ProjectManagement.com - Hot-Topics - Scrum

What You Should Know About Kanban (Part 3)

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

If Kanban works well on specific software projects, can it be scaled to facilitate Lean throughout an organization? This article will look at how Kanban can be thought of as a general purpose change management approach for your organization.

The Path to the PMP (Part 4)

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

In the journey to PMP fitness, you have taken three decisive steps. But many PMs have not had the opportunity to participate in a suite of courses where most knowledge areas are explored from a combined approach of PMI theory and real-world application. While this can put you at a real disadvantage, it's still possible to be successful. In out latest installment, we cover Project Integration Management.

Agile: What's in It for the Project Manager? (Part 2)

Thu, 09 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Making a transition from what you're currently doing to an effective agile process is a project in itself--but it can easily be worth it. Let's look at what we can gain by adjusting our approach--our concluding installment looks at interpreting requirements and tracking progress, and offers some further caution and advice.

What Do Your PMs Think of Your PMO?

Tue, 07 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

What is your PMO's reputation among the PMs it serves? There could be a lot of distrust. Through experience, one manager discovered some potential problem areas that you may want to look at in your own organization.

Why You're Confusing Frameworks with Methodologies

Mon, 06 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

It's surprising how many project managers don't know the difference between a framework and a methodology. It's time to clear the air and clarify the differences.

How Emergency Response Helps Project Execution

Mon, 06 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

While many projects may not have to adopt the elements of the Federal Incident Command System, some are set up to resolve a certain time-bound resolution of organizational priorities and can reap the benefits.

Bridging the Gap Between Understanding and Experience

Mon, 06 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

How does a project manager bridge the gap between understanding and experience? For PMs who are starting out in the field or who haven't mastered everything under the sun, it can always be beneficial to gain practical experience in different areas so that they have a better understanding of how things should be done.

Topic Teasers Vol. 8: Project Data Flow

Wed, 01 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Question: My team seldom seems to be able to communicate effectively about project data and reports, even using the most specific common words. And we disagree on whose meaning is correct. How do we find a reputable source to rely on to clear up these misunderstandings?

A.	Whichever team member has the most years with the organization should be allowed to define terms for the team to adopt. Defer to this person.
B.	The field of knowledge management is being used as a common foundation for defining terms for the project management field and beyond.
C.	Ask the person who has the most recent PMI certification, as those with older certifications may not understand today's project management practices.
D.	The National Association of Project Management Dictionary should be the standard for all project managers, regardless of where they reside.

Agile Governance: A Rock and a Hard Place?

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Combining agile and governance seems, at first glance, to imply boxing people in from each perspective and forcing them to chose an option that is neither fully agreeable to each. But this combination is in the best interest of both camps; learn some practical approaches to make it work.

Welcome to the World of Big Data

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

You might have heard about the "Big Data" craze. The rush is on, and like Cloud Computing it's gaining momentum fast. So what is all the fuss about? What exactly is Big Data and why should we care?

Topic Teasers Vol. 5: Agile Sales Teams

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Question: We are totally committed to agile in our production teams, but is there any way to use the agile philosophy for a sales team?

A.	Agile was written by software developers, and any attempt to move it outside of that sweet spot has proven unsuccessful.
B.	The agile philosophy is appropriate for any group that needs a flexible approach to providing increased value to the organization through a collaborative approach.
C.	Since the Scrum methodology includes software prototyping, testing and rework, salespeople must learn enough code to experience those parts of the agile process to use it.
D.	The agile philosophy is appropriate for any group that needs a step-by-step solution that can be replicated by each team in the organization to provide product consistency.

What You Should Know About Kanban (Part 2)

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

We've already traced the genealogy of Kanban. It's now time to start looking at the evolution of Kanban from its manufacturing roots in the automobile industry to its current widespread use in software development. This will ultimately allow us to see where practices and tools like Lean and Kanban go to the "beyond".

Agile Practitioners: Focus on the 'Why'

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

New ScrumMasters may understand the "what" and the "how" of their new practices, but they often don't understand the "why". Here we look at two common problems: project managers not creating the sprint burndown charts and teams not participating in the daily standup meetings.

What You Should Know About Kanban (Part 1)

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Kanban has been synonymous with Lean since its origins were from that movement, but we have also witnessed a spawn of new iterations. These are all testaments to its growing popularity and influence. This article will be the first in a multi-part series that will cover Kanban in terms of its origins and genealogy, current use in the software development and project management industry and the possible future trends of this very interesting workflow visualization tool.

The History, Evolution and Emergence of Agile PM Frameworks (Part 2)

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

As our look at agile development concludes, we will take a more in-depth look at Scrum, XP, Flexible Project Management, the Agile Leadership Model, Agile Project Management, Adaptive Project Framework and Scalable Delivery Model.

The History, Evolution and Emergence of Agile PM Frameworks (Part 1)

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

What is agile project management, and what are its origins? And don't agile methods address the challenges of 21st century systems, like high-risk, time-sensitive, R&D-oriented, new product and service development projects? One expert takes a look back at the history of this rapidly growing method.

Hacking Scrum for Personal Productivity

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Aren't resolutions just mini-projects you want to accomplish? What better way to do that than by leveraging agile! The Scrum framework is best suited for this. Let's look at how to hack Scrum for personal productivity...

Service Management from the Top Down

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Time consuming, friction inducing and potentially costly, there is plenty that you would want to avoid when properly building IT service management. Yet if you hold your nose and do it right, you can establish a strong and effective process.

Why Can't I Become Agile?

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

You've probably read many articles on the difference between traditional project management and agile (specifically, Scrum). One practitioner has been surprised with how established agile practitioners don't want to let project managers into their "club". Why can't project managers become agile?

The Next Iteration Agile: Re-contextualizing Agile for the 21st Century (Part 2)

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Part 1 of this series discussed the background environment and philosophical divergences that caused agile to establish itself as an alternative to traditional project management. With that background established, it's now time to start thinking about the where agile is headed and how it will get re-contextualized for the 21st century.

When Being Done Is Actually 'Done'

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Being clear about what constitutes "done" ensures that the product or service developed at the end of an iteration is completed to the satisfaction of the customer, which is the whole purpose of doing agile in the first place. Got it? Just in case, read on...

Better Success Across Large Projects

Tue, 22 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Anytime you get a large number of people working on something, there are going to be differences in style and capability shown in that work. When that work is software development, then some of those differences are arguably better or worse for the maintainability of the software. So how do you achieve a better and more consistent outcome?

Agile Risk Management: Running the Games (Part 1)

Tue, 08 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

We've already looked at the opportunities agile methods offer for proactive risk management and examined the benefits of engaging the whole team in risk management through collaborative games. As our agile risk management series continues, we walk through those games and explains how to engage a team in the first three of the six risk management steps.

Partisan Politics in Agile Projects

Tue, 08 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

If you've ever been involved in a highly visible project in which major stakeholders are jockeying to position themselves to impose their own agenda, then you would have experienced project partisan politics. And If you are a ScrumMaster on an agile project, there isn't a more important impediment to get out of the way.

The Cost of Quality: Agile vs. Traditional PM

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Code inspections are an implicit, often unspoken best practice among agile project management teams. This silence has caused some people to question the quality control of the agile PM paradigm. Surprisingly, agile teams have not forgotten to mind the Ps and Qs of quality engineering--and not only continue to perform code inspections, but perform them more often. This results in even greater quality than traditional project management teams.

Project Manager vs. ScrumMaster

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

How do these two roles stack up against one another? Can a project manager adapt to being a ScrumMaster? Given the opportunity and environment, people can be successful in a number of different roles--provided that there is some degree of connection.

Cauliflower Ear

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

While it is their own personal goal to maximize team productivity and minimize any stumbling blocks along the way, it is also sometimes necessary for a ScrumMaster to act as a guardian and help protect their team members. Just don't get too aggressive on the field...

A Personal Approach to PM

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

How do we adapt in the face of consistency, or of anarchy or of brutal regimentation? As project managers, the only thing we really have control over is ourselves. Given this, how do we change our approach in a way that enables us to be effective in producing project results, rather than bashing our head repeatedly against an unfeeling and unchanging wall of bureaucracy? Here we take a look at adaptation in the face of organizational consistency.

Agile and Scrum: Love 'em or Loathe 'em?

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Some love 'em. Some loathe 'em. But these frameworks and schools of PM thought are here to stay. What benefits and challenges do they present? Read on for both sides of the alternative equation...

Procurement Management Done Agile (Part 2)

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

A new agile procurement process--one that can operate in conjunction with and alongside an agile software development methodology--should significantly improve both the procurement of software vendor's services and and successful delivery of software projects. This article will explore the underlying principles as well as map the reconciliation points required to harmonize agile development and procurement methods.

Scrum Artifacts in the New ScrumBOK

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Some substantive updates to the definition of Scrum artifacts may seem like minor clarifications to terms and definitions, but they have quite profound implications. In this article, we discuss these changes and how they affect the ScrumMaster (or project manager) tasked with delivering a "done" increment.

Eliminating Scrum Scum

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

In the highly competitive world, getting products to market quickly while being both flexible and adaptive to change is critical. The answer to this challenge is Scrum, an iterative, incremental methodology for project management often seen in agile software development. Here we look at recommendations for proper implementation of this unique and useful process.

Soft Scrum

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

There is no doubt that agile project management has hit the mainstream--with Scrum being the leader of the pack. Now that it has "crossed the chasm", how successfully is it being implemented? Some experts argue that Scrum has become flaccid in many organizations due to its dysfunctional implementation. So how do you know if you have soft Scrum? Let's look at some major areas of concern.

Leadership and Career Paths for ScrumMasters

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Much of the ScrumMaster's role has been focused on the individual effort of leading a single team through the successful completion of a Scrum project. At some point, a person who has successfully established themselves in an organization will be looked on to take on more responsibilities. What would these responsibilities be? What kind of career roadmap would be best suited for a person who is an established ScrumMaster?

Scrum's Scientific Method

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT

The science behind Scrum is the notion of Empirical Process Control, which that is derived from (and firmly rooted in) industrial process control theory--and applicable to the complexity of human process management that often derails project schedules. This article is outlines the foundations of EPC and how it drives empirically based team management.

The Japanese Origins of Scrum

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMT

To achieve a Zen culture of Scrum will take time, resources and a radical paradigm shift. Is it worth it? Yes, because this practice places humans--not processes or techniques--at the center of an organization. Let's learn more about a valuable history.

PMBOK vs. Scrum: The Eternal Philosophical Debate

Tue, 10 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Understanding philosophical foundations are required for success in managing projects in the "real world". That will allow you to better pick and choose which methodology (essentially a philosophical framework) to adopt--not adopt or mix and match to achieve project success.

From Project Manager to ScrumMaster

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 04:00:00 GMT

When a PM is first exposed to Scrum, it can seem as though there is very little if any structure--the team simply organizes themselves and gets work done in relatively uncontrolled sprints. That's not the case, and the PM does have an important role to play. How do PMs adapt to a distinctly different role in Scrum?

Hot-Buttered Scrum

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:00:00 GMT

These fundamental aspects of Scrum's functionality make it an easy match with software development projects. But the wonderful nature of Scrum and the agile methodology is that it is highly adaptable to many technologies and other types of efforts--and doesn't have to stay locked into one project type.