bobby singhSenior Project Manager| ConsultantMelbourne, Australia
Hi all i have been working across a number of agile programs of work over the years as project manager and more recently in a coaching capacity. (applying scrum and looking to layer kanban and scrum for capacity or workflow management) I am currently compiling a discussion paper on the role of a project manager in an Agile team and if it all the role is required.
My motivation for such a discussion thread is to ensure Agile is not destroyed/or diluted through tightly bound project management boxes.
In my experience the role is needed for a number of reasons but primarily from the perspective of expectation management, management of non Agile dependancies, project promotion and impediment management for teams in complex project environments. There is much to discuss with this topic so I am keen to gain others thoughts on the role they see a PM plays in an agile project.
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Stan YanakievCustomer Project Manager - IT| Hewlett-PackardSofia, Bulgaria
Hi,
So far I can answer better the question what role does agile play in my work as a PM. It helps me aproach better the tasks that can hardly be reasonable planned upfront: creative, innovative work, exploration of new, unknown areas. Agile practices help also think outside of the traditional project managemen box, offload people from unnecessary tasks, avoid bureaucracy, do more with less and find new ways to progress.
:)
Stan Saving Changes...
Peter WrightProgramme Manager| BAE SystemsSouthport, Merseyside, United Kingdom
Even with an agile approach you still require communications, management of stakeholders, tracking and management of risks and issues, ensuring the requirements are met at each stage and sprint, managing the scope and finance's of the project the list continues.
Project Management does not have to be tightly bound and in my experience running programmes and projects in both government (very tightly bound) to XP and Scrum delivered projects. And I tailored the method of managing those projects to fit the style and requirements of the project and business.
If you do not have a PM doing all of this then who in the business will.
The functions can be undertaken by other personnel but I have found that as with all team members the "project management" type tasks get de-prioritised so they can focus on the delivery of the actual items.
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Elizabeth HarrinDirector| RebelsGuideToPM.comLondon, England, United Kingdom
Hi Bobby
Here are some resources on Agile project management:
bobby singhSenior Project Manager| ConsultantMelbourne, Australia
Thanks guys. What about from a tracking and reporting perspective? i mean how do you report your progress? Do you use the burndown and how effective is it for reporting? Is there a baseline you compare this burndown with? Additionally, how do you measure business benefit for stories? and how do you report against these?
An approach i use that works well is to either allow a team to calibrate there velocity or estimate an ideal velocity (apply some contingency per sprint across the project) and track actual velocity against this. Of course this is not set in stone and velocity and forecast gets revisited from iteration to iteration. Saving Changes...
