Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
For those who attended my presentation on “Managing Agility: Embracing the Benefits of Agile Leadership” at the PMXPO 2012, I want to thank you again for attending and Gantthead for the opportunity. Unfortunately there was not enough time to answer all the questions that came in and there were quite a bit of them: 37 to be exact (question directly asking me about Agile specifics), which is quite a bit considering the majority of them came in after the presentation during the last 20 minutes!
Fortunately though, Erin DeCaprio the fabulous Gantthead MC, provided me the questions and contacts and I will answer all of them directly. What I’d like to do here is to summarize, categorize and evaluate the questions, as I feel it really reveals the concerns of real world PMs working out there in the trenches like myself and how we go about integrating and leading Agile project initiatives.
Here’s the breakdown from the highest to the lowest:
| Area | Questions | Explanation |
| Integration | 13 | These are questions related to how to integrate Agile practices in a traditional PM based organization as well as integrate Agile in domains outside software development. |
| Process | 10 | These questions were related to Agile processes such as how to manage Agile projects where there was very minimal documentation, how to estimate tasks/iterations, identify risks and mitigate them, etc. The main concern was the perception that Agile discourages documentation. |
| Leader | 5 | Question asking how to lead virtual teams, how do tools enhance or negate the role of Agile leader, how to lead in a world that is changing so rapidly due to technology innovations (cloud, social media, mobile, etc.). |
| ACP | 5 | These questions were about whether the ACP exam will replace the PMP, is the PMP now “obsolete”, question about how to apply experience and whether to take this or get the ScrumMaster. |
| Adoption | 2 | Questions about how to get executive buy in and support, training and coaching for organizations looking to move to Agile to increase adoption. |
| Setup | 1 | Questions about what kind of tools, training, coaching would be recommended for those looking to setup an optimal Agile environment. |
| Tool | 1 | What is the best tool for Agile project management? |
| Total | 37 |
Though this is a small sample and was not based on a formal survey and anecdotal, as a fellow PM working in a traditional PM environment I can assert that these are my very own concerns and the same concerns of other PMs I work with and know!
I work in the medical device industry that has heavy regulatory and compliance checkpoints that overshadow all the projects I’m involved with that is not always conducive or easy to just “throw” Agile at something to make it turn around faster.
But like every other industry out there these days, there still a need to turn products and services around faster and keep up with the pace of technological innovations, hence an imperative to be more Agile.
In any event, I will answer questions directly to the respondents and as a regular writer on this excellent site, I have lots of topics to focus on since I have a much better idea of what concerns the Gantthead user base.
Posted on: May 25, 2012 01:33 PM |
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