Agile project management has progressively spread, however, most companies don’t use the Classic (Waterfall) or Agile approach exclusively. They create or try to create their own blend of Hybrid methodologies. I wonder if you faced product failure due to complications in mixing approaches and how did you manage the situation? Saving Changes...
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Khaled KtechaPM I| Darwish Engineering Emirates L.L.CDubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Good question, but I didn't face the same before... Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Agile, Lean, etc are approaches that helps to put organizational strategy into action. To implement those approaches you use life cycles/methods or frameworks/tools. Waterfall is a method. Agile is an approach. Strategy depends on the business domain where the organization is playing the game. For example, in my actual world place we have different approaches and methods which exists together to create a product. Manufacturing is focusing in Lean while business and software is focusing in Agile and both are working in the same value stream to create a product. The key for all the approaches is to think about enterprise architecture where each layer of the architecture is totally independent and is integrated with high cohesion and low coupling. Instead of products organizations are creating solutions then when the solution is defined is time to define the way to create it. Just to put it in terms of the PMI it belongs to business analysis field and it is called "needs analysis". Saving Changes...
The majority of projects fall between pure predictive and pure adaptive so you could argue most projects are hybrid.
Tailoring of practices or approaches can be a source of failure if it is done without guidance from either a well established body of knowledge (e.g. Disciplined Agile) or the support of a seasoned coach.
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Don't think of predictive and adaptive approaches as opposite ends of a spectrum. Think of them as individual dials that you adjust, as needed, within your project. Projects always combines some level of prediction and some level of adaptivity. Even pure agile approaches require you to make some predictions (for example, the number of story points associated with a user story).
A product's failure has little to do with the approach but everything to do with product ownership. Saving Changes...
I have seen more issues from trying to follow a theoretical framework as though modifying it was heresy. The first rule to most bodies of knowledge and frameworks, is that they must be tailored to the situation. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Anna
If you don't properly tailor processes and well-define the hybrid environment and how you will operate in it, it often leads to some challenges and failures.
For example, if you decide to do JIT Procurement but your team failed to understand the when, how and why then material might fail to arrive on time and project will be delayed and so on. This is just one example.
I am not sure if I was able to reflect my point f view clearly but let me know if you have any questions.
Hi Anna
I've not had Product failures, but I’d successfully delivered Hybrid, complex IT projects where some teams/systems followed Waterfall and others followed Agile approach.
To ensure success, the End Product to be delivered (as needed by Sponsors) was clearly understood from the start by all delivery teams, including Product Owners of Agile teams.
Where possible, we would break the full scope into smaller, independent pieces, to be more Agile friendly. Next step was to agree on dependencies between teams, within each independent piece.
Biggest challenge from Product quality perspective was team communication. We (PM with Lead BA) had to ensure the Business Requirements Document (that was created either in Excel and/or as EPICS in JIRA ) had related JIRA Stories for Agile teams and System Requirement Documents for Waterfall teams.
I’ve also kept MS Project WBSs to have more focused view of the overall scope and to track each delivery item (Waterfall and Agile) and to keep all issues in one place.
I can see how requirements miscommunication between BRD and JIRA Stories may lead to failed Product. Strong Lead/Prime Business Analyst is a key to ensure Product delivery success.
But in my experience in Hybrid approach, much bigger challenge than risk of Product quality, is alignment of dependencies for the schedule. To align all various Waterfall and Agile teams with their own Sprints/timelines and priorities into one smooth flow of dependencies is a quite balancing act. And properly aligned dependency schedule is critical when you want to be ready to test partial and end-to-end solutions to ensure Product quality.
All can be done, it’s just more work for PM 😊 Saving Changes...
Binay SamantaDirector| Project & Environment ConsultantsDhanbad, India
Projects always combines some level of prediction and some level of adaptivity and hybrid approach will help balancing to keep project within time schedule and budget Saving Changes...
Project management approach is to ensure delivery goals are met and all sponsors and stakeholders are happy. While people say pure Agile approach does not emphasize enough on design and architecture decisions to be taken at the start of the project, customers always want to see something delivered in milestones rather than waiting for the entire duration. Product owners with right vision and rich experience ensure goals are met. Saving Changes...
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