subject: A Brief Guide To Agile Project Management [print this page] Agile project management usually refers to a group of software development methodologies largely based on iterative development as requirements and solutions move through self organizing multi functional teams. The term Agile Project Management was coined in 2001 when the Agile Manifesto was created.
Agile project management usually aims to promote constant change and inspection; it is centered on team work and leadership as well as solo work that develops both customer needs and company goals.
The main concept behind agile project management can be mirrored in modern approaches to analysis and management with programs and methods such as Sigma Six, soft system methodology and lean manufacturing having similar theory.
Agile project management methods are often said to be at the opposite end of the spectrum to so called planned and disciplined methods of working. This is not strictly true as it suggests that agile project management is not disciplined or planned at all. This is not the case, agile project management systems are continuingly working in order to adapt to change.
Adaptive systems are constantly being compared to Agile systems as they are changing to solve real problems and issues so that when the needs of a particular project begin to stray of the original course the adaptive team will also change to fit too. The downside to adaptive systems is that they will have difficulty predicting what will happen in the future of a project.
On the other hand predictive methods tend to focus on planning the future in great detail. A predictive team can report exactly what features and tasks are planned for the entire length of the development process yet predictive teams have difficulty changing direction.
The main principles behind agile management systems are; priority of individual's actions over actions of tools and processes, customer collaboration over contact detail, the ability to respond to a challenge in a positive manner.
