This episode of the Project Management Podcast discusses emerging agile trends in project and product management. The speakers aim to increase awareness of these trends and their impact, preparing listeners for future challenges in the agile space. Kevin Reilly, an independent contractor and project management certification coach, joins Cornelius to discuss these trends.
Based on the transcript, Agile Governance is similar to traditional project management governance (like in Waterfall projects) but takes it a step further. Instead of individual teams creating their own guidelines, Agile Governance has a central office that dictates guidelines and policies, ensuring consistency across the organization. A key difference is that Agile Governance includes coaching and mentoring for project managers using Agile methodologies, providing ongoing support and guidance to keep up with the ever-changing Agile landscape.
The transcript indicates that Agile Governance defines a centralized set of guidelines and policies for agile teams. It establishes a consistent framework across an organization, unlike the potentially disparate approaches individual teams might adopt without such oversight. The definition also implicitly includes the provision of coaching, mentoring, and other support mechanisms to aid agile project managers in their roles. Specific tools or frameworks mentioned in relation to agile governance include SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) and Disciplined Agile.
In traditional (Waterfall) change management, there's a formal process often involving a change control board that approves or rejects changes. This contrasts with Agile change management, where change is inherent in the framework. Agile embraces change through iterative development, continuous customer feedback, and backlog prioritization. While Waterfall change management is typically a separate, often reactive process, Agile integrates it into the development lifecycle. The Agile approach allows for adjustments and shifts in direction throughout the project's duration, whereas Waterfall projects typically have a more rigid structure that makes changes more complex and costly.
According to the transcript, DevOps is a support system for Agile teams. It's often a separate team or department that handles the background administrative and technical tasks of software development, such as building, compiling, testing infrastructure, and providing training materials. In contrast to Waterfall, where the development team manages these tasks themselves, DevOps acts as a dedicated support function, allowing agile development teams to focus on the core development process. DevOps teams often participate in Agile team meetings (like weekly scrums) to stay closely integrated with the development process.
In the context of this conversation, AI helps Agile and DevOps by automating tasks. A primary example cited is automated testing, where scripts are used to run tests overnight, reducing the manual effort and time required. This allows developers to focus on coding. Additionally, AI streamlines DevOps processes, resulting in faster response times to issues and minimal downtime. The overall effect is faster delivery of user stories and quicker resolutions of problems. AI also helps in semi-automating processes such as creating documents using templates and filling in project-specific information.
Agile cybersecurity, as described in the transcript, applies agile principles and approaches to cybersecurity practices. It involves continuous feedback loops, prioritized risk management (meaning addressing the most pressing threats first), and constant reassessment of security infrastructure. Instead of a long-term, static plan, Agile cybersecurity uses iterative methods to quickly adapt to emerging threats and vulnerabilities. The emphasis is on building security into the development process from the outset, rather than treating it as a separate, later-stage concern. Collaboration between DevOps and security teams is a crucial element.
Organizational talent agility, as explained in the transcript, is about ensuring a company has the right people with the right skills to adapt to the demands of agile methodologies. This includes cross-functional training to allow employees to work in multiple areas, and a focus on soft skills like emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and effective remote work strategies. The goal is to have a flexible and adaptable workforce that can respond effectively to changing project needs and priorities. The concept also includes scaling agile across the entire organization and using agile principles to continuously improve policies and processes to increase efficiency.
The benefits of agility discussed in the transcript include:
In Agile, project leadership shifts from a traditional command-and-control style to a more collaborative, servant leadership approach. Instead of the project manager dictating tasks, Agile teams are self-organizing, with the leadership role often filled by a Scrum Master who facilitates the team's work. This empowers team members and encourages a horizontal structure rather than a vertical hierarchy. The focus changes from simply managing tasks to fostering collaboration, communication, and continuous improvement within the team. The leadership role becomes more facilitative and supportive, helping the team achieve its goals rather than directing them.
