Here's how you can assertively manage expectations in Agile projects.

Managing expectations and defining objectives is key! Set realistic timelines by breaking work into sprints and avoid overpromising. Continuously seek input to adapt and ensure alignment with business needs. Always celebrate wins. By following these steps, we create a transparent and collaborative Agile environment.

In agile projects, clear goal setting is essential. Start by defining the project scope with stakeholders to ensure everyone is on the same page. During sprint planning, break these goals into smaller, manageable tasks. This approach not only clarifies what success looks like but also provides a roadmap for the team to follow. Regularly revisiting these goals during sprint reviews keeps the project aligned with stakeholder expectations and allows for necessary adjustments.

?? involving your team in expectation management is crucial. Make sure to have open discussions during sprint planning and retrospectives to grasp their perspectives and address any issues. This teamwork helps in establishing achievable timelines and workloads. By valuing their input, you promote a sense of ownership and dedication towards meeting expectations. When the team comprehends the purpose behind their tasks, they tend to produce high-quality outcomes that support project objectives.??

When working things like story definition, I have found it beneficial to have the "key constituents" involved from problem definition/exploration through delivery. This could mean a UX Designer, PM, Lead engineer, QA... essentially anyone who will be involved in delivery of the work. Each constituent should feel like they have a voice in a safe space to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and provide context. This typically leads to: - a shared understanding of the work (why, what) - increased ownership amongst the team - a better projection of effort/time to get to "done" The anti-pattern I have seen is when 1 or 2 people on a given team consistently do all the work breakdown and hand out things to do for the rest of the team to do.

Can’t agree more. Team must be focused to ‘built in quality’, while committing the stories for the sprint. This will help limiting cost of rework and hence achieving optimum velocity.

In agile projects, goal setting is crucial for ensuring alignment and focus. Goals should be clear, achievable, and adaptable, reflecting the dynamic nature of agile methodologies. The goals are defined at multiple levels: Overarching project goals - provide a long-term project/product vision. Iteration goals - set for a sprint or a short term. Daily goals - daily goals are discussed during stand-up meetings, keeping the team aligned and motivated.

Super important, but just to add, do not over communicate and make sure it is always to the point... Having multiple meetings, just for the sake of communication, is not good, rather focus should be on having less meetings, but effective ones. (I have seen many times that people run 1 hr status meetings etc, that's an absolute no no...) As it suggests here, do your home work before, get the status from the boards, charts etc prior, and only spend time talking about real blockers, risks and issues.

Having short feedback loops is the greatest value that agile and extreme programming have given us. In a constantly changing world, where customers and users may not even realize what their pain points are, we need to be quick to seek feedback and ready and willing to change quickly to effectively solve user problems.

In order to manage expectations well in agile projects, I believe it is necessary to have well-defined routines and processes and constant, transparent alignment of how deliveries are progressing. This ensures greater reliability, security and solidification about deadlines, what is being done and possible expected results.

In my experience- Effective communication is essential in Agile deliveries. Ensure stakeholders receive consistent updates on product development progress, challenges, and modifications. Visual tools such as burn-down charts or Kanban boards offer clear project status insights, fostering transparency and enabling stakeholders to adapt expectations promptly based on current data. Avoid unexpected developments by maintaining open communication channels throughout the project lifecycle.

Clear communication is the oxygen of Agile projects. Regular meetings (think daily huddles!) and tools like shared online boards keep everyone on the same page. It's like having a constant check-in with the control tower, ensuring everyone knows the latest altitude and course correction.

?? Remember how agility and flexibility go hand in hand? When managing expectations, it's crucial to stay adaptable to change. ?? Just like Agile projects evolve, our approach should too. ?? Stay prepared to reassess goals and tweak timelines based on new information. This flexibility demonstrates a realistic grasp of project dynamics and aids in handling stakeholder expectations about the certainty of change. ?? Keep that in mind!

Here, Flexibility is brininging agility. Teh adjustments that we do in the schedule and the scopes (before the scope is freezed). It's important to be flexible to Welcome the changes and then re-prioritize the same to map the expectations.

Agile projects are often subject to changes in requirements so manage change effectively is so important. Establish a process for managing changes, and communicate the impact of changes on timelines and resources can be effective for manage expectations in agile projects.

Agile projects are often subject to changes in requirements so manage change effectively is so important. Establish a process for managing changes, and communicate the impact of changes on timelines and resources can be effective for manage expectations in agile projects.

Para adaptar la metodología es sumamente importante conocer la cultura de la empresa. Nunca llegar e imponer las ideas que uno tenga de la agilidad. Es normal escuchar "Agilidad a la {Nombre de Empresa}" y está bien, es un comienzo, por algo se tiene que partir. La flexibilidad en todo el proceso, junto con la transparencia de objetivos irán evangelizando a los más escépticos e irán confiando en el paso a paso. Conoce la cultura, adapta un poco la metodología ágil a la idiosincrasia local y de a poco se irán obteniendo los resultados que necesitas.

Stakeholders may not always be familiar with Agile methodologies, so it's important to educate them on the principles and processes involved. Take the time to explain the importance of iterative development, the role of feedback, and how these contribute to the project's success. From my experience, when stakeholders understand the Agile framework, they are better equipped to set realistic expectations and appreciate the incremental progress. This understanding fosters a more collaborative environment, where stakeholders can actively contribute to the project’s success and feel confident in the Agile approach’s ability to deliver value consistently.

Agile is all about being flexible and working together, right? By taking the time to explain the ins and outs to stakeholders, you're setting everyone up for success. It's about showing them how we'll be delivering value in small, manageable chunks, and how their feedback will shape the direction we take. When they understand that we're not just blindly following a plan, but adapting and adjusting based on their input, they'll feel more invested in the process. And that's key – getting them on board and making them part of the team. With everyone on the same page, we can tackle challenges together and make sure we're delivering something that truly meets their needs. It's a win-win, really.

When explaining Agile to non-technical stakeholders, focus on the benefits for them. People accustomed to the traditional waterfall method might find Agile jargon like "sprints" and "backlog" confusing at first. However, as they witness Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) being delivered in iterations (sprints), they'll grasp the approach better. This understanding can encourage them to shift from their traditional Project Manager role to that of a more involved Product Owner.

To educate the stakeholders on the well defined process, frameworks and as to how things will be working. And when this Framework is in place then to ensure that there is smoother delivery process, and that the Incremental changes happen very effectively

It's very important to understand that it's not only working the agile way, instead it's important to follow the agile mindset. The management has an important role in making sure that they too follow the agile mindset. Educating them on the importance of same and then delivering the difference with the implementation of agile aay of working.

Driving an assertive closure, informing and communicating with people on what has been accomplished, and what is pending, not only helps to track the progress but also is a great opportunity to recognize the team for their deliveries and contributions, keeping the morale and motivation of the team alive, as well as capture learnings from the delivered sprint or product.

I believe this is the key step to guarantee the adoption of agile practices. If we fail to clearly define deliverables for each task in the sprint and, most importantly, define clear measurable evidence of completion for the tasks, we risk the whole project, as stakeholders will not see it under control after some sprints. The agile PM needs to be firm to consider finished only tasks with a solid evidence (by not accepting the not so unusual speech “It is ready, I just need a small update…” ). This helps the PM not only to earn the team’s trust, but also for everyone working on the project to incorporate this mindset and really take the ownership of their tasks.

Stakeholders may not always be familiar with Agile methodologies. Take time to educate them on its principles and processes. Explain the importance of iterative development, the role of feedback, and how these contribute to the project's success. When stakeholders understand the Agile framework, they can set more realistic expectations and appreciate incremental progress. This education helps build a collaborative relationship where everyone is aligned and invested in the project's iterative journey.

? As a final note, assertiveness is crucial when closing loops in Agile projects. Communicate clearly what has been accomplished and what is pending, whether it is a sprint review or a final product delivery. The proactive approach shows your confidence in your management skills and reassures stakeholders that the project is in capable hands if there are any discrepancies between expected and delivered outcomes. ??

Agile methodologies are intentionally flexible which allows for quick and incremental delivery and also allows for a project to pivot smoothly when a challenge requires immediate attention. However, that flexibility also requires a more agile communication flow to your stakeholders - I've personally seen a mid-sprint check-in work quite well to align executives to the 'in the trenches' view of what might be happening within a given sprint. This way, they can come up to speed with any challenges that may need to be remediated in real time and they'll be prepared, not surprised, during sprint end ceremonies. I'm also a big believer in the (slightly) 'under-promise / over-deliver' mentality - so be sure to watch your margins!

Agile methodologies are lauded for their flexibility and responsiveness to change. However, this very strength can lead to challenges in managing stakeholder expectations. Here's a perspective on how to be more assertive in setting expectations within Agile projects: Transparency is Key: Proactive Communication: Don't wait for issues to arise. Regularly communicate project progress, potential roadblocks, and areas where requirements might shift. This fosters trust and allows stakeholders to adjust their expectations accordingly. Setting Realistic Goals: During sprint planning, involve stakeholders in defining achievable goals for each iteration.

Assuming there right tools and Technology are in place combined with right planning and all the tenets of Agility is being adhered, first thing first.Everyone should play the role to the full potential and step up to the expectations.Be Proactive in communication and raising flags for the good , bad and the ugly.Trust breeds high performance and a self organising team.Once the internal OS is in place it becomes far more easier to manage the expectations, bring radical candour ,bring it for every stakeholders and if there is a psychological safety do not shy away in educating customers about doing things right.Make them part of the retrospective.Change management if handled well can help delight the customer and build deeper relations.

Clear communication and transparency play a crucial role in managing expectations in agile projects. By regularly updating stakeholders on project progress, changes, and potential risks, you ensure everyone is on the same page. Open and honest communication fosters trust and collaboration, helping to address issues promptly and adjust plans as needed. Prioritizing these aspects helps keep the project aligned with stakeholder expectations and improves overall project success.

Assertively managing expectations involves clear communication and proactive stakeholder engagement. Begin by setting realistic goals and defining product backlog through collaborative planning sessions. Regularly update stakeholders on progress via transparent, concise reports and daily scrums. Address potential risks early and propose solutions, ensuring alignment on priorities and timelines. Foster a culture of trust by delivering consistent, incremental value and being open about challenges and limitations. Encourage feedback and adaptability, emphasizing continuous improvement. By being transparent, proactive, and communicative, you can effectively manage and align expectations.

Agile projects assertively involves clear communication, collaboration, and setting realistic goals. Here are some key strategies - Encourage Collaboration - Build Trust with Stakeholders - Reduce Deliverable Size - Allocate Resources Effectively - Adapt to Organisational Structure project leaders can ensure that expectations are realistic and aligned with the project's goals