Agile for Project Managers

Agile for Project Managers

by Denise Canty
Released February 2015
Publisher(s): Auerbach Publications
ISBN: 9781482244991

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Book description

The role of the project manager with agile differs significantly from traditional project management in that there is minimal up-front planning. This book will help project managers from any industry transition to agile project management. The book focuses on the project management component of agility, concentrating on industry standards, certifications, and being agile. The book's focus is in alignment with the Project Management Institute (PMI) Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) credential-making it ideal for anyone preparing for the PMI-ACP exam.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. About the Author
  6. Introduction
  7. Chapter 1: What Exactly Is Agile?
    1. Agile Is Faster
    2. Agile Changes Are Inherent
    3. Agile Is Value-Focused
    4. Agile Is Risk-Focused
    5. Agile Methods Support the Delivery of High-Quality Products
    6. Agile Manifesto
    7. Traditional Project Management
    8. Moving to Agile
    9. Chapter Summary
  8. Chapter 2: Agile Concepts
    1. Agile Values
      1. Recap
    2. Agile Guiding Principles
    3. Declaration of Interdependence
    4. Chapter Summary
  9. Chapter 3: The Most Popular Agile Methods
    1. Scrum Overview
      1. Scrum Transparency
      2. Adaptation
      3. Inspection
      4. Iterative and Incremental Development
      5. Time-Boxing
      6. Collaboration
      7. Self-Organization
    2. Scrum Management and Leadership Styles
    3. Scrum Roles and Responsibilities
      1. Product Owner
      2. ScrumMaster
      3. Scrum Team
    4. Scrum Planning
      1. Sprints
    5. Core Values of Scrum
    6. Sprint Artifacts (Deliverables)
      1. Product Vision
      2. Prioritized Product Backlog
      3. Sprint Goal
      4. Sprint Backlog
      5. Blocks List
      6. Sprint (Product) Increment
      7. Sprint Burndown Chart
      8. Scrum Board
      9. Recap of Scrum
    7. Extreme Programming (XP) Overview
      1. XP Core Values
      2. XP Roles and Responsibilities
        1. Customer
        2. Developer
        3. Tracker
        4. Coach
      3. XP Core Practices
      4. Recap of XP
    8. Chapter Summary
  10. Chapter 4: Agile Tools
    1. Agile Project Management Tools
      1. Tools Review and Analysis Process
      2. Agile Automated Tools
      3. Build Automation Tools
      4. Cameras
      5. Collaboration Tools
      6. Task Boards
    2. Chapter Summary
  11. Chapter 5: Agile Stakeholder Engagement
    1. Traditional Stakeholder Management
    2. Agile Stakeholder Management Concepts
      1. The Right People
      2. Stakeholder Management
      3. Vendor Management
      4. Ensuring Stakeholder Engagement
    3. Stakeholder Tools and Techniques
      1. Agile Modeling
      2. Personas
      3. Website Wireframe
      4. User Stories
      5. Stakeholder Communications Management
      6. Information Displays
    4. Chapter Summary
  12. Chapter 6: Agile Documentation?
    1. Agile Documentation Best Practices
      1. Selecting What to Document
      2. Stable Information
      3. Simple Documentation
      4. Minimal Document Overlap
      5. Proper Place for Documents
      6. Publicly Displayed Information
      7. Create Documentation with a Purpose
      8. Focus on Customer Needs
      9. Let the Customer Determine Document Value
      10. Iterative Documentation
      11. Better Ways to Communicate
      12. Current Documents
      13. When to Update Documents
      14. Documentation Requirements
        1. Require Justification for Documentation
        2. Required Documentation
        3. Writing Experience Required
    2. Chapter Summary
  13. Chapter 7: Agile Tracking and Reporting
    1. Earned Value on Agile Projects
    2. Cumulative Flow Diagrams
    3. Work in Progress (WIP)
    4. Chapter Summary
  14. Chapter 8: Agile Project Management Process
    1. Agile Project Management
    2. Project Feasibility
      1. Create Business Case
      2. Project Vision
    3. Agile Project Initiation
      1. Create Agile Charter
      2. Assign Project Staff
      3. Develop Project Backlog
      4. Create Estimates
        1. Affinity Estimation
      5. Cost Estimation
      6. Develop Road Map with Story Mapping
    4. Plan Release
      1. Breakdown Epics
      2. Estimate Stories with Poker Planning
      3. Create Release Plan
    5. Iteration 0
      1. Architectural Spikes
      2. Prepare for Iteration 1 during Iteration 0
    6. Iteration Planning 1–N (Where N Is the Total Number of Iterations in a Release)
      1. Iteration R
      2. Coding
      3. Execute Acceptance Tests
      4. Create Test Cases
      5. Execute Automated Testing
      6. Definition of “Done”
      7. Answer Client’s Questions for Sign-Off
      8. Prepare Stories for Next Iteration
      9. Daily Standup Meeting
      10. Update Burndown/Burnup Charts
      11. Iteration Retrospective
    7. Close-Out Actions
    8. Chapter Summary
  15. Chapter 9: Agile Value
    1. Calculating Value
    2. Plan Value
    3. Adaptability and Value
      1. Adaptive Planning
      2. Agile versus Traditional Changes
      3. Minimally Marketable Features
      4. Tailoring and Value
    4. Deliver Value
      1. Using Software or Task Boards to Deliver Value
    5. Analyzing and Determining Value
    6. Value Prioritization
    7. Confirm Value
    8. Track and Report Value
    9. Chapter Summary
  16. Chapter 10: Agile Risk Management
    1. Mitigating Risks with Agile Methods
    2. Risk Management for Agile versus Traditional Project Management
    3. Chapter Summary
  17. Chapter 11: Agile People Skills
    1. Listening
    2. Negotiating
    3. Addressing and Resolving Conflict
    4. Utilizing Emotional Intelligence
    5. Conducting Effective Meetings
    6. Embracing Diversity
    7. Leading and Managing Effectively
      1. Adaptive Leadership
      2. Servant Leadership
    8. Embodying the PMI Code of Ethics
    9. Chapter Summary
  18. Chapter 12: Agile Teams
    1. Agile Team Characteristics
    2. Agile Team Magic
      1. Collaboration
        1. Collaborative Agile Games
      2. Communication
      3. Commitment
    3. Agile Team Size
    4. Motivating the Agile Team
    5. Aligning the Agile Team
    6. Coaching the Agile Team
    7. Problem Resolution
    8. Problem Detection
      1. Cycle Time
      2. Quality
      3. V & V
      4. Continuous Integration
      5. Problem Solving
    9. Chapter Summary
  19. Chapter 13: Agile Certifications
    1. Project Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
    2. Scrum Alliance Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
    3. Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Coach (CSC)
    4. Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
    5. Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Developer (CSD)
    6. Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Professional (CSP)
    7. Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Trainer (CST)
    8. SCRUMstudy Scrum Developer Certified (SDC)
    9. SCRUMstudy ScrumMaster Certified (SMC)
    10. SCRUMstudy Agile Expert Certified (AEC)
    11. SCRUMstudy Scrum Product Owner Certified (SPOC)
    12. SCRUMstudy Expert ScrumMaster (ESM)
    13. SCRUMstudy Certified Trainer (SCT)
    14. Chapter Summary
  20. Chapter 14: Agile Contracts
    1. Story Point Billing Model
    2. Money for Nothing and Change for Free
    3. Fixed Price Contracts
    4. Chapter Summary
  21. Chapter 15: Which Projects Should Be Agile?
    1. Agile versus Waterfall
    2. Agile Not a Fit
    3. Agile Fit or Misfit?
    4. Limitations of Agile Software Processes
    5. Agile Challenges
    6. Is Agile Suitable?
      1. Agile Suitability Construct
    7. Agile Implementation: Risks and Issues
      1. Agile Adoption Decision Model
        1. WAINGE Model
        2. Attitude Value toward Agile (AVA)
      2. Risk Factors for Agile Adoption
      3. Mitigation Amplification Factor (MAF)
      4. Final Decisional Value
    8. Chapter Summary
  22. Chapter 16: Agile Change Management
    1. Agile Change Management Process
      1. Reasons That Requirements Change
      2. Importance of Agile Change Management
      3. Nonstop Risk Management
    2. Chapter Summary
  23. Chapter 17: Additional Agile Methods
    1. Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM)
    2. Crystal Methods
    3. Agile Modeling (AM)
    4. Lean Development
    5. Adaptive Software Development (ASD)
    6. Kanban
      1. Just-In-Time (JIT)
    7. Rapid Product Development (RPD)
    8. Feature-Driven Development (FDD)
    9. Future Implications for Agile Methods
      1. Project Management
      2. Software Development Life Cycles
      3. Abstract Principles versus Concrete Guidance
      4. Universally Predefined versus Situation Appropriate
      5. Empirical Support
    10. Chapter Summary
  24. Chapter 18: Starting Your Agile Journey
    1. Starting the Agile Journey as an Individual
    2. Starting the Agile Journey as an Organization
      1. Stop
      2. Transform
      3. Expand
      4. Perfect
  25. References
  26. Footnotes

Product information

  • Title: Agile for Project Managers
  • Author(s): Denise Canty
  • Release date: February 2015
  • Publisher(s): Auerbach Publications
  • ISBN: 9781482244991