8 Attitudes Guaranteed to Sink Your Agile Projects
There's a glut of articles and advice about Agile floating around online. Adoption patterns, education plans, and implementation methodologies abound. But there’s a big difference between doing Agile and being Agile. If your team simply adopts Agile rules without the mindset, you’re going to have Agile challenges. We've done the research and studied the pitfalls for you so you can help your team start sprinting successfully. Your team may still be clinging to deeply embedded behaviors and perspectives that can inhibit your project's success. Here are 8 thought patterns that need to change for Agile to be successful: "I can't ask for help." People are naturally reluctant to admit they're having trouble. But if the team doesn't know what other members are struggling with, problems escalate until it's too late to fix them. Encourage teammates to be open about challenges and admit when they don’t know the best course of action. "I need to do this myself if it’s going to be done right.” Agile is rooted in collaboration. You can't have a team of lone rangers taking charge of tasks independently without involving their colleagues. “This isn’t in my job description." Your job title and defined responsibilities don't matter in the Agile methodology. (Hence the use of "team members" in place of individual job titles.) What matters is what you can do well and how you can contribute to the project. “This project is done, so I don’t have to think about it anymore." Agile teams are constantly inspecting and evaluating what they do—and what they’ve done—for lessons on how they can improve. “If I share my ideas, I might not get credit for them." If your Agile team is going to be effective, everyone needs to get in the habit of actively sharing knowledge to foster genuine collaboration and innovative thinking. Individual credit is not the goal. Project success is. “I need to stay focused and block out anything that’s not directly related to my work." With Agile, not all interruptions are bad; some are helpful! Stay plugged in to what’s going on with your teammates so you can pitch in or improve your own work through their experience. "Unstructured = unproductive." Agile embraces the apparent chaos that comes with short sprints and changing parameters. Free form can also mean the freedom to capitalize on unexpected opportunities. “Failure is the worst thing that can happen." Agile recognizes failure as an opportunity to strengthen your team and your end product, not something that should be dreaded or downplayed. If your team is pushing itself to create truly great, innovative stuff, failure is a valued part of the process. It's important to note that it’s not just your team that needs to adopt new perspectives— you’ll have to change your management mindset too. Your team needs the freedom to "figure it out" for themselves during sprints, so don't dictate their every step. But you shouldn't be completely hands-off, either: you still need to provide guidance and support. Focus on enabling your team and eliminating any roadblocks standing in their way. What tips do you have for successfully leading Agile teams? Share your experience in the comments!
Do Agile Project Managers Need to Be Certified?
Agile Project Management Certification Other organizations, like the Agile Alliance, have offered their own Agile certifications before. But the Project Management Institute, with more than half a million members and credential holders in 185 countries, is definitely the most influential organization in the project management space, so it’s pleasing to see PMI now officially recognizing the Agile mindset as a significant and undeniable trend in project management. Indeed, Agile project procurement management has come a long way from a novel approach to a mainstream project management methodology. It went beyond its mother field, software development, and is used in an increasingly broader set of industries nowadays. This certainly increases the demand for Agile professionals, and employers want to make sure that they are hiring the right person for the job. This is where certifications prove useful, and for those wondering how to become a certified project manager, they should consider becoming certified in Agile for future job prospects. That said, there are still lots of opponents to the whole idea of Agile certification. For example, one of the main arguments for Michael Dubakov, an author at the Edge of Chaos blog, is that there are so many factors influencing the management process that they make any certification impossible. “Your company is special. You have special people on the development team. You have special conditions, rules, and other external factors,” writes Michael. What do you think of PMI's Agile Project Management Certification? What do you think of the new PMI certification? Will you consider it for yourself or your employees? Please post your thoughts in the comments below.
The Complete Guide to Scrum Ceremonies
Two cornerstones of the Scrum framework for project delivery are adaptability and accountability. Scrum ceremonies, sometimes referred to as Scrum rituals, enable Scrum teams to remain nimble as they move through the project life cycle. Scrum ceremonies are also where team members hold themselves accountable for their contributions to the project. In this complete guide to Scrum ceremonies, we’re taking an in-depth look at the five unique events that comprise the Scrum framework. We’ll also explore the different Scrum meeting types and offer tips for getting your team more invested in these rituals. What is Scrum? Before we dive into the specifics of Scrum ceremonies, let’s clarify what Scrum is in the first place. Scrum is a clearly defined project management framework that follows the principles of the Agile manifesto. Agile is often mislabeled as a project management framework or process, but this isn’t the case. Agile is more like a philosophy for guiding product development and other complex or highly fluid projects. Essentially, Agile is all about working in shorter time frames and coming together frequently as a team to review what’s been done and make necessary adjustments. Agile is an iterative approach to project management designed to avoid the dilemma of reaching the end of a project and realizing that you veered off course weeks (or even months) ago. The Scrum framework adheres to these Agile principles by implementing short, set intervals of work called sprints. Sprints typically run for two weeks. At the end of each sprint, the Scrum team comes together to evaluate its output and make needed course corrections. Additionally, Scrum calls for several special meetings throughout the sprint. These meetings are referred to as “ceremonies” or “rituals,” and each type has a particular purpose. What are the five Scrum events and Scrum meeting types? Five distinct events make up a Scrum sprint, four of which are meetings, also known as ceremonies or rituals. The four Scrum ceremonies are: Sprint planning Daily Scrum Sprint review Sprint retrospective The sprint itself is also considered a critical Scrum event, where the rubber meets the road, and the actual project work gets done. Let’s take a closer look at each of the four sprint ceremonies and how they fit into the overall Scrum framework. 1. Sprint planningAs its name implies, the sprint planning ceremony takes place before the sprint commences. This meeting is used to map out the scope, goals, and any issues or concerns for the upcoming sprint. During the sprint planning ceremony, the team determines which items in the project backlog they will work on during the sprint. Key elements of the sprint planning ritual include: Defining the scope of the sprint Establishing which tasks will be tackled and who on the team will be responsible for them Setting concrete goals for the sprint, including deadlines for completion and metrics to determine success Addressing potential roadblocks, issues, or scheduling conflicts that might interfere with the sprint Ensuring that the plans get logged and scheduled in your project management software or tracking system to monitor progress and maintain accountability When it comes to sprint planning, you’ll want to be mindful of any holidays, special events, or individual days off that may affect the delivery or completion of certain tasks. Sprints typically last two weeks, which allows you just 10 workdays to accomplish the goals you’ve set for the sprint. Additionally, risk management should always play a role in the sprint planning ceremony. Scrum teams are not immune to unforeseen delays and hangups, so make sure to factor in these possibilities when planning.2. Daily ScrumThe daily Scrum, also called the daily stand-up, is a short daily meeting in which each team member delivers a brief status update. These meetings are intentionally short and sweet, ideally taking only 15 minutes and no more than 30 at the most. The daily Scrum helps ensure that everyone is progressing with their tasks as scheduled and that issues or roadblocks are being addressed. The daily Scrum ceremony should be laser-focused on the following four points: What has been accomplished so far What’s currently being worked on What’s up next Any obstacles or problems preventing progress The daily Scrum must not turn into an in-the-weeds discussion. Otherwise, you risk spending too much of the workday talking rather than being productive. It’s the Scrum master’s job to keep this ceremony on track. If a team member has an issue that needs further attention, schedule some time outside of the daily Scrum to address it. 3. Sprint reviewThe sprint review is the first of two post-sprint ceremonies. Because Scrum was originally designed as a software development framework, each sprint was meant to produce a shippable increment of work, such as a new feature. During the sprint review, that new feature is demonstrated and feedback solicited from managers and stakeholders. Scrum has since been adopted by project teams across multiple industries and disciplines outside of IT. However, the concept of the sprint remains the same: to produce a specific and defined outcome. The sprint review is when that outcome is demoed or presented to stakeholders for comments and feedback. 4. Sprint retrospective The sprint retrospective is the second ceremony to take place after a sprint has been completed. It’s also the final ceremony of the Scrum process. During the retrospective ritual, the Scrum team reviews its processes to determine what can be improved in subsequent sprints. Remember, the Agile philosophy calls for consistent assessment and improvement. To that end, the sprint retrospective ritual is one of the most critical of the entire Scrum framework. Why are Scrum ceremonies beneficial to projects? If there’s one thing employees do not want any more of, it’s meetings. Team members spend an average of 21% of their time meeting with coworkers and managers. To make matters worse, those workers feel that 25% of that time is wasted. When meetings are unstructured and unfocused, it only leads to frustration. Scrum ceremonies, on the other hand, are highly structured and focused. But what is the most important Scrum ceremony? Well, each Scrum ritual has a distinctly defined purpose: to set expectations, facilitate effective collaboration, and drive measured results. Scrum ceremonies provide the framework for teams to complete their work in a disciplined, orderly manner, as well as to continually refine their processes and sharpen their skills. How do you get your team enthused for Scrum rituals? As we’ve seen, each Scrum ritual has a specific purpose, unlike ad hoc meetings that workers are often involuntarily roped into. That doesn’t mean that your team will always be bursting with excitement at the thought of yet another daily Scrum. Even if they’re not necessarily enthused, your team members should be willing participants at each Scrum ceremony. When workers feel that their contributions truly matter and they own their work, enthusiasm often follows. Here are a few tips you can use to help instill a sense of ownership in your team. As the Scrum master, don’t look at your team members during the meeting. Instead, keep your eyes on your notepad or keyboard as you take notes. This is a sort of psychological hack that will force your team members to look at each other as they deliver their daily updates, rather than looking at you and feeling like they are simply reporting to their manager. Another simple “hack” for signaling that the meeting truly belongs to the team is to arrange the ceremony in a circle, then slowly step out of it. At first, workers will likely still want to look at you as they report, but they’ll quickly realize that they are running the ceremony and reporting to one another. Instead of asking, “What have you done?” or, “What do you expect to complete today?”, focus your questions on the sprint’s goals. For instance, you could ask, “Are you confident that the team can reach its sprint goal?” or, “Is it clear what needs to be done today for us to reach our goals?” How to organize your Scrum rituals with Wrike Organizing and managing your Scrum rituals is much easier with the proper tools in place. Wrike provides several templates and tools to help streamline your Scrum ceremonies. You can access performance metrics, assign action items, monitor progress, and keep all your files and data in one centralized location. Wrike empowers Scrum teams to collaborate more effectively and maximize each sprint. Ready to make the most of your next Scrum sprint? Start your free two-week Wrike trial today!
What is Extreme Project Management and is it Right for Your Team?
Today's projects are different from the projects of 10 or 20 years ago. Mostly thanks to the introduction of the internet and subsequent cloud-based software, as well as the concept of what is a professional service coming into play, the way we work — and thus, our projects — has undergone a revolution. The way projects stand now: project requirements can change daily, and responsible teams are expected to handle those situations fluidly. Stakeholders want more involvement with projects while they're still in process, which means that they can change their mind (and create extra work for teams) at any time. News about political, economical, or environmental concerns breaks 24/7, and teams have to shift gears to respond accordingly. Traditional project management (TPM) is typically not equipped to handle this new era of projects. The step-by-step workflow (e.g. the Waterfall model), rigid timelines, and strict requirements have a hard time adapting to the need for change partway through a project. Updates to the plan require team members to jump through hoops and consult several managers before getting final approval. These constraints bottleneck progress and end up pushing TPM projects over budget and past deadlines. Today's projects are often better suited for extreme project management. What is Extreme Project Management? Extreme project management (XPM) is short and flexible where traditional project management is not. Traditional project management means creating a plan and sticking to it, usually for long-term projects. XPM allows you to alter your project plan, your budget, and your final outcome to fit changing needs, no matter what stage the project is in, and usually involves projects that last only a few weeks or even just days. XPM is meant to help you manage the unknown — those variables that change and pop up as a project progresses. At the end of your project, it's about delivering the desired result, not simply the originally planned result. Those people who realize halfway through a project that the original product isn't ideal have the leeway to modify the plan. Teams using XPM must be willing to make several attempts to get it right, instead of simply focusing on completing everything after the first attempt. Is extreme project management right for you? How do you know if your project requires extreme project management? Here are some common characteristics of extreme projects: Fast-paced work Highly complex project needs and outcomes Frequent changes to the project requirements as the project progresses Trial-and-error approach to see what works Self-correcting process when things go awry to get back on track A move away from hierarchy in decision making People-driven projects, instead of process-driven (people don't adapt their projects to fit the model, they adapt models to fit the project) If this sounds like your work, consider XPM and how you can adopt this approach. How to Execute Extreme Project Management Extreme project management is meant to be fast and nimble. Start by gathering a team of people around you who are willing and ready to embrace this Agile mindset meaning. If your team members prefer slow-paced work and getting every decision approved by upper management, it won't work. After assembling your star team, follow these steps: Create a project plan with extreme project management in mind. That means expecting change, acknowledging that timelines may change, and leaving room for error. To ensure success, make sure your plan answers all of these questions (from the book eXtreme Project Management by Doug DeCarlo): —Who needs what, and why? —What will it take to do it? —Can we get what it takes to finish? —Is it worth it? Schedule work in short cycles — a few weeks at max. Have a project kick-off meeting to give everyone the full rundown of the work involved, and get people excited to get to work on a great, new project. Answer every question, and communicate expectations clearly. Make project visibility a priority starting from day 1. Communicate with your client frequently, listen closely to their wants and needs, and relay their feedback to your team immediately. Follow up work cycles with check-ins, review sessions, and re-alignment meetings if the project seems to be getting off-track. When projects or cycles finish, celebrate every win. Make teams feel appreciated to keep them excited about the demanding work. Consider starting every meeting with listing team accomplishments since the last meeting, or going around to have everyone list one accomplishment they're proud of. Do not set up more processes than you need to in order to complete the project. Extreme project management advises to KISS your projects — keep it simple, stupid. Each project will probably require different steps and different templates, so customize each project to suit your needs. If your team insists that you're making processes too complicated, cut out extra steps. Extreme Project Management for Changing Projects If you identified with the troubles of traditional project management or the characteristics of extreme projects, consider reading more about XPM for your team. I suggest the book mentioned above, eXtreme Project Management by Doug DeCarlo. It goes into great detail about everything you should know to get started with XPM, including tips for suggested meetings, dealing with stakeholders, and resolving project roadblocks. Made the switch from TPM to XPM successfully — or even unsuccessfully? Tell us about your experience and what made you take the leap in the comments below. We'd love to learn from your first-hand account. Related Reads:How to Combat the 4 Main Sources of Scope Creep10 Phrases That Can Ruin Your Project Kickoff Meeting4 Tips to Improve Your Next Meeting Image credit: Designed by Freepik
What Are the Advantages of Waterfall Project Management?
When leaders organize processes for software development and other teams, the waterfall project management model and the Agile method are among the most common approaches. But before choosing between these two models, leaders need a strong understanding of how each provides certain advantages.
Agile Project Management vs. Process-oriented: Why Not Both? (Video)
Agile project management is all about breaking free of rigid, step-by-step processes and shaking off that old "How We Do Things Here" so you can embrace creativity and ingenuity. Throw those dusty, outdated process manuals out the window! Right? Not so fast. As our productivity coach Errette Dunn explains, the Agile project management triangle still requires clearly defined processes. In this 5-minute video, Errette discusses: the key difference between Agile and improvisation how you can be more Agile with the right process how to use your current process to keep from reinventing the wheel & make your team more efficient Watch the video now: Ultimately, the proper mindset is key. Always be conscious about the way you work so you can recognize opportunities for improvement. Related Reads:8 Attitudes Guaranteed to Sink Your Agile ProjectsIs Agile Viable for Marketing Teams?The 7 Wastes that Cripple Knowledge Workers (Video)
New Report Released: How Marketers Get Things Done: The State of Agile Marketing in 2016
The old-fashioned way of working is quickly becoming outdated and inefficient. Working set hours, coming into the office everyday, and sitting at standard cubicles has all become obsolete as mobile productivity and remote work continues to spread. With work management evolving, marketers are pushing hard to keep up. Adapting standard methodologies, such as Agile, establishes a process where flexibility and collaboration are key components to executing any project. Today we are excited to announce the release of our latest report, How Marketers Get Things Done: The State of Agile Marketing in 2016. With this report, we explore the world of Agile and the challenges marketers are facing today. We surveyed 800 marketers about their work management, use of digital tools, and their collaborative relationship with other departments. Some highlights from the report: 26% of marketers are very satisfied with the way their team manages work 20% of marketers say that sales is the most difficult department to collaborate with 20% of marketers have fully embraced Agile as a work management methodology Improved quality of work is the top benefit of using Agile Here's a sneak peak at the results. This chart highlights the top challenges for today's marketers: Read all the results in our full report. Click below to download your free copy: Eager to improve the way you work by becoming an Agile organization? Start your two week free trial with Wrike and begin collaborating today.