Agile

Project Management
Dr. Faisal Mahmood
Introduction
DR. Faisal Mahmood
• BBA-ITM
• MS in Project Management
• Ph.D in Technology Management
• Visiting Assistant Professor at IIUI
• Visiting Assistant Professor at Allama Iqbal Open University
• Visiting Assistant Professor at Air University
• 1.5 year with Mcb Bank Ltd
∙ Project Management Software Application Training (MS Project & Oracle Primavera) from FEB
2015 to JUN 2015. COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Islamabad
∙ Coursera certificate “Project Management: The Basics for Success” by University of California,
Irvine
∙ Certified Microsoft Office Specialist 2013

2/14/2023 Project Management and overview 2

 Research Publications
• Mahmood, F., Khan, A. and Bokhari, R. (2020), "ERP issues and challenges: a research synthesis", Kybernetes,
49(3), 629-659.
• Mahmood, F., Khan, A. Z., & Khan, M. B. (2019). Digital organizational transformation issues, challenges and
impact: A systematic literature review of a decade. Abasyn University Journal of Social Sciences, 12(2).
• Khalid, U., Mushtaq, R., Khan, A. Z., & Mahmood, F. (2021). Probing the impact of transformational leadership
on job embeddedness: the moderating role of job characteristics. Management Research Review.
• Khan, A. Z., Mahmood, F., Bokhari, R. H., Mushtaq, R., & Abbas, R. (2021). Challenges of e-government
implementation in health sector: a step toward validating a conceptual framework. Digital Policy, Regulation and
Governance.
• Shah, S. Z. A., Ahmad, M., & Mahmood, F. (2018). Heuristic biases in investment decision-making and perceived
market efficiency: A survey at the Pakistan stock exchange. Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, 10(1),
85-110.
• Accepted: at Journal of Business Process Management , Article Title: Exploring Strategies for Digital
Organizational Transformation Projects: A Case-based Approach
• Accepted: Exploring Post-Implementation Strategies of enterprise information systems project: An evidence from
academic institution through case study approach. Journal of Human Systems Management.
• Accepted: at Kybernetes, Article Title: Post ERP Implementation Issues & Challenges: Exploratory Case Studies in the
Context of Saudi Arabia
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Project Management and overview
2/14/2023
Reference study materials

• Lectures Slides/ Notes

• Research Articles
• Books
• Agile Project Management. A practical guide to using Agile,
Scrum and Kanban by
Rob Cole and Edward Scotcher
• Agile Project Management by Marck C Layton & Steven J
Ostermiller
What is Agile project management?
• Agile project management is an incremental and non-linear approach to project
management. It focuses on breaking down large projects into more manageable
tasks, which are completed in short iterations throughout the project life cycle.
Teams that adopt the Agile methodology are able to complete work faster, adapt to
changing project requirements, and optimize their workflow.
• Agile allows teams to be better equipped to quickly change direction and focus.
Software companies and marketing agencies are especially aware of the tendency
to demand changes from project stakeholders that happen from week to week.
• The Agile methodology allows teams to re-evaluate the work they are doing and
adjust in given increments to make sure that as the work and customer landscape
changes, the focus also changes for the team.
What is Agile Software Development?

The Agile software development is an application development approach that is based on the values and
principles proclaimed by the Agile Manifesto.

In Agile software development, the product is not delivered at once. Rather, a product goes through a
number of iterations before the final one.
How does Agile project management
work?
• Agile project management does not require the oversight of a project manager, as
traditional ‘waterfall’ project management does. Instead, teams share a project
manager’s responsibilities to communicate and collaborate better among
themselves. Results are analysed more frequently, not just at the end, and teams
adapt to changing feedback and desired results, causing a process of continual
development.
Agile pros and cons.
Benefits of Agile project management.
There are various advantages of an Agile project methodology, which include:
• Freedom for employees to work on models that leverage their strengths.
• More efficient use of resources and rapid deployment.
• Greater flexibility and adaptability to changing needs.
• Quicker detection of and remedies to problems.
• Improved collaboration with co-workers and users, leading to better functionality
in products that better meet user needs.
• Clearly defined goals and processes do not need to be firmed up (Solid) before
work can start.
Disadvantages of Agile project management.
A few drawbacks to consider before you implement an Agile project methodology
are that it:
• Is easy to slide off-road without predetermined paths of action.
• Provides less predictable outcomes.
• Works less well for businesses that require plenty of time to analyze problems or
undertake market research.
• Can fall flat without good collaborative skills and good personal relations.
Criticisms of Agile Methodologies:
• Not documentation based (does not create hearty software design)
• Lack of structure
• Not suitable for junior developers
• Meeting intensive
• Requires a high level of cultural change to adopt
• Adds ambiguity to the contract negotiation process, because it is
difficult to develop realistic work effort estimates
• Can be inefficient, if improperly managed
• Can increase the risk of scope creep
• Uses iterations (“time boxes”) to develop a workable product that satisfies the customer and other key
stakeholders.
• Stakeholders and customers review progress and re-evaluate priorities to ensure alignment with
customer needs and company goals.
• Adjustments are made and a different iterative cycle begins that subsumes the work of the previous
iterations and adds new capabilities to the evolving product.
 Agile core values and guiding principles
(Agile Manifesto )
• Agile Manifesto outlines 4 core values and 12 guiding principles for any team adopting
an Agile methodology.
Customer
Individuals and
collaboration
interactions over
over contract
processes and tools

4 core values
negotiation

1 2 3 4

Working product Responding to

over change over
comprehensive following a plan
documentation
1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
• The human element will always serve as an important role in any kind of project management. Valuing
people more highly than processes or tools is easy to understand because it is the people who respond
to business needs and drive the development process. Relying too heavily on processes and tools
results in an inability to adapt to changing circumstances.
2. Working software over comprehensive documentation.
• As important as documentation is, working software is more important. This value is all about giving
the developers exactly what they need to get the job done, without overloading them.
3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
• Your customers are one of your most powerful assets. Agile focuses on seeking a collaborative
solution to issues that might arise during product development, rather than to stick to a rigid contract.
Whether internal or external customers, involving them throughout the process can help to ensure that
the end product meets their needs more effectively.
4. Responding to change over following a plan.
• This value is one of the biggest departures from traditional project management. Historically, change
was seen as an expense, and one to be avoided. Agile allows for continuous change throughout the life
of any given project. Each sprint provides an opportunity for review and course correction.
 12 Principles of Agile
The 12 principles of Agile always guides teams in decisions and product
development.
1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous
delivery of valuable software (or whatever else you deliver).
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes
harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
3. Deliver projects frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a
preference for the shorter timescale.
4. Coordinating team members must work together daily throughout the project.
5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and
support they need and trust them to get the job done.
6. Face-to-face conversation is the most efficient and effective method of conveying
information to and within different teams
 12 Principles of Agile
7. The final product is the primary measure of progress.
8. Agile processes promote sustainable development. All stakeholders should
be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances
agility.
10. Simplicity — the art of maximizing the amount of work not done — is
essential.
11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from
self-organizing teams.
12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective,
then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
Key components of Agile project
Management
User stories
• A user story is a high-level definition of a work request. It contains just enough information so
the team can produce a reasonable estimate of the effort required to accomplish the request.
• This short, simple description is written from the user’s perspective and focuses on outlining
what your client wants (their goals) and why.

Sprints
• Sprints are a short iteration, usually taking between one to three weeks to complete, where
teams work on tasks determined in the sprint planning meeting. As you move forward, the idea
is to continuously repeat these sprints until your product is feature ready.
• Once the sprint is over, you review the product see what is and isn’t working, make
adjustments, and begin another sprint to improve the product or service
Stand-up meetings
• Daily stand-up meetings (under 10 minutes), also known as ‘daily Scrum meetings,’ are a great
way to ensure everyone is on track and informed. These daily interactions are known as ‘stand
up’ because the participants are required to stay standing, helping to keep the meetings short and
to the point.

Agile board.
• An Agile board helps your team track the progress of your project. This can be a whiteboard
with sticky notes, a simple Kanban board, or a function within your project management
software.

Backlog.
• As project requests are added through your intake system, they become outstanding stories in the
backlog. During Agile planning sessions, your team will estimate story points to each task.
• During sprint planning, stories in the backlog are moved into the sprint to be completed during
the iteration. Managing your backlog is a vital role for Scrum managers in an Agile
 Agile team roles.
• Different Agile methodologies may require specific team roles to adhere to the framework, or may not
require any specified roles. Though individual Agile implementation may not require all of these roles,
here are a few common roles

• Scrum Master. The Scrum Master ensures that each sprint stays on track and
helps to remove or resolve any issues or challenges that may come up. They are the
team’s advocate. Facilitates agile meetings
• Product owner. The role of the product owner is to define the goals of each
sprint, manage and prioritize the team backlog, and be the voice of the customer or
internal stakeholder. Communicates what is important … and what is not
• Team members. The people on this team are the ones who execute the work in
each sprint. These teams, usually of three to seven people, can be composed of
different specialties and strengths. Or they can be teams of people with the same job
roles
Agile team roles.
• Stakeholders. This is an informational role only. The stakeholders should be
kept up to date on the product and sprint goals, have the opportunity to review and
approve work during a sprint, and provide feedback during the sprint
retrospective.
Each Agile methodology has its own unique list of team members and roles.
----------------------------------
Cross-functional Agile Teams
Cross-functional: Cross-functional Agile team members have skills outside their
traditional areas. They might know some basic graphic design principles and data
analysis or even some HTML/CSS.
Scheduling in Agile Projects
• Detailed plans are only made for tasks that are soon to begin.
• Staff schedule their tasks with oversight only.
• Staff choose their tasks rather than being assigned tasks.
• Schedule short iterations.
• Schedule with requirements as the focus.
• Schedule tasks involving external groups (want to demo your system to some
stakeholders).

• Include training.
• Take your environment into consideration.
 Kanban Scrum Lean
Kanban allows every It is based on an Lean concept
individual in the team iterative and optimizes production
to make decisions incremental process and assembly lines by
related to the project. to offer value to the reducing waste.
customers.

XP
Methods of Extreme Programming

Agile collects the business

requirements from user
stories.
Development