The rules and practices for Scrum—a simple process for managing complex projects—are few, straightforward, and easy to learn. But Scrum’s simplicity itself—its lack of prescription—can be disarming, and new practitioners often find themselves reverting to old project management habits and tools and yielding lesser results. In this illuminating series of case studies, Scrum co-creator and evangelist Ken Schwaber identifies the real-world lessons—the successes and failures—culled from his years of experience coaching companies in agile project management. Through them, you’ll understand how to use Scrum to solve complex problems and drive better results—delivering more valuable software faster.Gain the foundation in Scrum theory—and practice—you need to: Rein in even the most complex, unwieldy projects Effectively manage unknown or changing product requirements Simplify the chain of command with self-managing development teams Receive clearer specifications—and feedback—from customers Greatly reduce project planning time and required tools Build—and release—products in 30-day cycles so clients get deliverables earlier Avoid missteps by regularly inspecting, reporting on, and fine-tuning projects Support multiple teams working on a large-scale project from many geographic locations Maximize return on investment!

The First Guide to Scrum-Based Agile Product Management   In Agile Product Management with Scrum, leading Scrum consultant Roman Pichler uses real-world examples to demonstrate how product owners can create successful products with Scrum. He describes a broad range of agile product management practices, including making agile product discovery work, taking advantage of emergent requirements, creating the minimal marketable product, leveraging early customer feedback, and working closely with the development team.   Benefitting from Pichler’s extensive experience, you’ll learn how Scrum product ownership differs from traditional product management and how to avoid and overcome the common challenges that Scrum product owners face.   Coverage includes Understanding the product owner’s role: what product owners do, how they do it, and the surprising implications Envisioning the product: creating a compelling product vision to galvanize and guide the team and stakeholders Grooming the product backlog: managing the product backlog effectively even for the most complex products Planning the release: bringing clarity to scheduling, budgeting, and functionality decisions Collaborating in sprint meetings: understanding the product owner’s role in sprint meetings, including the dos and don’ts Transitioning into product ownership: succeeding as a product owner and establishing the role in the enterprise This book is an indispensable resource for anyone who works as a product owner, or expects to do so, as well as executives and coaches interested in establishing agile product management.

Be flexible and faster with Agile project managementAs mobile and web technologies continue to evolve rapidly, there is added pressure to develop and implement software projects in weeks instead of months. Agile Project Management For Dummies can make that happen. This is the first book to provide a simple, step-by-step guide to Agile Project Management approaches, tools, and techniques. With the fast pace of mobile and web technology development, software project development must keep pace; Agile Project Management enables developers to complete and implement projects more quickly and this book shows you how.Offers a practical context for understanding and applying Agile techniques, moving from theory into actual practiceExplains when to use Agile and how to avoid common pitfallsWritten by experts who know how to apply the principles in real-world situationsAgile Project Management For Dummies enables you to understand and apply Agile principles for faster, more accurate development.

Expert guidance on ensuring project success—the latest edition!Many projects fail to deliver on time and within budget, and often-poor project management is to blame. If you're a project manager, the newest edition of this expert and top-selling book will help you avoid the pitfalls and manage projects successfully. Covering the major project management techniques including Traditional (Linear and Incremental), Agile (Iterative and Adaptive), and Extreme, this book lays out a comprehensive overview of all of the best-of-breed project management approaches and tools today.You'll learn how to use these approaches effectively to achieve better outcomes. Fresh topics in this new edition include critical chain project management, using the Requirements Management Lifecycle as a key driver, career and professional development for project managers, and more. This book is packed with step-by-step instruction and practical case studies, and a companion web site offers additional exercises and solutions.Gives new or veteran project managers a comprehensive overview of the best-of-breed project management approaches and tools today Shows readers, through step-by-step instruction and practical case studies, how to use these tools effectively Updated new edition adds new material on career and professional development for project managers, critical chain project management, and more If you're seeking to improve your professional project management skills, the latest edition of this popular, successful, and in-depth book is the place to start.Visit http://wysockiepm.com/ for support materials and to connect with the author.

The Provocative and Practical Guide to Coaching Agile Teams  As an agile coach, you can help project teams become outstanding at agile, creating products that make them proud and helping organizations reap the powerful benefits of teams that deliver both innovation and excellence.   More and more frequently, ScrumMasters and project managers are being asked to coach agile teams. But it’s a challenging role. It requires new skills—as well as a subtle understanding of when to step in and when to step back. Migrating from “command and control” to agile coaching requires a whole new mind-set.   In Coaching Agile Teams, Lyssa Adkins gives agile coaches the insights they need to adopt this new mind-set and to guide teams to extraordinary performance in a re-energized work environment. You’ll gain a deep view into the role of the agile coach, discover what works and what doesn’t, and learn how to adapt powerful skills from many allied disciplines, including the fields of professional coaching and mentoring.   Coverage includes Understanding what it takes to be a great agile coachMastering all of the agile coach’s roles: teacher, mentor, problem solver, conflict navigator, and performance coachCreating an environment where self-organized, high-performance teams can emergeCoaching teams past cooperation and into full collaboration Evolving your leadership style as your team grows and changesStaying actively engaged without dominating your team and stunting its growthRecognizing failure, recovery, and success modes in your coachingGetting the most out of your own personal agile coaching journey   Whether you’re an agile coach, leader, trainer, mentor, facilitator, ScrumMaster, project manager, product owner, or team member, this book will help you become skilled at helping others become truly great. What could possibly be more rewarding?

Best practices for managing projects in agile environments—now updated with new techniques for larger projectsToday, the pace of project management moves faster. Project management needs to become more flexible and far more responsive to customers. Using Agile Project Management (APM), project managers can achieve all these goals without compromising value, quality, or business discipline. In Agile Project Management, Second Edition, renowned agile pioneer Jim Highsmith thoroughly updates his classic guide to APM, extending and refining it to support even the largest projects and organizations.   Writing for project leaders, managers, and executives at all levels, Highsmith integrates the best project management, product management, and software development practices into an overall framework designed to support unprecedented speed and mobility. The many topics added in this new edition include incorporating agile values, scaling agile projects, release planning, portfolio governance, and enhancing organizational agility. Project and business leaders will especially appreciate Highsmith’s new coverage of promoting agility through performance measurements based on value, quality, and constraints.   This edition’s coverage includes: Understanding the agile revolution’s impact on product development Recognizing when agile methods will work in project management, and when they won’t Setting realistic business objectives for Agile Project Management  Promoting agile values and principles across the organization Utilizing a proven Agile Enterprise Framework that encompasses governance, project and iteration management, and technical practices Optimizing all five stages of the agile project: Envision, Speculate, Explore, Adapt, and Close Organizational and product-related processes for scaling agile to the largest projects and teams Agile project governance solutions for executives and management  The “Agile Triangle”: measuring performance in ways that encourage agility instead of discouraging it The changing role of the agile project leader        

In many organizations, management is the biggest obstacle to successful Agile development. Unfortunately, reliable guidance on Agile management has been scarce indeed. Now, leading Agile manager Jurgen Appelo fills that gap, introducing a realistic approach to leading, managing, and growing your Agile team or organization.   Writing for current managers and developers moving into management, Appelo shares insights that are grounded in modern complex systems theory, reflecting the intense complexity of modern software development. Appelo’s Management 3.0 model recognizes that today’s organizations are living, networked systems; and that management is primarily about people and relationships.   Management 3.0 doesn’t offer mere checklists or prescriptions to follow slavishly; rather, it deepens your understanding of how organizations and Agile teams work and gives you tools to solve your own problems. Drawing on his extensive experience as an Agile manager, the author identifies the most important practices of Agile management and helps you improve each of them.   Coverage includes   • Getting beyond “Management 1.0” control and “Management 2.0” fads • Understanding how complexity affects your organization • Keeping your people active, creative, innovative, and motivated • Giving teams the care and authority they need to grow on their own • Defining boundaries so teams can succeed in alignment with business goals • Sowing the seeds for a culture of software craftsmanship • Crafting an organizational network that promotes success • Implementing continuous improvement that actually works   Thoroughly pragmatic–and never trendy–Jurgen Appelo’s Management 3.0 helps you bring greater agility to any software organization, team, or project.  

See how to mine the experience of your software development team continually throughout the life of the project. The tools and recipes in this book will help you uncover and solve hidden (and not-so-hidden) problems with your technology, your methodology, and those difficult "people" issues on your team. Project retrospectives help teams examine what went right and what went wrong on a project. But traditionally, retrospectives (also known as "post-mortems") are only helpful at the end of the project--too late to help. You need agile retrospectives that are iterative and incremental. You need to accurately find and fix problems to help the team today. Now, Derby and Larsen show you the tools, tricks, and tips you need to fix the problems you face on a software development project on an on-going basis. You'll see how to architect retrospectives in general, how to design them specifically for your team and organization, how to run them effectively, how to make the needed changes, and how to scale these techniques up. You'll learn how to deal with problems, and implement solutions effectively throughout the project--not just at the end. With regular tune-ups, your team will hum like a precise, world-class orchestra.

When software development teams move to agile methods, experienced project managers often struggle—doubtful about the new approach and uncertain about their new roles and responsibilities. In this book, two long-time certified Project Management Professionals (PMPRs) and Scrum trainers have built a bridge to this dynamic new paradigm. They show experienced project managers how to successfully transition to agile by refocusing on facilitation and collaboration, not “command and control.”   The authors begin by explaining how agile works: how it differs from traditional “plan-driven” methodologies, the benefits it promises, and the real-world results it delivers. Next, they systematically map the Project Management Institute’s classic, methodology-independent techniques and terminology to agile practices. They cover both process and project lifecycles and carefully address vital issues ranging from scope and time to cost management and stakeholder communication. Finally, drawing on their own extensive personal experience, they put a human face on your personal transition to agile--covering the emotional challenges, personal values, and key leadership traits you’ll need to succeed.   Coverage includes Relating the PMBOKR Guide ideals to agile practices: similarities, overlaps, and differences Understanding the role and value of agile techniques such as iteration/release planning and retrospectives Using agile techniques to systematically and continually reduce risk Implementing quality assurance (QA) where it belongs: in analysis, design, defect prevention, and continuous improvement Learning to trust your teams and listen for their discoveries Procuring, purchasing, and contracting for software in agile, collaborative environments Avoiding the common mistakes software teams make in transitioning to agile Coordinating with project management offices and non-agile teams “Selling” agile within your teams and throughout your organization For every project manager who wants to become more agile.   Part I    An Agile Overview 7 Chapter 1    What is "Agile"? 9 Chapter 2    Mapping from the PMBOKR Guide to Agile 25 Chapter 3    The Agile Project Lifecycle in Detail 37 Part II    The Bridge: Relating PMBOKR Guide Practices to Agile Practices 49 Chapter 4    Integration Management 51 Chapter 5    Scope Management 67 Chapter 6    Time Management 83 Chapter 7    Cost Management 111 Chapter 8    Quality Management 129 Chapter 9    Human Resources Management 143 Chapter 10    Communications Management 159 Chapter 11    Risk Management 177 Chapter 12    Procurement Management 197 Part III    Crossing the Bridge to Agile 215 Chapter 13    How Will My Responsibilities Change? 217 Chapter 14    How Will I Work with Other Teams Who Aren't Agile? 233 Chapter 15    How Can a Project Management Office Support Agile? 249 Chapter 16    Selling the Benefits of Agile 265 Chapter 17    Common Mistakes 285 Appendix A    Agile Methodologies 295 Appendix B    Agile Artifacts 301 Glossary 321 Bibliography 327 Index 333

Project Management the Agile Way is for experienced project managers, system engineers, architects, and business analysts who are comfortable in traditional methods of project management, but now need to understand how to make agile work effectively in the enterprise. This book presents practical, day-to-day tips and application advice for how to harmonize agile methods with mainstream project processes and how to integrate these practices with other methodologies used in the business. Key Features: --Details most of the popular agile and iterative methodologies for project management, such as Scrum, XP, Crystal and EVO --Explains how to scale agile methods for enterprise projects and provides guidance on how to build a business case and track post-project benefits --Describes how earned value can work with untraditional methods --Shows the means to contract and outsource with agile methods --WAV offers downloadable whitepapers that discuss the dynamic systems development method, agile quality drivers, the applicability of agile on DoD projects, and an agile slide presentation available from the Web Added Value Download Resource Center at jrosspub.com