Project Management ToolBox, 3rd Edition

13AGILE PROJECT EXECUTION^*

Agile is a form of adaptive project execution, heavily used in software development as an alternative to traditional approaches that emphasize the sequential or linear process starting from requirements gathering, planning, designing, code writing, testing, and implementation. Alternative to a sequential process, agile methodologies emphasize an iterative workflow and incremental delivery of project outcomes in short iterations.

Agile practitioners will tell you that Agile is a mindset, not a methodology. The mindset is anchored by four values (www.agilemanifesto.org):

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan.

This is not to say that the items on the right have no value, they do. However, the items on the left are valued more than those on the right. These values guide all Agile frameworks, methodologies, and approaches. While Agile approaches were initially used primarily for software development, overtime many of the approaches have found their way into other types of projects. In fact, many project practitioners are using hybrid ways of working, where Agile and non-Agile (waterfall) tools and techniques are used to deliver value.

Key benefits of Agile include:

• Being customer-centric. In Agile projects the customer is part of the team. They articulate the needs, prioritize features, and observe ...