AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents

Introduction. 3

a. Area of research. 3

b. Key concepts. 3

c. Expectations of reader 3

Agile project management 3

a) Explaining concept of Agile. 3

b) Lean concept method. 4

c) Exploring Scrum and Kanban 6

d) Portray of important value by Agile in structure of organization. 7

Conclusion. 8

References. 9

Introduction

a. Area of research

Agile project management will be the major focus of this report. The impact and significance of topic will be the important research areas that report will include. Area research will be to point out the major similarities and dissimilarities present between Scrum and Kanban.

b. Key concepts

High requirements for applying the concept of Agile in areas of project management are the key concept. Important parameters in respect to Agile will be examined in this report.

c. Expectations of reader

The reader will be expected to consider the important usage of project management. Furthermore, readers also expect application of this in software development. The reader will search the different areas of values and principles.

Agile project management

a) Explaining concept of Agile

Agile method has evolved from the software industry. The area of project management is to figure out a particular path for managing the several parameters of software development project. The Agile concept is usually an innovative process that helps the software development individuals to reach a specific solution in context to respective problems (Bibik, 2018). Thus, the problem can be effectively eliminated with its application. Adapting to the process of new solutions for the problems that arise in management is motivated in the process.

Being a significant approach, the "Agile project management" helps to generate the full life cycle of a project. The idea of Agile evolved in the year 2000. This originated with a group of 17 developers in the fields of software development. This group consisted of "Jon Kem, Jeff Sutherland, Bob Martin, Martin Fowler, Ken Schwaber and Jim Highsmith". These members had discussed the "quicker process for software development and further generating them in the market". The concept of "Agile methodology" was established in 1970. This concept was further improved and evolved in 1980 (Layton, Ostermiller & Kynaston, 2020). The concept behind this improvement was "chaotic and unplanned approaches''. These approaches were generally meant for software developments.

Figure 1: Agile Network

(Sources: Alaidaros & Omar, 2017)

Values and principles are present in the idea of Agile. Values include four types and principles are 12 in number. These values as well as principles are included in the "manifesto of agile" which is further linked to "agile alliance". Inclusion of these values and principles has linkage with agile concepts. This helps in briefly stating the cultural scenario and modifications that occur. The satisfaction of the customers is the main criteria of agile methodology. Usually, with an "agile manifesto" there are different varieties of opportunities that are generated. The performance of the team is evaluated with respect to "values and principles of agile philosophy".

b) Lean concept method

Toyota Production System is the area where the lean concept evolved. Just In Time (JIT) Production is the other name for Toyota Production System. Lean is a tool that has high efficiency in the field of project management (Mikkelsen & Riis, 2017). The idea of lean helps to generate profitable results for the group. It also helps to provide consistent results. The Lean process helps to remove the areas of wastages from the process. This is related to philosophical methods. The philosophy of Lean has principle, which states spending of resources for goals are related to establishment of values for the end customers which is unnecessary and further significance is presence for target removal. Philosophies that lean processes consist of are regular improvement and respectful to people.

Figure 2: Principles of Lean

(Source: Schmitz, 2018)

Removal of all the wastage from the process helps to increase the efficiency of the process and thus improve the process of project management. The wastages in process have linkage with the project life cycle (Alaidaros & Omar, 2017). Therefore, it is highly important to remove all the wastages to minimize the risk of time reduction. Lean philosophies need to be considered for evaluating the practices of agile. The essential principles of "lean philosophies'' are "identification of all the essential drivers of organization that includes value of customer, managing the stream value, generating proper flow of production, accounting the pull techniques to evaluate the requirements of customers". The last principle is the combination of all these four principles, which is further helpful for generating effective values (Bogdanova, Parashkevova & Stoyanova, 2020). Implementing the idea of lean concept allows removing the wastage. Thus, it can be added that lean principle in relation to its philosophies assists in fruitful "agile practices".

c) Exploring Scrum and Kanban

The philosophy of "Scrum" can be considered as an "agile framework" that stands in important pillars, which are three in number. These pillars are "transparency, inspection and adaptation". Therefore, it can be said "Scrum" has significant support for these pillars. Principles that can be accounted for project management are "controlling over empirical process, time boxing and value-based prioritization". "Kanban" is another form of technology that is useful in "agile and software development" (Galli & Lopez, 2018). Lean method is applicable for the structure of "Kanban" and helps in proper management. Thus, the relevance of the work process is increased in organization.

Managing the entire work process to fulfill the necessary requirements is the major aim of the "Kanban" framework. Kanban is also associated with improvement of "handling system bottlenecks". Similarities and dissimilarities are available for both "Scrum" as well as "Kanban". Similarities that lie between these developments of software for the purpose of project management are "lean and agile framework" (Masood & Farooqi, 2017). The structure of "pull technique" is applied to determine the requirement criteria of customers. Limitation that is present among these two is "WIP". "Scrum" and "Kanban" both focus on "transparency" and "project delivery of software".

Figure 3: Kanban and Scrum work process

(Source: Layton, Ostermiller & Kynaston, 2020)

Similarities are also noticed in these two frameworks. "Scrum software development" has availability of "time boxed iterations prescribed" and another one is "time boxed iterations operational". "Cross functional team" is also present in the "Scrum software development "with no significant symbol of "cross functional team". Similarities that lie between software developments have been "Scrum has no capability to adapt new changes in ongoing operations' '. The framework of Kanban includes "development of new ideas in ongoing iterations". Therefore, it can be figured out that Scrum is not capable of adapting to quick changes while Kanban is highly capable of adapting to quick changes (Schmitz, 2018). "Estimation is prescribed" for the scenario of the Scrum process while "Estimation is optional" for the scenario of Kanban. Software that considers the concept of Kanban is "Spotify" and "Zara" while the concept of Scrum is applied by "Adobe" and "Apple".

d) Portray of important value by Agile in structure of organization

Utilizing the process of "Agile project management" is highly valuable from the organizations point of view. This is also applicable for transformation of "project management software". Greater amount of opportunities are available to the organization with utilization of Agile process. These opportunities are in context to collaboration between team members. Implementation of this process in the structure of organization helps to create an efficient working process. Concept of agile method helps to get knowledge of the goals of an individual (Hidalgo, 2019). The process of Agile further provides solutions for respective problems that arise. This issue generates while working in a team process. Significant results are delivered by the application of agile methods. The values imparted to the organizations structure are as follows:

●      Flexible work process gets implemented at workplace

●      Control process gets enhanced

●      prediction of project is estimated

●      Continuous improvement occurs within workplace

●      Important concept of "agile methodology" is satisfaction of respective customers by determining the patterns

●      Risk rate gets decline with the concept of agile methodology

●      Decline in violence at the workplace scenario can be achieved and further morale is improved.

Agile is highly important for an organization to create a greater amount of opportunities. It helps to impart specific solutions to the relevant problems in the structure of organization. Effective values are produced with application of "agile methodology" that gives a better state to organization. This further supports the enhancement of regulations. The "agile methodology" helps to determine the requirement criteria of the customer. Getting insights into the customers requirements allows them to fulfill the satisfaction of the customer. Satisfaction is the ultimate goal of "agile methodology". Thus, values are imparted that enhance the organizations structure.

Conclusion

Conclusion that can be generated from the above discussions is that the agile process is important from the perspective of organization structure. This report further includes the "Scrum" and "Kanban" techniques that are helpful for creating better opportunities. "Scrum" and "Kanban" both focus on "transparency" and "project delivery of software". "Toyota Production System" is the area where the lean concept evolved. Values, as well as principles, are included in the "manifesto of agile" which is further linked to "agile alliance". "Agile project management" helps to generate the full life cycle of a project. The structure of "pull technique" is applied to determine the requirement criteria of customers. Removal of all the wastage from the process helps to increase the efficiency of the process. Implementing the idea of lean concept allows removing the wastage.

References

Bibik, I. (2018). How to kill the scrum monsterquick start to agile scrum methodology and the scrum master role. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Layton, M. C., Ostermiller, S. J., & Kynaston, D. J. (2020). Agile project management for dummies. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Mikkelsen, H., & Riis, J. O. (2017). Project Management: A Multi-perspective Leadership Framework. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing.

Alaidaros, H., & Omar, M. (2017). Software project management approaches for monitoring work-in-progress: a review. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 12(15), 3851-3857.

Bogdanova, M., Parashkevova, E., & Stoyanova, M. (2020). Agile project management in governmental organizationsmethodological issues. International E-Journal of Advances in Social Sciences, 6(16), 262-275.

Galli, B. J., & Lopez, P. A. H. (2018). Risks management in agile new product development project environments: A review of literature. International Journal of Risk and Contingency Management (IJRCM), 7(4), 37-67.

Masood, Z., & Farooqi, S. (2017). Benefits and key challenges of agile project management under recent research opportunities. International Research Journal of Management Sciences, 5(1), 20-28.

Schmitz, K. (2018). A Three Cohort Study of Role-Play Instruction for Agile Project Management. Journal of Information Systems Education, 29(2), 93-103.

Hidalgo, E. S. (2019). Adapting the scrum framework for agile project management in science: case study of a distributed research initiative. Heliyon, 5(3), e01447. Retrieved from <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844018340635> Retrieved on [02/03/2021]