Flexible project management

Question

If you use Scrum for the project software development part, you still use PMBOK or some other project management methodology for “other” tasks in the project, for example. business, marketing, training tasks. What is project management of non-software development tasks related to traditional project management?

Answer 1

We have expanded the scope of activities of other departments of the company, modeling, texture and animation. We had to adapt this method a little, but it works well. We had problems that were resolved using a flexible methodology. Some smaller departments (audio, special effects) were already working fine, so we did not try to fix what was not broken. Agile would add extra overhead for them.

For all departments in the company it is not necessary to use the same methodology, it is best to adapt to meet the needs of everyone. But scrum may be a solution for people other than programmers, but it may take a bit of adaptation. A daily stand, sprints, lagging, this can be a good thing for many types of jobs.

Answer 2

The project is defined in PMBOK as part of a fixed volume, duration and budget. A project abandonment is defined as a violation outside one of the three sides of this “iron triangle”. Scrum is a set of principles and several specific practices designed to work with all kinds of knowledge based on Agile values ​​and specifically designed for development efforts that may not be projects, or may have a flexible scope, duration or budget.

You are right that Scrum deals with only a few aspects of the software development process, such as planning. It defines only a few roles, meetings, and artifacts to keep it as flexible as possible. Scrum can and should handle parts of the value stream outside of software development itself. However, as you mentioned, this does not apply to many things, such as software development practices and case studies.

Often the standard Scrum solution is to “let the team decide” on issues that are not directly specified by Scrum. Often the guidelines for dealing with such issues come from other cultures and values ​​or systems of principle in the Agile world, such as XP or lean software. Other cultures providing useful materials for Scrum teams include Real Options, Inmentment Funding Method, Evo.

Some of the PMBOK materials may be useful to the “project manager” or software in the Scrum team, but care must be taken as the PMBOK material implies a completely different value system than the one on which Scrum is based. It's usually best to look for solutions in an Agile culture. Some of the PMBOK materials are still used in a flexible context.

If you are looking for “flexible project management” mailing lists, you will find many thriving communities discussing such topics.

Answer 3

Agile engineering and PMBOK should not be mixed. If you do, you will most likely find yourself in Scrummerfall . I saw how this happens with traditional project managers who turn into flexible ones. They simply do not understand this and seem to be returning to old patterns.

However, in my opinion, SCRUM does not cover everything you need to manage projects. This is a kind of flaw in the overall management strategy. One possibility is to combine SCRUM with EVO project / value management or other cost management methods. However, it will require a different type of legal contract with the client. Projects are more like a continuous process, which is limited by time, limited budget or ends when the client feels that he receives less than his investment (using business cases and targets). An additional advantage is that the client will see you more as a long-term partner than a short-term supplier.

Answer 4

If your software development efforts are just one facet of a larger project - for example, the deployment of a new financial product, then, of course, you will have to use some kind of project management methodology to organize all the work, however, the implementation of Scrum-development for software development securing a project managed in accordance with the PMBOK principles can be difficult, because PMBOK prescribes a linear step-by-step approach to project implementation, while Scrum, like other Agile methodologies, a way There is a gradual improvement due to iteration. This does not mean that they cannot coexist. Like everything else, it comes down to implementation. Just remember to be pragmatic and adapt the methodology to your needs, not the other way around.

Answer 5

Scrum is not a software development method, but a project management method.

In addition, Scrum is often entered with Lego or other artifacts (search for “59 minutes of Scrum”). Therefore, it can be used to handle all project tasks, regardless of their nature.

Answer 6

While the study of these methods is extensive, can I suggest that your main focus be on launching a project and creating material?

EDIT: This is a serious point, by the way, not a throw.