Agility, a word that is associated with most athletes who work and train for high performance all their lives. The word agile denotes a process that is not only fast, but also very effective in producing good results. The thing about agility is that it is not just linked with physical dominance; it is something that can even be applied to the organizations and its employees. Numerous companies have provided agile project management training to its employees and here’s why:
Agile Project Management
Most companies that are project based need to work fast and effectively to compete in the tough market today. It not only helps them keep their reputation as an organization that can complete the project in the time limit, but also helps provide the best quality product for its clients.
Clients on the other hand are a hold different story, you may think you have them figured out and are going to deliver the best quality product, but you receive an email where the requirements changed, yet again. What to do in a situation where you are about to deliver an almost complete product but you have to tinker in it to meet the needs of the person providing your paycheck.
Agile project management in simple words is a value-driven approach where the managers can deliver first priority, high quality products to the customer all whilst looking like rock stars to the stakeholders. This is completely different from the usual approach to project management where miscommunication, human errors and the cost bring your reputation down.
How Does It Work?
To understand Agile, the first thing you need to understand is “sprints.” The term is given to the method of using short development cycles that monitor and help in the improvement of a product or a certain service. Incremental software development is something that has been discussed in technological and management forums from as early as 1970s, it was not until 2001 that they really started to take shape.
Agile mainly works on 12 principles that serve as a guide for software development while keeping in mind an iterative and people centric approach. They are as follows:
- There is no higher priority than customer satisfaction and is achieved by continuous and rapid delivery.
- Changes in environment are something that has to be expected at any stage as it provides the customer with a huge advantage when working with certain organizations.
- Services and products are to be delivered with higher frequency.
- Developers and stakeholders work hand in hand on a daily basis for better communication and fulfillment of the requirement of a better quality product.
- Optimal attitude when considering project outcomes is necessary so all stakeholders and team members are to remain motivated while teams are to be provided with the necessary tools and support to complete project goals.
- We may be in the age of technology but, face to face meetings are the ones still considered the most effective and efficient when considering project success.
- The final product is the ultimate measure for success.
- A sustainable pace is maintained through Agile processes where product development is accomplished by both the stake holders and the team members.
- Managers need to make their team understand the importance of technical excellence and proper design for enhanced agility.
- You have to look at the possibility of keeping things simple as it is one of the most essential elements in a finished product.
- Teams that can self organize and follow through agile processes are more likely to build a product that not only satisfies the customer, but is something that is unique and sustainable for a longer period.
- Regular intervals are important as they improve a team’s behavior and efficiency.
Why Should You Invest In Agile Project Management Training?
As the world grows more competitive, client loyalty is something that is a thing of the past, which is why organizations and their managers need to be on their toes regarding the new projects that they undertake.
Let’s look at the different advantages Agile has to offer for managers and team members to help them stay focused on not losing their clients’ trust:
Senior Managers
For senior managers, Agile can provide a way where they can improve the use of company resources, pay better attention to risk management, improve the budget and project cost and have a much better monitoring control for the project.
Processes such as Audits and Health Checks allow senior managers to find the exact core reasons for the lack of successes in projects, which in turn allows them to take actions which directly help improve a specific project’s performance.
Functional Managers
Through project management, functional managers can benefit from better allocation of resources which include monetary, equipment and people. This not only helps staff effectiveness and efficiency, but in the long run helps the organization save a lot in costs.
Stakeholders
Stake holders are much more aware of “red flags” regarding a project which allows them to prevent and be better prepared for more trouble to come. A project that has better planning, quality assurance and acceptance can be sure that their clients will be satisfied with their work. This is because most of the times it is not whether a problem has occurred or not for the client, it is more about how the problem was overcome and a good quality product delivered.
Project Managers And Team Members
The most important impact Agile Project management has is on the Project managers and their team members. The productivity of work immensely improves by the application of firm project planning processes. This happens when the manager is clearly able to distinguish to the team members about what different responsibilities and roles they have which in turn gets them lesser work and more time to focus on their own assigned project priorities.
Agile project management training is something that will indefinitely improve all aspects of project management for the managers and their team because it is specifically designed for the purpose of fast and good work. If a company today wants to stay at the top of the competing market, they have to understand that the days of a client sticking by you just because you provide a better quality product are gone.
So in conclusion should you invest in agile project management training for your employees? You definitely should!