Mastering Agile: The Essential Guide for Project Managers to Embrace the Hottest Methodology

In today's era, whether you walk into any interview or attend any cooperate conference, or have a discussion with project managers or execs, Agile is the most common term used along with Scrum, Kanban, DevOps, etc. As simple as I can define Agile, It means the short and frequent releases that result in continuous incremental progress of any project.

How Agile Has Become The Talk of Town

When we talk about traditional project management and its approaches like waterfall methods or SDLC, the linear or sequential approach is considered the gold standard. Agile might seem to be an ‘alien’ term when such methods are in practice.??

But in recent advancements, Project managers and software businesses are busy figuring out Agile and how this hot methodology is emerging quickly. As exciting as this ‘jargon’ is, it represents exactly how we deal with issues in the real world 24/7. For instance, you encounter a problem in real life. You will be nimble to the cause, show flexibility and adaptability to the change caused by the problem and then deal with each event step by step. The same is the agile. This jargon is all about agility, flexibility, and adaptation.?

However this methodology is spreading fast, but some project managers really don't have a choice but to transition to Agile, since businesses and clients are demanding it or it is a very useful methodology in present times.?

Get Agile or Go Home

As the world is transitioning into Agile, so are the organizations. Project managers really need to set up the game. If you don't want to be left behind or want to be treated as obsolete as the dodo, you need to embrace this change.?

So the first and foremost thing you need to understand is Agile is not a tool. It's a mindset. So the most important change required by agile is a mindset change, far more than the project structure change or executing projects.

The most important point to be noted here is that in an agile team, every member is considered to be a leader and has significant value. Agile uses an Open Systems approach where the distinctions between Designers, Developers, Testers, Implementers, and Support Personnel are all but eliminated. A typical team member, or for that matter, a project manager, is expected to "wear all hats," and as a result, everyone on the team has their roles "rolled into each other”.

In simple terms, transitioning to Agile can be confusing for Project Managers who are used to separating teams with designated leaders, as Agile blurs these traditional boundaries and encourages collaboration among all team members. It's like breaking down walls between teams and promoting a more dynamic and cooperative way of working.?

In Agile frameworks, when a client requests or a bug is identified, the team member responsible for that area jumps into action right away. They assess the request, find a solution, test it, deploy it to production, and offer support to the customer—all in a seamless and swift process. This quick and collaborative approach ensures faster responses to client needs and continuous improvement of the product.?

Agile: Where Software Magic Happens in the Real World! Clients wave their wands with requests, and our agile wizards swiftly cast spells—design, code, test—abracadabra, it's in production!?

Real-World Applications of Agile

Take the example of beehives, where worker bees adapt their foraging routes and collect nectar along with other things they need to do. While the Queen bee oversees the activities of the hive. The same is the case for Project managers.

?Project managers collaborate with self-directed team members, overseeing and tracking the project's advancement to achieve the desired outcomes. This parallel showcases the importance of coordination and leadership in achieving collective objectives.?

If we apply this example to the software world, Let's say a social App like Instagram or Netflix wants to release a new feature as business demands or to fix a bug. Agile will enable the concerned team to address the new release or bug in a quick, flexible, and systematic manner fostering continuous delivery and responsiveness as per evolving market needs.?

Project Managers - Agile Avengers!

"Project Managers: Embracing Agile framework with their superhero versatility, they're the Jacks (and Jills) of all trades, juggling tasks like pros, flying through sprints, and smashing roadblocks to deliver projects with a bang!?

Consider the caption above, In the world of project management, Project managers play the role of avengers. With the agile alliance of developers, designers, and testers, they can handle any project like a hero. With this unstoppable alliance, they can tackle tasks, manage workflows, race through sprints, embrace change like chameleons, smash bugs like ants, adapting to plans on the fly.

Just like the best chef in a restaurant, an Agile project manager caters to every client's needs. In the past, the team members and project managers were required to be masters of specific skills. But in today’s agile framework, the saying “Jack of All the Trade” holds. It emphasizes the importance of versatility and adaptation to change. The agile team is diverse in its ways to handle tasks as per demand and adapts to changing requirements swiftly, making a well-rounded skill set. This makes them more valuable and independent individuals in the business world.?

Role of Agile Managers

Agile Project manager performs multiple roles in an agile team. They can be leaders, coordinators, mentors, and much more. No matter what the title is, their role is to create a productive, motivated, and result-oriented environment, where members are open to sharing opinions and ideas.?

Despite this, as I discussed above, Agile PM is focused on creating self-organized teams, transparency, and a sense of ownership among all. Having said that, If we look at the Agile manifesto, which promotes values and principles, It can be said that the role of PM becomes redundant. However, Is it true? Let me explain this:

There is a misconception that if you are implementing Agile, the Project manager must move to the role of Scrum master (If you're focusing on Scrum and a Scrum team). But there are no such prescribed roles in Kanban. Project managers are also often confused with delivery managers. Unfortunately, these roles are limited to the team level. Project managers in contrast, in agile have significant roles at organizational levels too.?

I believe this confusion arises from interpreting various roles of PM and it's pretty much a question of complexity and scale. Especially if you're handling multiple projects in an organization. This will make their role vital in the agile environment. They can be acting as coordinators on high-level requirements and mentors/facilitators on team-level requirements.?

This concludes that the responsibilities of Agile PMs differ from Scrum masters, and service delivery manager roles in an Agile team and framework.

Conclusion

Project managers really need to keep up the pace and want to stay ahead of the game,? as the world is changing rapidly and new methodologies are emerging continuously. No matter what, project managers have their place in Agile. However, their role evolves in the form of project leaders rather than just managers.?

To become a successful PM in Agile, make sure that you embrace the Agile mindset first. Then focus your efforts on leading by example, empowering your team, and managing the work, not the people If you really want to adopt the agile, change of mindset needs to be incorporated. Learn about agile. Try to adopt its methodologies. Earn certifications. Ask your organization to arrange sessions/seminars on this emerging methodology. Study online as much as you can.

To conclude, exponential technology growth demands adaptive management methods, and Agile provides a fitting framework for this.