Comments on: Mixing it up with Agile & PMI – Shifting Focus http://www.AgilistaPM.com/mixing-it-up-with-agile-pmi-%e2%80%93-shifting-focus/ Tue, 16 Nov 2010 10:06:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Suja Krish http://www.AgilistaPM.com/mixing-it-up-with-agile-pmi-%e2%80%93-shifting-focus/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Suja Krish Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:01:50 +0000 http://www.donnaareed.com/?p=464#comment-44 The agile approach sounds promising... But I want to see the agile approach work in a project other that software development - Say Infrastructure deployment or Service delivery etc. Anyone who have done some significant work in those areas out there? The agile approach sounds promising… But I want to see the agile approach work in a project other that software development – Say Infrastructure deployment or Service delivery etc. Anyone who have done some significant work in those areas out there?

]]> By: Donna Reed http://www.AgilistaPM.com/mixing-it-up-with-agile-pmi-%e2%80%93-shifting-focus/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Donna Reed Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:44:26 +0000 http://www.donnaareed.com/?p=464#comment-32 Hi Rama - I'm sure the Traditional -v- Agile debate will continue for years to come. But Agile is here to stay and picking up momentum to help organizations do "more with less". Our economy in the USA requires us to "WORK SMARTER".....not just harder. By moving to more of a "just enough" model that Agile promotes helps this tremendously. And all of us can help this wave forming in PMO's by speaking up and suggesting this in the Traditional worlds. Most PMO's will welcome the idea. What types of projects are you using Agile ? DONNA REED http://www.DonnaAReed.com donna@DonnaAReed.com Hi Rama –

I’m sure the Traditional -v- Agile debate will continue for years to come. But Agile is here to stay and picking up momentum to help organizations do “more with less”. Our economy in the USA requires us to “WORK SMARTER”…..not just harder.

By moving to more of a “just enough” model that Agile promotes helps this tremendously. And all of us can help this wave forming in PMO’s by speaking up and suggesting this in the Traditional worlds. Most PMO’s will welcome the idea.

What types of projects are you using Agile ?

DONNA REED
http://www.DonnaAReed.com
donna@DonnaAReed.com

]]> By: Rama http://www.AgilistaPM.com/mixing-it-up-with-agile-pmi-%e2%80%93-shifting-focus/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Rama Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:53:45 +0000 http://www.donnaareed.com/?p=464#comment-31 The debate on traditional Vs Agile is old, but the view points provided are refreshing. I especially liked the view on the 'customer value' through the pain points. Focusing on the customer value will probably remove many of the redundant activities of the traditional PM such as unnecessary documentation which may be of no use to the customer or the service provider ! Will look forward to other articles on this topic. Rama The debate on traditional Vs Agile is old, but the view points provided are refreshing. I especially liked the view on the ‘customer value’ through the pain points. Focusing on the customer value will probably remove many of the redundant activities of the traditional PM such as unnecessary documentation which may be of no use to the customer or the service provider !
Will look forward to other articles on this topic.

Rama

]]> By: Donna Reed http://www.AgilistaPM.com/mixing-it-up-with-agile-pmi-%e2%80%93-shifting-focus/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Donna Reed Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:57:57 +0000 http://www.donnaareed.com/?p=464#comment-30 INTRODUCTING AGILE INTO LARGER PROJECTS..... Tim, I will suggest something that has worked for many in the past. I just heard it at an Agile PM Dinner last night again..... PILOT it ! Pick a part of a larger project to try Agile out. Use it to "educate" the team on how Agile works - how the team should work - etc. Look for the traits such as: - you can deliver something demonstrable in 8 weeks - there is some URGENCY - what you build affects most fuctional areas - limited 3rd Party interaction - limited customer interaction as well ....then keep PILOTING more and more until the Agile way is learned by the team.Who says you have to do all Agile? Gradually work it in. A quick way to failure is to slam dunk Agile into a company all at once. Gradually piloting and educating the teams will bring you much better results. It is a shift in focus that can take time - especially for the large projects. How do you think that would work for you? INTRODUCTING AGILE INTO LARGER PROJECTS…..

Tim, I will suggest something that has worked for many in the past. I just heard it at an Agile PM Dinner last night again…..

PILOT it ! Pick a part of a larger project to try Agile out. Use it to “educate” the team on how Agile works – how the team should work – etc. Look for the traits such as:
– you can deliver something demonstrable in 8 weeks
– there is some URGENCY
– what you build affects most fuctional areas
– limited 3rd Party interaction
– limited customer interaction as well

….then keep PILOTING more and more until the Agile way is learned by the team.Who says you have to do all Agile? Gradually work it in.

A quick way to failure is to slam dunk Agile into a company all at once. Gradually piloting and educating the teams will bring you much better results. It is a shift in focus that can take time – especially for the large projects.

How do you think that would work for you?

]]> By: Donna Reed http://www.AgilistaPM.com/mixing-it-up-with-agile-pmi-%e2%80%93-shifting-focus/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Donna Reed Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:41:48 +0000 http://www.donnaareed.com/?p=464#comment-29 Hi Keith - Thanks for your feedback. I will be sure to emphasize "product" as well as "value" focus. Having been a Product Manager for 18+ years, I tend to use both product & value to mean the same thing. You don't build a product unless you can bring more value to the customer. I've also have started saying "solution" focus ......so no matter if it is hardware, product, application, IT projects......"solution" is what you are building/doning to bring the customer "VALUE" ! What are you doing to help PMI/Waterfall teams learn how to become more Agile? Can you share some things you've done to use Agile in the more traditional environments? Hi Keith –

Thanks for your feedback. I will be sure to emphasize “product” as well as “value” focus.

Having been a Product Manager for 18+ years, I tend to use both product & value to mean the same thing. You don’t build a product unless you can bring more value to the customer. I’ve also have started saying “solution” focus ……so no matter if it is hardware, product, application, IT projects……”solution” is what you are building/doning to bring the customer “VALUE” !

What are you doing to help PMI/Waterfall teams learn how to become more Agile?
Can you share some things you’ve done to use Agile in the more traditional environments?

]]> By: Keith Richards http://www.AgilistaPM.com/mixing-it-up-with-agile-pmi-%e2%80%93-shifting-focus/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Keith Richards Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:31:09 +0000 http://www.donnaareed.com/?p=464#comment-28 Donna I think your argument about striking a balance between agile and more traditional approaches is a very strong one and I am having a lot of success over here in the UK with a similar approach (using DSDM and PRINCE2). Agile doesn't usually scale well in corporate environments and the 'upfront' stuff needs to be done - it is the most vital part of a project in my opinion. One slight nuance I would suggest is that you should be product focused as opposed to activity focused - this fits easier with a value focus too. Thanks for the article Regards Keith Richards (UK) Donna
I think your argument about striking a balance between agile and more traditional approaches is a very strong one and I am having a lot of success over here in the UK with a similar approach (using DSDM and PRINCE2).
Agile doesn’t usually scale well in corporate environments and the ‘upfront’ stuff needs to be done – it is the most vital part of a project in my opinion.
One slight nuance I would suggest is that you should be product focused as opposed to activity focused – this fits easier with a value focus too.
Thanks for the article
Regards
Keith Richards (UK)

]]> By: Tim Crowley http://www.AgilistaPM.com/mixing-it-up-with-agile-pmi-%e2%80%93-shifting-focus/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Tim Crowley Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:15:17 +0000 http://www.donnaareed.com/?p=464#comment-27 Interesting perspectives - thanks for putting this together. I agree that one never has sufficient time to fully document requirements and frankly, these requirements are bound to change over time. I've seen Agile handle this level of change much better. I heard a recent analogy to this; as of early October, none of us really has a handle on who will be in the Super Bowl in February. Nevertheless, we're all beginning to formulate an idea as to who will be in the World Series later this month. As the time horizon grows, outcomes become much more difficult to predict and the "state of the world" is pretty uncertain. Therefore, requirements assembly, use cases, etc. become less accurate. Again, I think Agile's iterative approach addresses that well. My question is, how does one introduce Agile into larger projects? I've heard one approach is to break activities down into smaller components and organize multiple Agile teams to focus on these components. If true, what kinds of challenges does this present to the Program Manager (who may be used to a "Command and Control" style of management)? Thanks again. Tim Interesting perspectives – thanks for putting this together.

I agree that one never has sufficient time to fully document requirements and frankly, these requirements are bound to change over time. I’ve seen Agile handle this level of change much better. I heard a recent analogy to this; as of early October, none of us really has a handle on who will be in the Super Bowl in February. Nevertheless, we’re all beginning to formulate an idea as to who will be in the World Series later this month. As the time horizon grows, outcomes become much more difficult to predict and the “state of the world” is pretty uncertain. Therefore, requirements assembly, use cases, etc. become less accurate. Again, I think Agile’s iterative approach addresses that well.

My question is, how does one introduce Agile into larger projects? I’ve heard one approach is to break activities down into smaller components and organize multiple Agile teams to focus on these components. If true, what kinds of challenges does this present to the Program Manager (who may be used to a “Command and Control” style of management)?

Thanks again.

Tim

]]> By: Adil Walu http://www.AgilistaPM.com/mixing-it-up-with-agile-pmi-%e2%80%93-shifting-focus/comment-page-1/#comment-26 Adil Walu Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:03:51 +0000 http://www.donnaareed.com/?p=464#comment-26 Excellent post! I agree that the best way to implement Agile in more traditional orgs is to think of it as a toolset of best practices that allow you to adapt better to change. It's easy to try to go too far too fast, and it usually ends in a lot of trouble when you do. That's especially true in virtual and cross-cultural teams. Excellent post! I agree that the best way to implement Agile in more traditional orgs is to think of it as a toolset of best practices that allow you to adapt better to change. It’s easy to try to go too far too fast, and it usually ends in a lot of trouble when you do. That’s especially true in virtual and cross-cultural teams.

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