The Project Manager's Guide to Mastering Agile: Principles and Practices for an Adaptive Approach

PART 1

Fundamentals of Agile

THE FIRST STEP IN LEARNING to become an agile project manager is to learn the fundamentals of agile, which includes understanding not only the mechanics of how an agile project based on Scrum works but also the principles behind it at a deeper level so that you can go beyond just implementing it mechanically, by the book.

Chapter 2 – Agile History and the Agile Manifesto

Agile is based on the values and principles expressed in the Agile Manifesto that was originally created in 2001. The values and principles in the Agile Manifesto were a reaction to many of the existing project management approaches at that time that were perceived to be overly prescriptive, bureaucratic, and not very effective in a software development environment where the level of uncertainty is typically very high.

Chapter 3 – Scrum Overview

Scrum has become, by far, the most widely used agile methodology in the United States, and is rapidly being used in other areas of the world as well. In fact, Scrum is so widely used that it means agile to many people, just as “Coke” is sometimes used generally for carbonated soda drinks. Although Scrum is most heavily used in a software development environment, it provides a framework that can be easily adapted to a wide range of projects not limited to software development. An understanding of how Scrum works is essential for any agile project manager, since it embodies all of the values and principles of the Agile Manifesto.

Chapter 4 – ...