Breaking the Addiction to Process: An Introduction to Agile Project Management

Breaking the Addiction to Process: An Introduction to Agile Project Management

by Elizabeth Scanlon Thomas
Released April 2011
Publisher(s): IT Governance Publishing
ISBN: 9781849281850

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Book description

A clear, practical guide to Agile development methods. Transform your working practices and save time and money!

We live and work in an age in which clients' needs are changing rapidly. Deadlines are shortening and existing development methodologies are relatively inflexible. Projects undertaken using these systems are coming up against increasing difficulties. Modern processes need to be fast-moving and adaptable to cope with the pace of business today.

Revolutionise your working practices with Agile

Agile development methods offer greater flexibility than traditional methods. Their emphasis on incremental testing allows maximum adaptability, giving you the tools you need to meet your customers' needs efficiently and cost-effectively.

Save time and money

This twelve-step guide will give you a clear understanding of the way Agile works. It can:

  • improve your business practices
  • help you develop your relationships with your customers
  • assist you to work more efficiently with your colleagues
  • show you how to develop more streamlined and successful working practices
  • save you time and money.

    • Companies using traditional development methods are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain profitable business relationships in today's climate. Agile is a flexible, adaptable system and this book will help you implement it for maximum impact and success for your business. With Agile you can deliver the results your clients want, with the results you want too!

    "

    Table of contents

    1. Cover
    2. Title Page
    3. Copyright
    4. Preface
    5. About the Author
    6. Acknowledgements
    7. Contents
    8. Introduction
      1. Clinging to the old ways
      2. Why do projects fail?
      3. There’s a better way to run projects
      4. Breaking the addiction to process
    9. Chapter 1: Satisfy the Customer Through Early and Continuous Delivery
      1. The failure of traditional project management
      2. Welcome to the flexible world of Agile
      3. Delivering in increments
    10. Chapter 2: Welcome Changing Requirements
      1. No plan survives contact with the enemy
      2. This is the way it used to happen
      3. Planning in an Agile world
      4. How is Agile planning implemented?
      5. Tasks are estimated collaboratively
      6. It’s essential to get the backlog right
      7. Why we went Agile
    11. Chapter 3: Deliver Working Software Frequently
      1. Produce code increments during a sprint
      2. How much work has your team done?
      3. Sprint retrospective
      4. Transitioning a company to Agile
    12. Chapter 4: Business People and Developers Work Together Daily
      1. A continuous conversation
      2. Collaborative management
    13. Chapter 5: Build Projects Around Motivated Individuals
      1. Engineers choose their own work
      2. Giving up control
      3. Management must be serious about Agile
    14. Chapter 6: Convey Information via Face-to-Face Conversation
      1. Jargon Blitz
      2. The Agile answer to death by PowerPoint®
      3. Where does the scrum fit in the Agile world?
      4. The location of teams
    15. Chapter 7: Working Software is the Primary Measure of Progress
      1. Measuring results
      2. Not so many bottlenecks in Agile
      3. Ways to implement the new approach
    16. Chapter 8: Maintain a Constant Pace Indefinitely
      1. Projects don’t have to be perfect
      2. Managing time in Agile mode
      3. Shorten the time between planning and delivery
    17. Chapter 9: Give Continuous Attention to Technical Excellence
      1. Test-driven development
      2. There might still be last-minute panic
      3. Other areas need continuous attention, too
    18. Chapter 10: Simplify – Maximise the Amount of Work Not Done
      1. Minimal engineering
      2. Remove activity that adds no value
      3. Reduce bureaucracy
    19. Chapter 11: Teams Self-Organise
      1. The office is a social environment
      2. Don’t manage like it’s 1959
      3. Simplify decision making
    20. Chapter 12: Teams Hold Retrospectives and Tune Their Behaviours
      1. Sprint retrospectives
      2. Working to the same heartbeat
      3. Change isn’t easy
    21. ITG Resources

    Product information

    • Title: Breaking the Addiction to Process: An Introduction to Agile Project Management
    • Author(s): Elizabeth Scanlon Thomas
    • Release date: April 2011
    • Publisher(s): IT Governance Publishing
    • ISBN: 9781849281850