Project management: what is the agile method?
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Estelle
Content manager
April 19, 2021
4 min
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While for the majority of us, agility is a new concept, the agile method is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
Designed by American experts in 2001, it was originally established to facilitate the development of computer software, which is often slowed down and weighed down by methods of project management more traditional. Together, they define 4 values and 12 principles, which they summarize in a document, the Manifesto for agile software development.
Since then, more and more companies, across all sectors, are opting for project management methods that incorporate the principles of agility. Let's see why together.
To begin with, there is not one, but several agile methods (such as Scrum for example). Everyone is free to adapt the essence of agility to their project and their business.
However, a method can really be described as agile if it is based on collaborative and flexible processes. Indeed, by definition, agile methods consist in promoting a project management unformal or not very formal, based on communication, the iteration of ideas and the human element. This collaboration, between the members of the project team but also with the end customer, makes it possible to obtain better quality deliverables that are compatible with any changes to which they may be subjected.
Above all, to implement agile methods in a company, it is essential to work in project mode. Agility, as its name suggests, is not compatible with an organization that is too rigid. Employees should no longer be limited to their job description but considered according to their skills and what they can contribute to a project, even if it is out of their backyard. Starting from the premise that each of your company's employees is an expert in their field, you will be ready to go into “agile mode”!
To ensure agile project management, project team members must be autonomous, know how to adapt to more or less sudden changes and have a highly developed sense of teamwork. As we saw earlier, agile methods are based on collaboration and communication within the team as well as with the end customer. The success of an agile project is therefore based on the great ability to adapt and the reactivity of The project team in the face of the unexpected.
An agile method is also a project management process based on iteration, experimentation, A/B testing... The primary objective is to deliver a deliverable of excellent quality, as quickly as possible: in short, to guarantee customer satisfaction. To do this, project team employees must be creative and rigorous, communicate, share their experiences and trust each other to put all their resources to the benefit of the project.
To be truly effective, agile methods must go beyond the strict dimension of the project. Indeed, agility is rooted in a desire of continuous improvement, both individuals but also the processes and strategies put in place. In short, the results, lessons and discoveries made during a project must be integrated by the members of the project team to support the next mission. The objective of this approach is to never break the emulation and the creation of value generated by the collective. Thus, employees progress and advance in their career goals and development and the deliverables are always of better quality and delivered more quickly.
Finally, to ensure the implementation of an agile methodology within a project, it is essential that all project participants, internal and external, demonstrate appropriate behavior. First, have the ability to adapt and anticipate any challenges so as not to be overwhelmed or surprised by unforeseen events/changes in situation. Then, be able to cooperate and enjoy working in a team to ensure virtuous collaboration and commitment to the project. Finally, to be deeply motivated by innovation and improvement: to be able to change perspective when necessary and to accept change.
Learning to work in project mode and becoming agile professionals requires time and resources. To engage and motivate your employees while achieving the best possible performance, it is important to implement tools and processes that will support change management in your company. A first step will be to pool your resources and consolidate your vision on the skills of your company. You will thus be able to rely on this information to find, among your teams, the most relevant collaborators to intervene on a given project and be more reactive in creating your project team!
Napta supports you in setting up an operation in project mode. Finally, meet the challenges of agility!
Do you want to go deeper into the subject? We have lots of resources at your disposal to help you go further.
In addition to this subject, find our white paper”The keys to an optimal staffing process”.
Also discover our guides, templates and checklists in the Resources tab.
See you soon at Napta!
