Agile project management (APM) is an iterative approach to planning and guiding project processes. It breaks project processes down into smaller cycles called sprints, or iterations.
Agile project management enables project teams in software development to work quickly and collaboratively on a project while being able to adapt to changing requirements in development. It also enables development teams to react to feedback quickly, so they can make changes at each sprint and product cycle.
Just as in Agile software development, an Agile project is completed in small sections. In Agile software development, for instance, an iteration refers to a single development cycle. Each section or iteration is reviewed and critiqued by the project team, which should include representatives of the project's various stakeholders. Insights gained from the critique of an iteration are used to determine what the next step should be in the project.
Agile project management focuses on working in small batches, visualizing processes and collaborating with end users to gain feedback. Continuous releases are also a focus, as these normally incorporate given feedback within each iteration.
The main benefit of getting started with Agile project management is its ability to respond to issues that arise throughout the course of the project. Making a necessary change to a project at the right time can save resources and help to deliver a successful project on time and within budget.
The Agile project methodology breaks projects into small pieces. These project pieces are completed in sprints that generally run anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. These sessions run from the initial design phase to testing and quality assurance (QA).
The Agile methodology enables teams to release segments as they're completed. This continuous release schedule enables teams to demonstrate that these segments are successful and, if not, to fix flaws quickly. The belief is that this helps reduce the chance of large-scale failures because there's continuous improvement throughout the project lifecycle.
Agile teams build rapid feedback, continuous adaptation and QA best practices into their iterations. They adopt practices such as continuous deployment and continuous integration using technology that automates steps to speed up the release and use of products.
Additionally, Agile project management calls for teams to continuously evaluate time and cost as they move through their work. They use velocity, burndown and burnup charts to measure their work instead of using Gantt charts and project milestones to track progress.
Agile project management doesn't require the presence or participation of a project manager. Although a project manager is essential for success under the traditional project delivery methodologies -- such as the Waterfall model, where the position manages the budget, personnel, project scope and other key elements -- the project manager's role under APM is distributed among team members.
For instance, the product owner sets project goals, while team members divvy up scheduling, progress reporting and quality tasks. Certain Agile approaches add other layers of management. The Scrum approach, for example, calls for a Scrum Master who helps set priorities and guides the project through to completion.
Project managers can still be used in Agile project management. Many organizations still use them for Agile projects -- particularly larger, more complex ones. These organizations generally place project managers in more of a coordinator role, with the product owner taking responsibility for the project's overall completion.
Given the shift in work from project managers to Agile teams, Agile project management demands that team members know how to work within the framework. They must be able to collaborate with each other and with users. They must be able to communicate well to keep projects on track. And they should feel comfortable taking appropriate actions at the right times to keep pace with delivery schedules.
Agile project management is constructed out of four key values and 12 main principles. The four main values help clarify that APM is collaborative and people-oriented, with the goal of creating functional software that delivers value to the end user. These four values are as follows:
The 12 principles of Agile project management are as follows:
There are five main phases involved in the APM process:
The 21st century saw a rapid rise in the use of the Agile project management methodology, particularly for software development projects and other IT initiatives.
However, the concept of continuous development dates back to the mid-20th century and has taken various forms, championed by different leaders over the decades. For example, there was James Martin's Rapid Iterative Production Prototyping, an approach that served as the premise for the 1991 book Rapid Application Development and the approach of the same name, RAD.
A specific Agile project management framework that has evolved in more recent years is Scrum. This methodology features a product owner who works with a development team to create a product backlog -- a prioritized list of the features, functionalities and fixes required to deliver a successful software system. The team then delivers the pieces in rapid increments.
Additional Agile frameworks include Lean, Kanban and Extreme Programming (XP).
Project vs. program vs. portfolio management
Best project portfolio management tools and software
Project portfolio risk management: Learn the key tenets
Advocates for Agile project management say the methodology delivers numerous benefits, including the following:
Agile project management also has some potential drawbacks, including the following:
Agile project management was, and remains, a counter to the Waterfall methodology. The Waterfall methodology features a strict sequential approach to projects, where initiatives start with gathering all requirements before the work begins. The next steps are scoping out the resources needed, establishing budgets and timelines, performing the actual work, testing and then delivering the project as a whole when all the work is complete.
In response to what were recognized problems in that approach, 17 software developers in 2001 published the Agile Manifesto outlining 12 principles of Agile software development. These principles continue to guide Agile project management even today.
Teams often pick one or two of the following APM methods to implement:
Discover 10 valuable benefits of Scrum and tips on how to achieve them.
27 Jan 2023