agile leader will be required to encourage all staff members to collaborate, solve problems, and streamline operations (Jackson, 1). Another powerful success factor is the ability to empower, mentor, and motivate all followers. Such individuals will use available resources and eventually make the project successful.
Offshore Resources
Offshoring has become a reality in every aspect of business strategy, including project management. Agile leaders need to utilize their competencies to manage resources with great attention and detail. Evidence-based prerequisites should govern every plan for dealing with offshore resources. This means that managers can use test cases to expose potential flaws and ensure that all members of the team coordinate their efforts. Another unique issue to consider is that of communication (O’Brien, 3). Managers need to focus on cultural values people from the targeted regions exhibit. They can leverage modern software technologies to support the communication process.
The leader should ensure that all followers in different regions commit to these respective teams. A contingency plan is necessary for supporting the targeted plan, improving the level of engagement, and empowering workers to be part of the entire process. Another powerful aspect is that of balance. The agile leader needs to structure the major teams effectively (Adams, 4). Managers should ensure that all groups are at par with each other and have access to all software and hardware resources whenever demanded. Positive results will be possible if leaders promote timely communication, avoid message clutter, and improve flexibility.
Challenges and Mitigation Strategies
The management of offshore resources is a practice that encounters diverse challenges. Some of the common ones will include cultural differences, poor communication, and untimely response. The absence of a comprehensive plan aimed at addressing all teams’ needs can also affect the initiative. Many agile leaders forget that they should communicate the implemented project plan to all players and participants in different regions (Jackson, 1). This gap can disorient the entire project and make it unsustainable.
Agile leaders require specific skills to manage all involved teams, communicate effectively, and address emerging problems. They should define all objectives and project goals and share the same information with all participants. The right channels or modes of communication are critical to ensure the success of the project (Adams, 4). Managers can go further to pursue specific advantages that will support the initiative. This means that agile leaders should have a competent offshore team in place, lay down all parameters, and coordinate all functions by providing resources in a timely manner.
Measuring Performance and Quality
Supervisors and stakeholders can apply various strategies to measure performance and assess the quality of services and products associated with the selected organization. One of these initiatives is known as actual cost. This model guides leaders to monitor the amount of expenses incurred throughout the period and contrast it with the actual cost of the completed work (Jackson, 1). This metric is essential since it will guide investigators to determine if the company has recorded a positive or negative performance.
The second strategy revolves around the level of stakeholder or customer satisfaction. A powerful study is necessary to examine whether different individuals and customers are happy with the company’s performance. Another critical issue for gauging the effectiveness of the organization’s operations and initiatives is that of cost vs. quality. This metric will determine whether the incurred costs have delivered quality to different stakeholders.
An organization’s products and services should fulfill the needs of all the targeted customers. Leaders can consider various measures to monitor the quality and effectiveness of such products. The first one is selecting specific products randomly and assessing them to ensure that they conform to the expected quality standards. This can also be done for the services the company provides to its customers. The second metric revolves around the use of consumer insights or views.
Those involved can collect information from customers and other partners to determine if the targeted services or products address their unique needs (Rothman, 2). This kind of data can inform superior measures or strategies to engage in continuous improvement and support the changing demands of all key stakeholders.
Delivery Process
Agile projects are usually complex and involve many partners and stakeholders. Nonetheless, it is crucial for managers to ensure that the intended results are delivered with the stipulated period. A powerful model is necessary if agile leaders want to accelerate this delivery time and meet the needs of all key stakeholders. The first step of the proposed plan revolves around the use of a core project team (O’Brien, 3). This group should have professionals who can coordinate various activities, support the documentation process, jungle various demands, and solve emerging problems.
The second phase is the addition of resources. This means that the leader will ensure that competent people are hired and equipped with adequate materials and time. Additional staff and resources will shorten the delivery time and minimize wastes. The third aspect or phase is outsourcing or offshoring depending on the nature of the project. There are specific activities and products that can benefit from this model within the agile project lifecycle (Keane, 5). Finally, the leader can schedule overtime without having to hire more people. Such measures will eventually accelerate the project delivery process.
Conclusion
The above discussion has revealed that agile project managers apply special skills to achieve their goals within a short time. Such leaders should be able to handle documentation needs efficiently, promote success factors throughout the project period, manage offshore resources properly, and identify evidence-based solutions to challenges that might emerge. These initiatives are critical and will ensure that every agile project achieves his or her goals.
Reference Page
James Jackson, Agile Project Management: Beginner Guide for Scrum Development (Scrum, Agile Methodology, Agile Development, Agile Coaching, Agile Leader, Agile Methods, Agile Introduction, Agile Scrum, Agile Testing), ISBN: 1546739661.
Johanna Rothman, Agile and Lean Program Management: Scaling Collaboration across the Organization, ISBN: 978-1-943487-04-2.
Henry O’Brien, Agile Project Management: A Quick Start Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Agile Project Management, ISBN: 1517481856.
Tony Adams, Agile Leadership: A Leader’s Guide to Orchestrating Agile Strategy, Product Quality and IT Governance, ISBN: 978-1-4917-5899-1.
Thomas Keane, Project Management: Proven Principles in Agile Project Management for Successful Managers and Businesses, ISBN: 1544938292.
The rapid technological advancements during the last decade have led to the urgent need for new flexible project management frameworks. Globally accepted approaches, such as Waterfall, are no longer able to adapt to the swiftness of today’s market. To solve this problem, Agile software frameworks were presented to the broad public at the beginning of the new millennium. The purpose of this essay is to dwell upon the notion of the Scrum framework, its main elements, and objectives as well as to analyze the framework’s effectiveness on the example of a particular company.
Scrum framework is one of the most well-known implementations of Agile approaches to project management. According to the Project Management Institute, Scrum’s main objective is flexible ways of product delivery implemented through constant feedback and team collaboration (Sliger, 2011). The four major Agile and Scrum ceremonies include sprint planning, daily scrum, sprint review, and sprint retrospective. While the first three ceremonies are responsible for planning and reassuring the team is on the same page, the latter ceremony requires a critical analysis of the already executed activities and work packages.
The key participants of the Scrum framework, Development Team, Product Owner, and Scrum Master, are responsible for the mutual understanding of its artifacts. Product Backlog deals with the requirements set to the final deliverable, Sprint Backlog is a practical set of the team’s tasks, and Product Increment is a phase of shipping an already designed deliverable (Sliger, 2011). These three framework components are crucial in terms of creating a valid product.
The most famous and influential companies of today are using the Scrum framework to a great extent. One of the most vivid examples is Google Corporation. One of its most used and known products, Google Chrome Browser, was created with the help of Scrum (“Introducing Agile development at Google,” 2018). To improve the company’s efficiency and reduce the average time of product release, developers decided to split the deliverables into manageable work packages, shipped to the Product Owner every six weeks. In such a way, they achieved a high level of efficiency and shortened drastically the estimated duration of the project.
Agile Framework Case Studies
With the appearance of various Agile software networks, the biggest companies worldwide tried to adapt these flexible methodologies according to their needs. One of the first adepts of the Agile approach was Microsoft Corporation (“Meeting the challenges of agile development at enterprise scale,” 2017). At first, it proved to be very beneficial in terms of project duration and flexibility – the company managed to reduce its project duration for months.
However, such a system could not be relevant for big corporations for a long time as it was primarily created for small teams of up to 15 participants. For this reason, Microsoft Corporation decided to use the agile framework as a basis for creating a system relevant for large-scale companies and project teams. Hence, they not only increased their effectiveness but also managed to start a new era of project management among influential companies.
Along with Microsoft, one of the biggest units of the International Business Machines Corporation, Global Technology Services, also went agile in 2016. The primary purpose of such a drastic change was to remove the barriers within the customer-team communication as well as to establish a flexible framework in terms of product development (“How IBM’s biggest business unit got Agile,” 2018).
They decided to start a sprint project system, which implied goal-focused meetings every two weeks, along with the daily follow-up, and this approach saved them a lot of time and money, accordingly. Hence, even though various agile frameworks were created for small teams’ effectiveness, the aforementioned cases prove that such an approach has changed the traditional management system within the most successful companies as well.
The application of classic project management into the field of agile project management is somewhat an overextended exercise. The application of classic management techniques into the agile environment may lead to a mismatch, thereby stifling innovation. Overstretching of classic project management techniques reduces its effectiveness. However, the evolvement of project management over the years has resulted in a customized, expanded and validated classic project management platform. The emphasis of project management in an agile environment is on a shift from planning to execution. An agile project management environment is characterized by unique expertise, uncertainty, and speed. The chapter highlights two forms of project uncertainty that are vital in agile project management, namely, external uncertainty (this refers to those factors of a project that are not covered by the project) and internal uncertainty (these are the issues actually covered by the project). Either of the two types of uncertainty could be prevalent in a given project, and as such, they are critical elements worth consideration. Initially, the development of classic project management was mainly meant for the mature organizations that had managed to successfully compress most of the internal uncertainties from their daily operations.
As an organization becomes more mature, the internal uncertainties associated with its projects reduces. While internal uncertainties symbolize the maturity of a company, on the other hand, external uncertainties symbolize the maturity of the industry. This is because mature industries have by and large managed to do away with most of the competition. They have also succeeded in erecting entry barriers for newcomers into the industry, thereby reducing any possible external uncertainty. Unique expertise is also necessary in agile project management, and more so with regard to innovative projects. Classic project management is characterized by the interchangeability of the pooled resources, including expertise. In agile project management, however, the unique expertise cannot be substituted. The agile project management, therefore, has to ensure that the unique expertise is put to optimum use. Sped is also critical because the management would want their projects completed in a timely manner.
Chapter 2
The comprehensive nature of classic project management renders its application in diverse project situations. Before any agile project management concept can be applied to any situation at hand, certain fundamental criteria are necessary. To start with, it is important to study the project environments. Here, three types of project environments are quite popular with scholars in the field s of science and technology. Whereas the operational environment tends to be somewhat predictable (that is, it has a low level of uncertainty), on the other hand, both the process/product development and technology environments have a high level of uncertainty (that is, they tend to be more predictable). As such, a full understanding of where your project falls is useful because it enables one to identify the extent to which the ideas of agile project management may be beneficial to our project. An environment that renders itself to technology development projects blends well with agile project management. In addition, a blend of both agile project management and classic project management is valuable to the project environment of the product development process.
The second criterion involves the organizational stakeholders. These could be the partners, subcontractors, and customers of the organization. When the project is operating under one umbrella in the organization, the chances of success with the agile project management concepts are higher. On the other hand, multiple organizations are faced with more challenges when trying to establish a successful agile environment. The lesser the number of stakeholders in an organization, the more application will be the agile project management. On the other hand, multiple organizational stakeholders find more application in classic project management. Both classic project management and agile project management find application in a situation whereby a single company has multiple organizations.
Chapter 3
Projects are an integral part of any business, and their success or failure impacts greatly on the overall business of the organization. Close scrutiny of the general makeup of a typical business reveals two vital elements: the first part of the business is the operations part, dealing with the daily activities of the firm such as revenue generation, sales, technical support, billing, and procurement. On the other hand, the project part emphasizes more on the company’s future vision. This part includes marketing programs, R & D, and business process improvements. In classic project management, projects are treated as distinct entities with static and well-defined boundaries. On the other hand, in agile project management, projects are treated as a fundamental component of the business. Their dynamic boundaries allow for shifting in line with changes in the needs of the business.
The development of project management and organizational capabilities is crucial if at all we are to successfully integrate projects into organizations. These capabilities should also allow project managers to see beyond the boundaries of the project. The aim of agile project management is to integrate the business and projects environment and in the process, as well as the associated decision-making processes. The matrix management model separates project and business decision making. Matrix management helps to unite the organization with the projects and not the objectives of the business. In larger companies, matrix management acts as an effective project enabler, but too small companies, it may be a hindrance.
Chapter 4
Organizing for agility calls for the establishment of project leadership, a team that functions across the various departments in the organization, a definition of the roles and responsibilities of the team, and a reminder of how to effectively manage the meetings attended by the members of the project. With regard to cross-functional team leadership, it is important to note that failure to directly address the issue of leadership in a team may lead to ambiguity. In addition, the project manager should assume his leadership role. Desire and expertise are the defining terms of the roles and responsibilities of team members in an agile environment. Solving multidimensional issues requires that individuals cross boundaries. As such, these forms of boundaries should ideally be permeable so that the other members of the team may also be encouraged to get involved. Agile environments are characterized by a decentralized process of decision making. By and large, agile projects call for more meetings, and the frequency/number of such meetings should increase with the increase in uncertainty. The identification of the optimal or required attendees enhances the efficiency of meetings. Also, when the attendees are fully aware of what to expect in such meetings, they come prepared. There is a need for project managers to change their perception regarding meetings so that they stop being a hindrance to the process of communication in the organization, and instead, they should endeavour to become agile and valuable channels of communicating information on project management.
Chapter 5
The role of the agile manager entails various skills and duties. For example, he/she has to recognize that in the course of running a project, some of the agile projects are likely to change direction. For this reason, the agile project manager should be someone who is capable of assuming an outward-facing perspective so that he can closely monitor the external environment and discover possible influences that could; impact the project. As a result, such an agile project manager should be in a better position to add these elements to the members of his/her team. In addition, the agile project manager should be more of a facilitator and not a manager.
A good agile project manager should also function as the organization’s intelligent information manifold. He/she should be very proactive in an attempt to establish cordial relationships with the other project stakeholders at a time when the project is not faced with tough times. The agile project manager should endeavour to add value to the project through ‘gap filling’. He/she should also be increasingly integrated into as far as technical projects are concerned. The agile project manager should also act as a guide to the rest of the project team by way of maintaining a ‘big picture view’ of not just the project at hand but the entire organization as well. The agile project manager should facilitate the interactivities and activities of the various individuals in his team. Additionally, the agile project manager should be a champion of the organization’s project knowledge development by way of conducting the lesson learned process. Finally, the agile project manager should be in a position to integrate into the project a light-handed approach, solid interpersonal skills, and all the other roles that he/she is charged with in order to ensure that the project moves forward in an effective manner.
Chapter 6
The success of any project depends on how well its members are able to ‘gel’ and work in a cohesive manner. However, those agile team members who are capable of establishing networks are often seen as possessing uncommon and valuable skills. It is important that the agile team effectively handle changes encountered in the project. Moreover, such a team also needs to ensure that the entire organization experiences change. For this reason, it is the responsibility of a very agile project manager to identify individuals with uncommon skills for inclusion into the project team so that they can assist him in reinventing the organization. Members of the agile team should be in a position to handle change encountered in the project. Additionally, they should also be in a position to influence change in the entire organization.
Once implemented, the various forms of changes recommended by the agile team will, in the long run, result in enhanced agility in the entire organization. For this reason, it is important to always ensure that members of the agile team periodically switch between working alone and working together. This means that the individual members of the agile team should be capable of thriving in a solitary and collaborative environment. In the agile team, technical expertise is actually less desirable than adaptability. This is because the organization has the choice of outsourcing purely technical skills. As the project advances, the team members may be required to get involved in parallel tasks of the project simultaneously, and as such, team members should be able to switch between modes very efficiently.
Chapter 7
One of the most important activities of the agile environment is planning. Still, it remains the most painful and highly undervalued activity because most of the time, project managers will be trying to implement a classic planning process, but in the real sense, they are in need of an agile one. The project manager should form a habit of discussing with his team the expected level of uncertainty when the project is still young during the planning process. This way, the manager will have set the tone on how the rest of the project should be planned—agile planning hinges upon achievements and how the team should be committed in order to meet those achievements. The agile project manager should only make plans for the project no further than the foreseeable future. This is because much further than that could lead to frustrated team members, not to mention that extended plans are risky.
During the project planning process, the agile project manager should set the tone by facilitating discussion with his/her team members on the possible business and technical uncertainties of the project. Consequently, team members are in a better position to better comprehend the frequency and scope of planning efforts in the entire project. The process of planning an agile plan requires that the project manager request members of the team identify the milestones or achievements needed to accomplish the project, as opposed to the detailed tasks. Low-level planning should be incorporated into the culture of project management in the organization. In order to increase efficiency, such planning tools as Concise Project Planning Data Sheets should be incorporated into agile projects.
Chapter 8
Compared to contingency planning, the agile planning methodology, a detailed and shorter planning horizon reduces the attractiveness of mitigation. The risk management approaches of both agile and classic project management are similar. Separately, the fundamental classic techniques tend to be somewhat effective, and as such, even when the project adopts the agile environment, they need not be abandoned. On the other hand, risk management techniques tend to be a bit more time-sensitive when it comes to the issue of implementation into the agile environment because of the brief but comprehensive planning horizon. One of the strategies that can be adopted by the project managers is to ensure that they reduce the scope needed so that they are able to reach the market earlier. In addition, the cost and overall time necessary for the attainment of the original scope also needs to be extended.
Project managers should be mindful of the available time horizon for not only planning but also implementing the mitigation in a case whereby mitigation plans have been integrated with the agile planning technique. However, the risk should be identified first. Decision pathways and points are commonly used for contingency planning of both the scope and the schedule of risks involved. It is important to prioritize the pathways followed by the already defined network diagrams in order to ensure that the energy of members of our team is focused on the paths most likely to be followed. One of the ways of prioritizing the potential project pathways is to weigh them. This way, it becomes easier, if necessary, to expand the detailed plan of your agile project along a specific pathway. As much as possible, the agile project environment should remain positive to avoid inherent delays created by negative views of the primary project plan. The project manager should be involved in the development of the network diagram. He should therefore keep all the team members looking forward and regularly communicate with the external stakeholders and members of the team any emerging issues.
Chapter 9
Agile project management deals with the skilful management of project uncertainly and the associated change so that in the long run, both the business and project may benefit from the ensuing positive force. It is important for the senior management to fully comprehend the connection between portfolio management, business planning, and strategic project execution. There is a need for proper understanding of how high-level objectives, business strategy and strategic project portfolio are related if at all one wishes his/her organization to attain high-level strategies. The agile project environment is characterized by a shared ripple effect; on the one hand, we have the tactical project portfolio, and on the other hand, there is the high-level business strategy. The agile project manager needs to ensure that he/she is actively involved in the projects of the organization. This way, he/she is in a better position to advance skills and/or the right persons to the tasks at hand and, in the process, influence the overall advancement of the organization.
Functional managers are called upon to think about outsourcing as far as the agile staff projects are concerned. Outsourcing should therefore be seen as a way of obtaining particular technical talent, and more so if the talent in question may not be repurposed. Now and then, agile team members will push the company’s envelop and, in the process, reveal novel organizational obstacles that must be conquered. In this case, the agile project manager should endeavour to establish an environment that allows for the breakdown and rebuilding of the conventional functional boundaries, in line with the demands of both the business and the project. The overall agility of an organization depends on its ability to reinvent itself. In this case, the silo mentality tends to kill any reinvention spirit in the organization. When you want to institute change in the organization, it is always wise to present your case to the management. Present them with the big picture, along with potential implications of the project. Ensure that all the levels of management fully understand that there is a dire need for organizational reinvention.
Chapter 10
In order to enable project managers to manage the daily PM activities of the organization (for example, action items, task, and communication management), the organization should have in place an infrastructure that allows for the execution of the operational project management. Project managers should be careful in seeing that the operational infrastructure takes into account even those action items that have not been planned for and integrate them with these contained in the original plan of the project. In addition, the manager should skillfully manage the rapid and recurrent changes to the plan in question.
If at all a project is to operate efficiently, there must be an operational infrastructure in place. Agile projects are no different; the infrastructure should emphasize more on how the execution stage of the project shall be managed, as opposed to the planning phase. It is important to note that many of the available software tools are more concerned with the planning phase. In this case, in the process of identifying the ideal software tools, always go for those that address the basics adequately.
It is also important to ensure that our project management tasks are broken down into three separate roles- the program analyst, process developer, and project manager. This not only acts to motivate members of your PM team but also ensures that our project infrastructure operations are achieved. Ideally, the project management tools of choice should aid activities related to the process of executing the project. The development, as well as maintenance of project management infrastructure, requires the allocation of specialized expertise/resources. Consequently, this helps to hasten your progress towards the attainment of PM agility.
Chapter 11
One of the most effective ways of introducing the concepts of project and portfolio management is by integrating them with the development process of your products. A lot of companies have managed to enhance this integration by ensuring the proper combination of business, interpersonal and technical skills. Nonetheless, when this approach is used in isolation, scaling becomes with a highly and technical-driven company. Agile project managers should have the habit of planning an individual stage as a separate subproject. This way, it becomes easier to integrate the stage-gate output portfolio assessment into the comprehensive plans for the stage that follows. In this case, it is important to note that one of the best places to integrate the process of product development and the portfolio review is at the stage-gate assessment meetings.
Agile managers should form the habit of utilizing portfolio management to establish the all important connection between the strategic implementation of individual projects and business strategy. As much as possible, the daily project management process should be integrated with portfolio management through the use of operational infrastructure. This is important to avoid yearly portfolio reviews. One could also ensure the implementation of the portfolio management project by allocating the task to the functional managers who are near the project set. Consequently, the functional managers get deeply involved in the project both at the project and the strategic levels. In addition, it lays the foundation for the creation of a project–based company. In order to ensure that the project stays in alignment, in-depth discussions are necessary in order to prioritize the projects.
Chapter 12
If companies aspire to remain innovative in the future, there is a dire need for them to embrace the concept of project management. Project management enables companies to define, plan, and implement various projects. This makes a big difference between the flourishing and surviving companies in a fast paced and dynamic environment. Today, project management is a tactical tool for use by companies so that they can attain their objectives. In project management, serious consideration is given to those approaches that tend to resonate with both the organization and the team. These approaches are always accorded serious consideration. Agile project management prioritizes creativity, even as it facilitates organizational and project success. In theory, project management focuses on the full project lifecycle. On the other hand, the practical application is more involved with the planning. In order to propagate and reflect this focus, we have in place management TOOLS WHOSE principle design allows for the automation of such planning activities as resource allocation and timeline creation.
On the other hand, in order for the agile projects to succeed, emphasis should be on the execution phase. Agility entails making proper decisions during the planning and execution phases of the project. Companies that wish to succeed in the future will have to ensure the integration of their project decision process with the business. This will help create a two-way, real-time feedback mechanism between, on the one hand, the business and, on the other hand, the project. However, these organizations will be required to redefine conventional roles, develop novel infrastructure that emphasizes project planning and definition efforts, and organize their operations around projects in a way that enhances execution efforts. If organizations are to succeed in implementing the agile project management concept, they will require innovative leaders to act as champions of this noble idea.
The Core Values in The Agile Manifesto and Why They are Essential to Accomplishing a Project
The Agile Manifesto comprises four core values and twelve complementary principles. One of the four core values places more weight on people and their interaction than on procedures and equipment (Balasubramanian & Ajayan, 2022). The second emphasizes delivering working software more than engaging in tedious documentation, while the third places more value on client engagement than on negotiating contracts with clients (Balasubramanian & Ajayan, 2022). Lastly, the fourth is about the dynamic response to change other than sticking to a rigid plan.
On the other hand, the twelve supporting principles include being open to varying requirements throughout a project and ensuring client satisfaction by prompt and uninterrupted delivery of software (Darrin & Devereux, 2017). They additionally include trusting, supporting and motivating the people involved in a project, contacting clients throughout the project, and frequently delivering working software (Darrin & Devereux, 2017). Fostering in-person interactions, emphasizing working software that measures progress, supporting a consistent pace in software development, and prompt attention to designs and detail are additionally among the twelve principles (Darrin & Devereux, 2017). Lastly, on the list is additionally constant stock-taking to ensure more effectiveness, self-organization, and simplicity (Darrin & Devereux, 2017). Therefore, the Agile Manifesto is detailed with various values and principles, enabling teams to approach their workload schematically, especially software development teams.
Previously, software developing teams would focus mainly on acquiring sophisticated techniques or tools for building software. However, the Agile Manifesto proposes that the people matter the most, although devices and processes are essential. They are the ones who execute such approaches and use such tools; thus, having the right individuals on a software development team is critical for success. Besides, having the most sophisticated tools without the right people does not help. Lastly, interactions among individuals within a team are essential because they allow team members to collaborate, solving any problems arising during projects.
Moreover, in the past, software development teams would take a lot of time making and filing detailed documents before they could embark on the main task, which was developing software. Although detailed documentation is not a bad idea, sometimes the focus is not purely on documents but on the end product – working software. The Agile Manifesto sets in at this point, prioritizing the delivery of working software to clients over spending so much time on documentation. Instead of tedious initial documentation, a company could collect data through client feedback to improve its service.
Besides, contracts have been the centre of focus for quite a long time. A company would formulate contracts with their clients to provide their desired end product details. Therefore, there has often been a distinction between what the client said, what they required, and the actual end product. However, the Agile Manifesto emphasizes constant dialogue and collaboration with clients throughout the software development project. Companies need to build feedback loops with their clients to constantly produce the product each client desires.
Lastly, following a plan makes the process rigid and static, yet nothing remains constant in the world today. According to the Agile Manifesto, client needs, priorities, and desires constantly change. It, therefore, proposes that software teams need to factor in change as they take up projects. Doing so helps a company meet the specific client needs, therefore being preferred by clients. It additionally helps companies consume less time on a particular project because they do not have to repeat projects belonging to unsatisfied clients.
Areas of Improvement in The Agile Manifesto
Concerning the Agile Manifesto placing more weight on people and their interaction than on procedures and equipment, some improvements are needed. While paying more attention to the people rather than tools, it helps if the people are brought together so that they can interact (Reyes, 2018). The agile manifesto tries to address that by suggesting things like team building activities which bring people together. However, the impact of team building activities held once in a while might be short-lived. Thus, assigning duties to teams rather than individual members can improve this core value. Doing so ensures that people come together and collaborate to yield good results. Therefore, the company enjoys proper attention to detail and enhanced performance and building the individual members of the various teams for advanced tasks.
Besides, more improvements are needed regarding the agile manifesto’s core value of emphasizing delivering working software more than engaging in tedious documentation. Though offering working software would benefit customers, how fast such software is provided to clients matters significantly. Therefore, beyond making working software and minimizing documentation, a company could additionally improve the time taken before they deliver. Such additionally applies to the third core value, customer collaboration over contract negotiation. Besides keeping the client close and talking throughout the project, timely and fast delivery is an improvement that needs to be made for better outcomes. These help the company build trust with clients, and they, therefore, can enjoy referrals to other clients and increased sales.
Lastly, regarding dynamic response to change other than sticking to a rigid plan, improvements needed include tracking progress. Though changes occur throughout a project, one needs not to be carried away responding to them until they lose focus of the task. The value that tracking progress adds to the company is that the company will eventually deliver on the task at hand despite the various changes during the project. Generally, for all the four core values, improvements can be made through agile being adopted in the whole organization and not partly. Additionally, leveraging agile in global teams can help them improve their operations and outcome, resulting in healthy companies and satisfied clients.
References
Balasubramanian, S., & Ajayan, S. (2022). A readiness assessment framework for agile government projects. Agile Government, 139–157.
Darrin, M. A., & Devereux, W. S. (2017). The Agile Manifesto, Design Thinking and Systems Engineering. 2017 Annual IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon).
Reyes, V. (2018). Ethnographic toolkit: Strategic positionality and researchers’ visible and invisible tools in field research. Ethnography, 21(2), 220–240.
Information Technology abbreviated as IT, is an important part of human life since almost every sphere of human life makes use of IT. However, despite the beneficial side of technology, it is still riddled with problems such as its impact on the environment. This paper will look at three different issues related to IT. The first section will look at the advantages of agile methods in CMM process maturity and ISO 9000 quality assurance standards. The second section will look at intellectual property and its issues regarding uploading photographs and other articles on social networks. The last section of the paper will differentiate between the Perspective of IT being a producer of carbon and IT being an enabler in reducing carbon.
Advantages of Agile Methods
Risk Minimization
Development of software using the agile method involves the use of short iteration which completes software in all subsequent iterations. This is also carried out in all stages of iteration reducing largely the risks involved. Software development through agile methods involves face-to-face development where close conversations are continuous. Since the environment is small, it is possible to identify problems faster and report them to the relevant people for immediate action. In addition, the duration taken to give feedback is very short hence risk managers are in a position of getting information and offering solutions within a short period of time (My Project Development, 2010).
Cost and Time Reduction
When agile methods are used with CMM process maturity, a relatively reduced period of time in developing software is consumed as opposed to the use of traditional means. The reduction in the period of time subsequently reduces the cost involved since the number of people required is also reduced. For instance, the agile method may require between 20 and 40 people per team. This reduces the cost involved in paying their salary as opposed to traditional methods where hundreds of people are employed hence increasing the cost of paying salaries. The face-to-face communication involved also saves money since there is no cost involved in communicating with team members who are in distant places (Cadle & Yeates, 2008).
Limitations of Agile Methods
Lack of enough Documentation
Since we have noted that the agile method heavily relies on face-to-face documentation, this does not give a chance for the required documentation to take place. Customers make requirements as the process goes on instead of submitting them at the start of the process. As a result, the requirements are not orderly. The iteration way of designing software using the agile method also does not give a chance for design plans. When iteration is completed, a different one takes the place of the design plan. As a result, it is impossible to have one design plan after the development process is complete (McDermid, 2008).
Lack of enough Support for Big Teams
Face-to-face communication which is employed in agile methods is only suitable for small teams. When the number of members in a team is large, it is virtually impossible to employ face-to-face communication. Such situations require different methods of communication like the ones used in large gatherings. In addition, if the reading materials are few and the number of people is large, it means that they will not understand the process. It also means that programmers will not be in a position of getting immediate feedback.
Lack of Enough Support for Junior Developers
While senior developers are crucial in agile methods, there is a big difference between them and junior developers. It is crucial for software developers to be experienced in the field of software development. It is likely that senior developers are more skillful in developing software than junior developers. As a result, senior developers do not waste a lot of time in understanding the guidelines of developing new software while junior developers require a lot time to understand the guidelines. In agile methods, programmers are expected to be swift in doing new things which is not possible for junior programmers. This causes delays in operations leading to adverse effects in the software development process (McDermid, 2008).
IT as producer of carbon Vs IT as Carbon Reducer
Since the evolution of computers, their use has been widespread in almost every part of the world with their use being in all industries. This is different from how things happened in the recent past when computers were not common. As a result of the increased use of computers, issues of their environmental impact have arisen. It is important to analyze the impact of using computers and other IT materials. The need to discuss their impact on the environment has led to the emergence of the term green IT which refers to the use of IT devices which have no environmental impact. Computers and other IT devices use a lot power which produces green house gases. However, IT can be used to increase environmental sustainability.
In the light of Green enterprise, IT is looked at from two different perspectives. The first perspective is that IT produces carbon while the second perspective is that IT is an enabler in reduction of carbon. These two perspectives are controversial and I will differentiate them in this section. As mentioned earlier, computers and other IT devices consumer a lot of power leading to production of carbon. In this sense IT is regarded as a factor that produces carbon.
The second perspective is that IT can be used as an enabler in reduction of carbon. Computers and other IT devices can be used in different ways to reduce the amount of carbon. Through IT devices, it is possible to influence people to embrace different strategies that reduce carbon emission. For example, people can be encouraged through IT devices to properly dispose used computers and other electronic devices which might lead into production of carbon. In addition, computers and other IT devices are used to manufacture other electronic devices that are environmentally friendly and do not produce carbon. In this sense, IT is an enabler in reducing carbon.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is defined as things that are uniquely created by the human mind with their own protective rights. They cannot be adopted unless explicit permission is obtained by those who want to adopt them. A branch of law referred to as intellectual property law that covers intellectual property has been established. These laws give the owners special rights to things that cannot be seen or touched like music and different works of art. It also encompasses things that are individually discovered or invented such as certain sayings or designs. Examples of known intellectual property include copyrights and patents.
Many laws governing intellectual property have been established although the term started being used in the 19th century. Some renowned people in the software industry have argued that use of the term intellectual property should be discouraged. According to them, intellectual property is used to bring together various laws that have no relation at all. With reference to trademarks and patents, different laws that have no relation should not be given a collective term.
Intellectual property is usually concerned with how information is shared on the internet and other social media. Social media encompasses online interaction sites where people from different parts of the world interact and share information which is generated by individuals. It is different from traditional media such as newspapers where readers do not get feedback. In social media, information is shared from diverse sources. Examples of social media include networks used for socializing such as face book and my space. Intellectual property regulates the use of social networks and as such, it has issues with regard to uploading photographs or other articles in social network accounts (CLE, n.d).
Intellectual property is concerned about security matters since some users may upload photos or articles with bad intentions. Intellectual property is concerned that articles may be shared on social networks with intentions of committing crime over the internet. Instances have been recorded where articles are uploaded and shared to commit crimes.
Another concern for intellectual property is that photographs or articles that are morally wrong may be uploaded on social network accounts. Since the networks are shared by thousands of users, this will spread moral decadence to many people. Intellectual property endeavors to ensure that it is only photographs and articles that are morally right that should be used on social networks (CLE, n.d).
Intellectual property is also concerned that some of the photographs may be uploaded without the consent of the owners. Any material that is used on the social network should be used with consent from the owner. If this is not checked, photographs may continue being used without the consent of the owners.
Conclusion
In this paper, i have looked at three different issues in IT management. I have looked at the advantages and limitations of agile methods in CMM process maturity and ISO 9000 quality Assurance standards. The second part of the paper has focused on the difference between the perspective of IT producing carbon and IT acting as an enabler in reducing carbon. The final section of the paper has looked at intellectual property and the issues involved when uploading a picture or an article in social media like facebook.
Reference List
Cadle, J., & Yeates, D. (2008). Project Management for Information Systems. England: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
CLE. (n.d). Intellectual Property Issues in Social Media. Web.
McDermid. (2008). Ethics in ICT: An Australian Perspective. Australia: Pearson Education Australia,.
Agile and Waterfall management models are among the most popular instruments used by managers in the software development area. The difference between the mentioned models is not as much theoretical as practical. The selection of a methodology that does not fit a project will, at best, significantly slow down its development, while, at worst – it will become a top-failure of the year. Agile is a system of ideas and principles of flexible project management, and Waterfall is a project management technique that involves a steady transition from one stage to the next without overlaps and returns to previous stages.
The purpose of this paper is to explore Agile and Waterfall management models based on the innovative development perspective, organisational practice, and management practice, thus providing relevant insights and recommendations on the given issues. The essay will start with the definition of the key concepts and their presentation in the scholarly literature. Agile and Waterfall management models will be compared and contrasted in terms of organisational goals, their significance to managers, and the topic problematisation, leading to a meta-theoretical understanding of the processes. Ultimately, the paper will end with the provision of evidence-based recommendations to promote innovative development and integrative conclusions.
Background to Topic Area
The Waterfall method is the invention of Winston Walker Royce, a pioneer in software development and director of the Lockheed Software Technology Center in Austin, Texas, USA. The Waterfall model of management implies a sequential passage of the process that is to be broken down into stages. The transition to a new stage is possible only after the completion of the previous one. As noted by Chari and Agrawal (2018), Walker’s original work called “Managing the Development of Large Software Systems” describes six stages of product development that were accepted as the standards of managing software development processes. In particular, the first stage of system and software requirements implies fixed product requirements document (PRD), and the second stage focuses on the analysis of models, schemes, and business regulations (Chari & Agrawal 2018; Baseer, Rama Mohan Reddy & Shoba Bindu 2015). The subsequent stages that seem to be rather elaborate involve design, coding, testing, and operations, where the latter consider a product adaptation, regular updates, and technical support to customers.
Likewise other popular methodologies for the development and management of projects, Agile has appeared in the United States relatively recently – in 2001. 17 US IT specialists from Utah were responsible for the emergence of this flexible development methodology. Along with the “Flexible Software Development Manifesto”, in which the term “Agile” was used for the first time, they registered 12 principles of software development (Azanha et al. 2017). Based on the critical literature review, their essence may be reduced to several key principles that determine the nature of the identified methodology. One may enumerate the prioritisation of people and interactions instead of processes and tools, a product rather than exhaustive documentation, as well as cooperation with customers and readiness for change as opposed to the initial plan.
Currently, Agile serves as the basis for a number of flexible techniques, among which the most known are Scrum, Lean, and extreme programming (XP). Scrum may be defined as Agile-based flexible development methodology based on a sprint – a period of one to four weeks, at the end of which a working version of the product should be achieved (Azanha et al. 2017). The research identifies the concept of lean as a method that focuses on the philosophy of continuous improvement at all levels of the organisation, where one of the key concepts is customer value (Azanha et al. 2017; Stare 2013). In its turn, XP is another significant strategy, where an important role is given to the periodic involvement of a customer in planning.
The theoretical perspectives that underpin this study are associated with the solid foundation based on the critical review of the recent scholarly literature presented within the last five years in peer-reviewed journals. The existing body of the literature seems to be thought-provoking and contributing to the development of further discoveries, yet the modern environment sets new challenges. Considering the rapidly developing technology, it becomes evident that the available research should be enriched with new studies on Waterfall and Agile management models to understand their role, trends, threats, and potential.
Organisational Goals
In the Waterfall model, it is easy to manage the project. Due to its rigidity, the development is quick, while the cost and time are predetermined. However, this model leads to an excellent result only in projects with clearly defined requirements and methods of their implementation as there is no way to step back, and testing begins only after the development is completed or almost completed (Baseer, Rama Mohan Reddy & Shoba Bindu 2015). Products developed for this model without a reasonable choice of it can have shortcomings, which become known only at the end due to a strict sequence of actions. Therefore, the topic of the Waterfall model is important to companies as it provides a valuable opportunity to systematise the process of production and ensure coherent innovation development.
To achieve the organisational goals of a company, it is essential to remember that the Waterfall model is applicable to specific conditions. For instance, it seems to be the best option when all the requirements are known, understandable, and fixed since contradictory requirements are not acceptable (Baseer, Rama Mohan Reddy & Shoba Bindu 2015). More to the point, Waterfall management model proved to be effective primarily in relatively small projects with the availability of programmers of the required skills. On the contrary, when the needs of customers are constantly changing in a dynamic business, it is more appropriate to apply Agile to accomplish the organisational goals set. The changes to Agile are realised at a lower price because of frequent increments. In contrast to the Waterfall model, only small planning is sufficient in the flexible model to start a project.
In the essence of Agile, there are daily meetings and regularly recurring meetings – once a week, every two weeks, or once a month. At daily meetings, team members discuss the following issues: a report on the work done since the last meeting, a list of tasks that an employee is expected to perform before the next discussion, and difficulties encountered in the course of work (Azanha et al. 2017). The above methodology is suitable for large or long-term projects that are constantly adapted to market conditions. Accordingly, requirements change during the implementation under the impact of creative people who tend to generate, give out, and try out new ideas weekly or even daily (Chari & Agrawal 2018). The flexible development is best suited for creative executives and leadership style. For example, a company’s internal start-ups are usually developed under Agile.
At the same time, Agile almost does not limit the project team. If one needs more terms of reference, specifications, or any other documentation, he or she can write it up; if one needs additional acceptance criteria, it is possible to create them (Baseer, Rama Mohan Reddy & Shoba Bindu 2015). In case a prototype is required, one can make them in the form of block diagrams, a real sample model, et cetera. The level of detailing and formalisation always depends on the specifics of the system and the project team, including their competencies and experience in implementing similar projects.
Management Practice
It is useful for a project manager to know the specifics of using different methods in order to correctly apply certain elements or whole structures in their own projects. The managers need to understand what tools are appropriate to the needs of the project and apply them in a timely manner. According to Chari and Agrawal (2018), even though there are specialists in the project team with different skills and opportunities, there is always a need to correctly manage them and maximise the benefits. A project manager knows when the efforts of analysts are needed, and when – the programmers. Limiting oneself to a certain framework entails the restriction of possibilities and variability. A broad understanding of the fundamentals, processes, methods, and tools help managers to accelerate progress, overcome obstacles, and succeed.
Speaking of the recent trends in the area of software development management, it is important to emphasise that both Agile and Waterfall methods impact everyday practices of managers. For example, it should be stressed that the process of Agile development is adaptive with constantly changing conditions, which is achieved by developing for short iterations, after each of which there is a revision of the requirements and, if necessary, a change in communication practices and the work of the team (Tarhan & Yilmaz 2014). In other words, the application of Agile model implies everyday consideration of a change that may benefit a project in either short- or long-term period.
Analytical thinking and rapid decision-making processes may be noted as the most characteristics ones to Agile. During the programming and testing phases of a project, a manager can participate in the change management process or confirming and planning changes by managing query priorities. At the phase of commissioning (pilot operation), the managerial role of the IT manager is reduced to defining the tasks of implementing the information system, software control and distribution, managing the reliability based on availability management, and eliminating service management problems (Tarhan & Yilmaz 2014). In addition, Agile management model implies flexibility in forecasting changes in the automation of the project by developing proactive management measures, preparing reports, and initiating modernisation of the information system as a whole.
In its turn, the Waterfall model implies a consistent and one-time implementation of every phase of the project that determines the managers’ everyday practice. The transition from one phase to another is possible only after the successful completion of the previous stage (Coller, Frigotto & Costa 2018). In this regard, managers are expected to ensure the detailed planning and full correctness of the results of all stages step by step. In such rigid constraints of the sequence, transparency and convenience for customers become the main principles for managers. In particular, the role of a manager during planning involves the formalisation of requirements, the selection of automation tools necessary for the project, and the organisation of contractual work with suppliers (Coller, Frigotto & Costa 2018). At the design stage, a manager influences the choice of the optimal combination of users’ needs and the capabilities of the projected information system, the directions of development and application of the information system, as well as the organisation of preparation of project documentation and cost estimates.
The managers learn about such models as Agile and Waterfall from the internal documentation of a company. In many cases, proper documentation is the paramount pledge for success as it clarifies processes, procedures, expected outcomes, the ways to overcome obstacles, and plenty of other critical issues that are necessary to build a strong team and manage it. However, documentation is not the only method to share software development methodology with team members. The maximal visualisation of processes along with direct communication is two more strategies to achieve a greater understanding of what is required from managers (Stoica et al. 2016). In particular, daily meetings, retro-meetings, discussions between teams – all this gives an excellent understanding of the project essence and helps to navigate the goals, the ways to reach them, and any other important information.
As for the guidance the managers receive regarding the implementation of one or another methodology, one may state that they are given special documents that enumerate the principles to be integrated into management. In Agile, managers are guided to introduce the focus on performance, build trustful relationships within the project members, value employees and customers, as well as foster innovation (Stoica et al. 2016). Since Agile implies a flexible system of management, creative thinking becomes the paramount aspect of promoting innovative development (Stare 2013). As opposed to Agile, Waterfall requires a strict sequence and rigidity in projects and communication with customers. The additional support with guidance and interpretation of policies may be received from staffing managers, heads of units, and the HR department. Thus, both Agile and Waterfall methods imply similar guidance sources yet different expectations from managers.
Management Insight
The dominant assumption in the literature is that each of the discussed methods has its own advantages and disadvantages, which implies utilising them on different conditions. Among the greatest advantages of the Waterfall methodology, there is a clear structure of the development process, convenient reporting (one may easily track the resources, risks, time spent and finances, the stability of tasks, and established evaluation of the cost and timing of a project (Stoica et al. 2016). The research shows that the main shortcoming of the Waterfall method can be identified as follows: little flexibility, so if the project requires more time and financial resources, then the testing phase will be rather complicated. According to the research, the cost of fixing bugs after the release of the product is higher than during full-fledged multi-stage testing in the development process.
The Waterfall system seems to be a rigid framework, providing only a finished product that determines the inability to make changes during development. In the first stages of forecasting, critical financial expenditures may change upwards, but it is impossible to change the project in the direction of cost optimisation before the release of the finished product. While the testing system of Agile implies separate testing of each component of the project in cooperation with others, in the Waterfall, the finished product is tested. The main disadvantage of the Waterfall is a significant delay with obtaining the results as they are coordinated with users only at the points planned after the completion of each stage of work (Stoica et al. 2016). Thus, users can make their comments only after the work on the system is fully completed. In case of an inaccurate statement of requirements or their changes during a long period of software creation, users receive a system that does not meet their needs. The models, both functional and informational, of an automated object, can become obsolete simultaneously with their approval.
The research assumptions illustrate that the modern environment sets new opportunities in the field of software development management. In particular, several studies reflect the possibility of integrates both Agile and Waterfall in terms of one project. Such an amalgamation refers to the combination of the advantages of both models. Along with the ones that were mentioned earlier in this paper, the managers should consider such aspects of Agile as understandable iterations, for example, the development cycles lasting from two weeks to two months, at the end of which a customer receives a working version of the product (Azanha et al. 2017). A high degree of involvement of executors, organisators, and customers in the project also seem to bring considerable benefits. Baseer, Rama Mohan Reddy, and Shoba Bindu (2015) claim that the philosophical nature of the Agile methodology is not a clear instruction for action, but a theoretical concept (Stare 2013). The team cannot automatically apply the mechanics of flexible development as it is necessary to adopt the key principles of the system that were mentioned above.
The values of those taking the research are theoretical. Namely, scholars strive to understand the speculative underpinnings of Waterfall and Agile models as the ones that promote innovation development based on their comparison and emphasis on both weak and strong points. The evidence shows that the Waterfall model is best suited for projects with clearly defined boundaries when the content acts as a key element of the project. Among the examples, one may list such processes as team building, conference planning, or implementation of projects. In the context of the methodology, a manager is expected to set the boundaries of the project, and he or she cannot change the venue or topic of the work (Tarhan & Yilmaz 2014). Furthermore, the project time is also a limiting factor. When the content of the project is unchanged, the main task of the project or portfolio manager is to plan how resources will be used and spent, taking into account the time and sequence of this project implementation.
Considering the given topic from the perspective of those putting the research in practice, one may refer to Agile methods that should be used to manage projects in which implementation time is unchanged, resources are the determining factor, and the content is to be planned. For instance, software development (sprints) is organised based on the theoretical assumptions presented in the existing literature. Azanha et al. (2017) state that the managers understand that when deadlines and resources are known, employees with similar functions select priority tasks for the current sprint. As a rule, a Scrum Master uses different wish logs and boards for different types of resources, thus eliminating errors and requests for functions in the development (Rahmanian 2014). In this regard, the so-called iron triangle of project management as a foundation of the operational planning that focuses on different components may be noted.
In fact, in all organisations, there are projects for which both methods are needed since otherwise, the work will be ineffective. It cannot be said that one methodology is better than another as they merely resolve different problems. The success of projects, especially of portfolios based on the Waterfall model, depends on careful planning of resources and timing. Every project is unique, and the approach to its management should be selected specifically (Rahmanian 2014). Due to the peculiarities of a customer’s business, fixed-in-time sprints did not allow working effectively with changing priorities, so the choice may be made in favour of Kanban, not Scrum. In the conditions of the identified project, this seems to be the most suitable methodology, giving more freedom of action. It is worth noting that it is important not to get carried away too much and not to fall into the point where Agile is being introduced on the authority of implementation.
The prioritisation, as a rule, does not cause problems, and all types of instruments may be used to manage one or another project. The complexities arise with the allocation of resources for a specific wish log, where one cannot operate without an exact plan. A developer, for example, can be involved in several projects, eliminating errors and requesting functions. If a manager does not solve the problem of quantitative allocation of resources in the wish logs, he or she will not be able to prioritise the tasks, and the employees will face a discrepancy between expectations and results. In the future, this will lead to a violation of the timing of the release of updates as the tasks such as fixing errors and processing requests for new features take the resources of the strategic development.
Speaking of the recommendations for the managers working with Agile and Waterfall software development management methods, one should emphasise several aspects. Based on the evaluation of these methods, a hybrid system may be recommended as a mixture of Waterfall and Agile to ensure innovative development and careful project planning. My personal view and meta-theoretical understanding coincide with the above assumptions. When the project is not suitable for the uncertainty of the time frame and budget, as well as the lack of planning, the specification of requirements and a product or solution design can be performed in Waterfall (Rahmanian 2014). At the same time, Agile may be used for development and testing. Most of all, the managers utilise the hybrid approach to identify the best processes and tools needed throughout the project. It should begin at the stage of project planning when the whole essence of the project is presented in the form of a timeline, stages, activities, and related results (Rahmanian 2014). In the commercial segment of the economy, this reflects the desire of management to squeeze the time without significantly increasing costs in order to promote the benefits of a successful project.
The individual teams dealing with small parts of large-scale and complex tasks should see and work on the same ranked list of a company’s priorities, while the collective intelligence of the team should be more important than that of individuals. The evaluation and reward systems should be focused on a team’s overall results more than individual efforts. At the same time, the hybrid methodology should operate with roles in the team, where there will be clear rights and team self-government (Stare 2013). As for the increased requirements for the qualifications and experience of the team, the managers should analyse possible ways to improve the efficiency of their work, continuously exchange information about the project, and be motivated and self-organised.
Paying attention to ethical implications, it is essential to state that any method requires changes in the corporate culture, and the managers should take into account that employees need clear and non-discriminatory instructions to their work. The selected hybrid method should provide no deception of any kind. In addition, it should promote mutual respect and understanding between team members and managers as well. By building close and respectful relationships within the project, the managers are likely to meet the ethical requirements at the workplace, thus contributing to successful project production.
Conclusion
In conclusion, one should argue that the results of the research show that today when developing the Corporate Standard for Project Management, the approaches to development depend on a project. This problem is largely associated with project managers. The Waterfall model is chosen for complex projects with clearly defined goals, results, and requirements for them. Agile tends to be preferred for projects with incomprehensible results and expectations. A hybrid version of the methodology implies the integration of the above methods to achieve greater success. It was learned that the recommendations to the hybrid model include such principles as the specification of clear yet changeable tasks, flexible planning and costs, and so on. It is revealed that the shift to a new method requires cultural change. One of the important factors influencing the effectiveness of behavioural changes is associated with the support of management and the overall collaborative approach.
Reference List
Azanha, A, Argoud, ARTT, Camargo Junior, JBD & Antoniolli, PD 2017, ‘Agile project management with Scrum: a case study of a Brazilian pharmaceutical company IT project’, International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 121-142.
Baseer, KK, Rama Mohan Reddy, A & Shoba Bindu, C 2015, ‘A systematic survey on waterfall vs. agile vs. lean process paradigms’, i-Manager’s Journal on Software Engineering, vol.9, no. 3, pp. 34-59.
Chari, K & Agrawal, M 2018, ‘Impact of incorrect and new requirements on waterfall software project outcomes’, Empirical Software Engineering, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 165-185.
Coller, G, Frigotto, ML & Costa, E 2018, ‘Management control system and strategy: the transforming role of implementation’, Journal of Applied Accounting Research, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 141-160.
Rahmanian, M 2014, ‘A comparative study on hybrid IT project management’, International Journal of Computer and Information Technology, vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 1096-1099.
Stare, A 2013, ‘Agile project management–a future approach to the management of projects’, Dynamic Relationships Management Journal, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 43-54.
Stoica, M, Ghilic-Micu, B, Mircea, M & Uscatu, C 2016, ‘Analyzing agile development-from waterfall style to Scrumban’, Informatica Economica, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 5-14.
Tarhan, A & Yilmaz, SG 2014, ‘Systematic analyses and comparison of development performance and product quality of incremental process and agile process’, Information and Software Technology, vol. 56, no. 5, pp. 477-494.
Currently, there are many software development programs, and each company chooses the most suitable one for itself. To do this, the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed options are analyzed. One of these options is the Agile programming methodology. Developed at the beginning of the two thousandths, this program began to gain popularity rapidly. It is based on several main concepts: continuous delivery, simplicity, and the relationship between end-users and developers. Thus, this discussion board post will consider the positive and negative aspects of Agile programming methodology, which in the future may affect the choice or rejection of this program.
First, the discussion will start with the advantages of Agile software development. Resources state that “it is a conceptual framework that begins with a starting planning phase and follows toward the deployment phase with iterative and incremental interactions throughout the life-cycle of the project” (Al-Saqqa et al., 2020, p. 248). Hence, the first of them is that software takes less time to develop, making it possible to implement it into use faster. Moreover, it allows companies to cope with emerging problems faster, providing an opportunity for timely detection and limitation. Because many specialists use Agile, companies have a large pool of potential employees; they will not lack. Other advantages are the removed premature optimization factor and low cost.
At the same time, Agile has several disadvantages that should also be considered. Henceforth, there is a risk that the documents may be sidetracked, significantly slowing down the process of adopting new participants. Despite the low cost, Agile implies investing more time and energy resources on the part of end-users and developers. In addition, in this programming methodology, it is difficult to predict the final results due to the duration of the application of the program. Therefore, companies should consider all the advantages and disadvantages and understand how effective the use of Agile will be in their case.
Reference
Al-Saqqa, S., Sawalha, S., & AbdelNabi, H. (2020). Agile software development: Methodologies and trends. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 14(11), 246-270. Web.
The Agile Manifesto is a short set of principles that defines the core values for the successful and coordinated work of software developers. It is one of the alternatives to the development processes created in order to find a balance between the usual methods and promising innovations. However, the choice of this concept requires detailed knowledge of the aspects and their possible consequences for the team (Kiv et al., 2018). In this paper, the key values of the Agile Manifesto were described, along with identifying their practical reasons and areas of improvement.
The four main values of the manifesto are individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and responding to change. The first value assumes that the staff should stand higher than any processes and tools. People, being responsible for making decisions and responding to business needs, make a special contribution to the success of software development. At the same time, healthy and prompt interaction between members of the same group will help them cooperate effectively and solve emerging problems. The practical reason for the value is that when the emphasis is changed to processes and tools, the team’s response to changes slows down, and business needs are met less efficiently. This means that following the value of individuals and interactions simplifies the work process for people and makes tasks easily achievable.
The second value states that working software should take priority over documentation. Developers may spend a lot of time recording product specifications and characteristics. This aspect is undoubtedly important, but it often leads to long delays and reduces concentration on the development process. In this regard, working software is the primary measure of progress, and the Agile Manifesto aims to reduce documentation and simplify its compilation for developers (Kiv et al., 2018). Thus, the practical reason is that this value helps to pay maximum attention to the development process. As a result, the development team makes fewer mistakes due to a reduction in the number of distractions, and the work time spent on a specific project is also shortened.
The third value of customer collaboration establishes the importance of feedback to achieve the greatest result. In contract negotiations, the product is described in detail, and work requirements are discussed. However, this does not protect against a situation where the result does not meet the stated expectations precisely because of the lack of regular contact. Despite the importance of discussing the specifics of the work in advance, interaction with the customer should be valued higher. Therefore, the practical reason is that it is easier for the development team to meet the wishes and provide quality products if the customer is involved in the work process.
The fourth value recognizes the importance of responding to changes in order to develop the ability to adapt. Planning helps to identify the path that team may follow in the course of work. However, in unforeseen circumstances, the inability to respond competently will become a serious obstacle. The world cannot be static, and the Agile Manifesto harnesses change for the customer’s competitive advantage (Kiv et al., 2018). The practical reason for following the value is the team can correspond to the changes and continuously improve projects according to the requirements dictated by time.
Nevertheless, when trying to implement the Agile Manifesto, project managers are faced with the understanding that this methodology also has areas that can be improved. One of these areas is the increased requirements for maintaining internal communications. This is especially evident when implementing the method in whole organizations, where the contact of all employees may not be possible simply due to a large work team. The paradox is that the value of individuals and interactions becomes a factor that helps improve this area. Considering the principle not as a requirement but as an opportunity to hold general meetings more often and the need to prevent staff turnover, it brings huge positive changes. For example, it will increase the efficiency of the development process and improve the working environment.
One more area in need of improvement is the lack of necessary documentation. This disadvantage becomes especially clear when leveraging agile in global teams, where new participants constantly join the work. Since recent project changes are made non-stop, the documentation is not too detailed, and newcomers may have difficulty adapting to projects. This omission can be corrected by the first value, thanks to which employees are in constant contact, helping each other with problems. This change will also improve communication between developers and increase overall team spirit.
Thus, the values of the Agile Manifesto are perfect for an adaptable team that is ready to react quickly and change the product based on test results and feedback. Considering the importance of cooperation with the customer, flexibility, and working software, the methodology contributes to the active development of the project. Having a huge positive impact on the speed of processes and the comfort of the work environment, the Agile Manifesto still needs improvements to maximize efficiency.
Reference
Kiv, S., Heng, S., Kolp, M., & Wautelet, Y. (2018). Agile manifesto and practices selection for tailoring software development: A systematic literature review. In International conference on product-focused software process improvement (pp. 12-30). Springer, Cham.
Waterfall and Agile are two methodologies used by game developers. Project management is a crucial factor because its successes and failures directly influence the overall video game industry. The choice of a methodology significantly has a significant impact on game development, as they are drastically different from each other. Understanding what constitutes the essence of Agile and Waterfall is essential in ascertaining the reasons why certain companies use them.
Waterfall methodology presupposes game development as a strictly linear process with each stage following another. Developers use this methodology when there is a necessity to ensure that established goals are achieved with minimal deviation. Examples of video game companies that employed Waterfall are CD Project Red and inVRsion (Graft, 2021; Tips from top studios, 2020). The Waterfall methodology is not used when the project is dependent on regular feedback, which necessitates changes to the original vision.
Agile methodology is an approach that presupposes non-linear game development. Developers use it when management allows for uncertainty between the initial vision and the end result. Examples of video game companies that employ Agile are Avalanche Studios, Electronic Arts, Frontier Developments, and No Brakes Games (Tips from top studios, 2020). The Agile methodology is not used when management cannot ensure the single project vision among teams.
Altogether, no company uses Agile or Waterfall for each project. Waterfall represents an older approach to game development, while Agile is more popular today. Companies may change their design methodology as evidenced by CD Project Red’s decision to shift to Agile (Graft, 2021). Ultimately, the choice of a development methodology depends on the management’s willingness to fulfill its initial ideas and ability to ensure congruence between departments.
The video, “Agile Program Management Best Practices”, is a presentation by Pete Behrens on critical dependency as a determinant of effective program management in an organization. Behrens evaluates the specific variables of communication, focus, and transparency within an organizational setting. The presenter also examines how the structure of an organization might allow or prevent these variables from emerging. Behrens defines program management as a procedure of managing a series of related product portfolios or projects. This means that effective agile program management is related to the process involved at the organizational level in implementing the project. The impact of the organization is instrumental in effective scale agility, especially in large and complex programs. Therefore, Behrens suggests that there is a need to balance the aspects of communication, focus, and transparency. The variable of communication should integrate the stakeholder contribution while transparency encompasses the ability to remain open. Lastly, the variable of focus balances the present and future expectations of a program through systematic and streamlined planning.
Unlike small organizations, agility management in large organizations requires a changed focus since several entities are involved. For instance, it is significant to balance the aspects of quality assurance, infrastructure, usability, and DBA for different levels of program management. Moreover, the communication breakdown is complex due to the high number of stakeholders and processes involved. As a result, the element of transparency is opaque. According to Behrens, organizational problems in agile program management are associated with a lack of focus, little transparency, and lost communication. These challenges lead to low quality, increment in unknown risks, excessive dependencies, and a lack of predictability. In line with Conway’s law, the systems designed by an organization are associated with the existing communication structures. Behrens proposes that the key to building effective design solutions lies in organizational flexibility. This state can be realized through the application of the agile context in terms of lean, agile, scrum, and XP interfaces.
The concept of scrum is essential since problem solution at a team level is better than individual level. Moreover, the teamwork approach to problem-solving is controlled by multiple information sources guided by experience and best practices. As a result, the multiple scrum teams would improve the focus and generate work products through dedication, co-location, and cross-functional interaction. The variable of transparency guarantees the realization of the product and release cycle through merging team sprints and lengths. For instance, Behrens notes that shared sprint review might balance the variations in team lengths. Behrens concludes that an effective agility program management should integrate the variables of focus, communication, and transparency.
Lessons Learned
Significance of Focus, Communication, and Transparency
I have learned that effective agile program management is functional within the ability to balance the aspects of communication, transparency, and focus. This is because the element of effective communication ensures that an organization has more distributed responsibility and fewer roles. On the other hand, transparency ensures that the sprint cycle is shared with regular and consistent shared release planning and proactive tracking of the review. Moreover, it is necessary to integrate the variable of focus to create a management team that is flexible and stable in structure within the work products.
How APM Works
I have discovered that the aspect of agile program management is a multifaceted instrument for transforming the high-performance team environment common in a single product or team focus. Specifically, the APM scales this single focus across a larger product portfolio or organization while ensuring that there is no loss in predictability, productivity, and resultant quality. This means that the APM principle is functional at an optimal level of production and quality assurance in program management.
Application of APM
I learned that several organizations across the globe have successfully implemented and integrated the principle of APM in their programs. From the presentation of Behrens, I noticed that the companies such as Corporate Express, JDA, Graebel, and Wireless Generation have successfully managed to develop applications that can support product distribution, elementary education assessment, and corporate business relocation. As a result, these organizations have become more effective in program management and currently function on sustainable business platforms.
Communication as a Tool for Effective APM
I realized that streamlining the number of roles involved in APM is directly propositional to increased communication. This means that a process management system with few focused roles creates an environment for effective communication since the level of information saturation increases. Moreover, communication increases when the shared work across different roles is reduced. For instance, the creation of fewer roles will minimize duplication of duties and double reporting for a process that could be effectively handled by one or two individuals. Therefore, streamlining the role sharing creates an effective communication monitoring system, which promotes effective program management.
Team Focus and Effective APM
The APM process functions best when team focus is integrated into work products to form a single backlog pipeline. As a result, it is possible to internalize the best practices through the creation of a dedicated, small, co-located, and cross-functional team.