How to Run an Agile Project

The first step in figuring out how to run an Agile project is to select your project framework. Scrum, Kanban, and lean are popular Agile frameworks for organizing and running a project. Here are six steps to running an Agile project using the Scrum methodology:

1. Assign your team

Your project team will include a Scrum master, a product owner, and any other team members you need to develop, produce, and test the end product. 

2. Document requirements

After you form your team, the product owner needs to roadmap your product. Your product roadmap is a high-level visual of the project’s requirements and should include a rough time frame for when you’ll develop each one. 

From the roadmap, you will create a product backlog that sets the priorities for both the project and product. 

3. Create your sprints

Based on the requirements and estimated timeline, you can break down your project into sprints and create your release plan. The release plan contains the requirements for the version of your product that comes at the end of each sprint. For example, sprint one may end with a prototype. 

4. Plan and execute your sprint

Once you’ve broken your project down into sprints, you can create a detailed schedule for your first one. 

The Scrum master should host a daily meeting to bring the team together as they execute the sprint. Here, they can discuss progress and tackle any issues. 

5. Host a retrospective

At the end of the first sprint, you’ll have a review meeting (called a sprint retrospective) to discuss the outcomes and any changes you need to incorporate into the next one. 

6. Repeat steps four and five

The detailed planning for the next sprint is now finalized, and the cycle repeats itself until you complete the last sprint and deliver the final product to the customer.