Project Manager in the Agile World

There is a big mistake outside there: thinking that Agile ends in Scrum. There are other agile based methods like DSDM where the PM role is defined. In fact, DSDM has few marketing but is the method used in UK Goverment for example. Second, the importance that´s not rest in the role, the importance is in the functions the role performs then you will find the functions assigned to ther role or distributed between roles.

I'd be nervous about the PM world trying to change Agile culture. Frankly, we've been behind the curve on this cultural shift, and we shouldn't go barging in and trying to make changes that suit us. That's a good way to become irrelevant.

There is a place for project management in agile organizations, but we should enter with a degree of humility and adapt to the new style of organization, not enter the organization and try to change it. We should embrace some of the ancient proverbial wisdom about the reed that bends and survives the storm (as opposed to the strong tree that is blown over). I would ask the counter-question: how should PMs adapt to changing business cultures?

...I'll go ahead and answer the response that I know is coming, that PMs should be change agents. This is true in some cases, especially when a growing organization needs to implement project management in order to survive. But I would hope that any PM would enter a new organization with enough self-awareness to learn the culture before trying to make changes. In the case of larger business trends like agility, we need to assess how we should adapt to the changing business world rather than trying to change the business world to suit us.

I looked at recent job trends in project management in Australia, and they listed Agile, Change Management and Digital Transformation all as key trends. My current and previous role included all 3 across both roles, so they must be on to something.

Dear Sergio.
Thanks for your comment
In the DA world what is the role of Project Manager?

Sorry, what does mean "DA"?

Disciplined Agile I am assuming.

Folks - having been a DA instructor for a few years, since Scott is busy getting ready to deliver the inaugural PMI/DA training at the Las Vegas Seminars World next week, I'll respond.

DA acknowledges that if work is organized as projects (not products), then the role of a PM is needed. However, as per my earlier response in the thread, the role evolves such that certain PM activities are performed by other roles which frees up the PM to focus more on things like stakeholder engagement.

Remember that DA is a pragmatic, enterprise agile toolkit. Scrum was designed for products (not projects), hence the need for a PM was not identified.

You can read Scott & Mark's book "Choose your WoW" or visit the DA website to get more insights about transformed roles such as the PM.

And to Sante's question, agile requires greater discipline than waterfall/traditional approaches. Characteristics such as early/regular delivery, earlier de-risking, increased quality and emphasizing transparency all require more discipline...

Kiron