Consultant| Canarys Automation LtdBangalore, Karnataka, India
This discussion thread focuses on the application of Agile project management principles in non-software development projects. While Agile methodologies have traditionally been associated with software development, many project managers are exploring their applicability in diverse industries such as construction, marketing, and healthcare. Join hands to share your experiences, insights, and challenges in implementing Agile practices outside of the software realm. Let's discuss adaptations, success stories, and lessons learned from applying Agile principles in non-traditional project contexts. Your contributions will enrich our understanding and empower project managers to leverage Agile methodologies effectively across a wide range of projects.
I once introduced SCRUMBAN practices in an organization that was not a traditional IT company - all the Employees there were Electrical Engineers and we served Electrical Industries providing them consulting services building Models.
Community Specialist| Project Management InstituteNewtown Square, PA, United States
Hi Ashwin, thanks for posting and sharing your perspective! You raise some great topics. To make it easy for others to jump into the conversation, could you please clarify with any questions that you'd like to pose to the community? Saving Changes...
The first thing to note is there is no such thing as "Agile project management". There are agile approaches, agile tools, agile frameworks, but project management cannot be agile unless the PM is ready to challenge a cheetah for a race :-)
Having said that, many agile frameworks are geared towards software development and applying them blindly or customizing them without a full appreciation of "why" a specific artifact, practice or role exists usually results in "fake agile". A better option might be to explore a toolkit such as Disciplined Agile which provides guidance for helping a team define their preliminary ways of working as well as ideas for evolving it over time.
This includes a critical decision in terms of a life cycle approach - while a timeboxed approach such as Scrum might fit a specific context, the team should consider whether a continuous flow model such as that aspired to by Kanban would be a better fit.
Manufacturing process improvement is a classic example. Whether the Toyota Production System, Six Sigma, or various other branded approaches, most are based on Demming's Plan Do Study Act which is incremental and iterative by nature.
With the advent of 3D printing, agile approaches also fit very well with developing new or improved hardware. This year my team was able to quickly develop a more reliable tool for manufacturing using a series of prototypes. At each stage, all the users were able to provide input and the model was tweaked. By the 4th version we had a production ready part that all the users really liked because it addressed their own issues with the existing tool. That would have taken many months and likely would not have been as successful if we used a more traditional method and tried to design a fully functional version on the first attempt. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
The big problem is when people talk about <something> project management. Unfortunately the PMI has contributed to that and I have debate it with PMI people because the PMI is "open mind" on the matter. Because for a chance of the destiny I was part of the group that "invented" agile and agility that was in manufacturing and the group that implement it in software domain I can say and sustain that the first step to fail is to think about <something> project management. Agile is an approach. The same thing with Lean and others. So you can apply the approaches in any type of initiatives to create a solution. Saving Changes...
Gianfranco PellacaniPMO Director EMEA| Vehicle Service GroupCorreggio, Re, Italy
I have been for 20 yrs in NPD and Continued Engineering for series-manufactured equipment.
The struggles with Agile approaches there are basically coming from work flow being broken by required interactions outside of the team with operations-oriented departments
- getting costs
- getting prototypes
- getting replies
- getting connection with business reps.
All of these take forever, breaking down flow and destroying motivation in the team
Could manage to implement a decent kanban for Continued Engineering, but had to break it down in 3 different flows and backlogs (design, validate, implement). Saving Changes...
Though my hands-on experience in PM is nascent, I meant as a defined role. Recently migrated to the UK and did some PM certifications including P2 Agile, having dusted the Foundation and Practitioner exams while working temporarily in Adult healthcare setting as a HCA.
Its interesting how the Agile way of work is so subtly implemented to a good result.
1. The team: Small team of competent and well-trained hands; each person can assume the other person's role seamlessly and get the job done, I observe its size is deliberate to ensure collaboration and avoid downtime which is usually the bane of larger teams.
2. Daily stand ups: we call it handover meeting where updates about residents heath care status is communicated, the workload is shared; communication is open and expectations are clearly defined.
div3. Use of Kanban board: This clearly displays activities around each resident: room number; dietary restrictions, peculiar healthcare demands etc also its been updated as circumstances do change.
4. Scrum Master: This is not clearly designated but the team knows with whom the responsibility for coaching lies and who is ultimately responsible for the success or otherwise of each shift, this is usually the Nurse.
I am not certain if this piece has done much justice to how the Agile method is at work in the UK Adult Care setting- but at least this little I know.
Cheers
/div Saving Changes...
Patrick HickeyProgram Manager / Agile Coach| Royal Dutch Shell via Insight GlobalHouston, TX, United States
Nearly every project could benefit from the incorporation of some component of "Agile". A ticketing system for having work flow into the work queues in a standard format with acceptance criteria works for food service and airlines. Making the queues visible via information radiators / dashboards informs the customers so as to maintain customer satisfaction thresholds, whether that be when their food is ready, or which gate has their respective flight (or their checked luggage). Agile is everywhere, you just have to look for which tools, techniques, mindset or feedback loop would be useful and put it in play. You will be glad you did. Saving Changes...
Although the agile approach works very well and is generally best suited for software development projects, it is not exclusive to them. An agile mechanism can be applied in a multitude of industries, such as construction, finance, industrial production, marketing, graphic design, etc. The choice of the agile approach may also depend on the type of client, as it allows the results to be better adapted when the client's needs change over time. Saving Changes...
It is a myth that Agile started in software or work best there. The principles in the Agile Manifesto merely restate progressive management techniques dating back to at least World War II. Kanban originated as part of the Toyota Production System in the 1960s. "The New New Product Development Game" talked about their application to tangible product design in 1986 (and was the source for the name Scrum for that Agile method). Tom Peters, one of the best-known management gurus of the 1980s and ’90s, wrote a 1987 book whose 45 prescriptions cover a wide range of practices labeled “agile” today. The U.S. government sponsored an "Agile Strategic Manufacturing Forum" in 1991. A 1995 book was titled "Agile Competitors and Virtual Organizations"; one of the Manifesto signers has pointed out parallels with the Manifesto principles.
I have applied these generic "agile" principles since 1994 in a wide range of teams, including services, hardware design and testing, and home remodeling. It isn't that hard. It starts with letting go of the ideas that your job is to "control" other people or you can predict the future. The rest gets a lot easier from there!
...
1 reply by Greg Martin
Jul 09, 2024 9:50 AM
Greg Martin
...
Jim - could you provide a most basic playbook to utilize agile methods for developing products (not software)? thanks
Saving Changes...
Greg MartinSenior Manager| Sub-Zero Group, Inc.Verona, WI, United States
Jul 09, 2024 8:25 AM
Replying to Jim Morgan
...
It is a myth that Agile started in software or work best there. The principles in the Agile Manifesto merely restate progressive management techniques dating back to at least World War II. Kanban originated as part of the Toyota Production System in the 1960s. "The New New Product Development Game" talked about their application to tangible product design in 1986 (and was the source for the name Scrum for that Agile method). Tom Peters, one of the best-known management gurus of the 1980s and ’90s, wrote a 1987 book whose 45 prescriptions cover a wide range of practices labeled “agile” today. The U.S. government sponsored an "Agile Strategic Manufacturing Forum" in 1991. A 1995 book was titled "Agile Competitors and Virtual Organizations"; one of the Manifesto signers has pointed out parallels with the Manifesto principles.
I have applied these generic "agile" principles since 1994 in a wide range of teams, including services, hardware design and testing, and home remodeling. It isn't that hard. It starts with letting go of the ideas that your job is to "control" other people or you can predict the future. The rest gets a lot easier from there!
Jim - could you provide a most basic playbook to utilize agile methods for developing products (not software)? thanks
...
2 replies by Gianfranco Pellacani and Jim Morgan
Jul 15, 2024 12:55 PM
Jim Morgan
...
Hi Greg. I appreciate the request. The website in my profile name, Full Scale agile, is a free, evidence-based, online book with comprehensive coverage of applying Agile to most types of work. Unfortunately, the moderators won't let me post the URL, so you'll have to look it up if interested. Good luck--Jim.
Jul 16, 2024 2:25 AM
Gianfranco Pellacani
...
Hi Jim, thank you so much for sharing this.
Gonna be my lunch break food-for-thought for coming weeks!
Community Champion
PMI Team Member
