What’s Agile Methodology in Project Management?

Agile is a procedure by which a staff may manage a project by breaking it up into a few stages and between constant cooperation with stakeholders and continuous progress and iteration at every stage. The Agile methodology starts with clients explaining how the end product will be used and what issue it will solve.

This clarifies the customer’s expectations into the project staff. When the work begins, teams cycle through a practice of planning, executing, and assessing — that might just alter the final deliverable to match the customer’s needs better. Continuous collaboration is crucial, both among team members and with project stakeholders, to create fully-informed decisions.

The crux of the Agile methodology was developed by 17 individuals in 2001 in written form. Their Agile Manifesto of Software Development put forth a groundbreaking mindset on providing value and cooperating with customers. Agile’s four main values are expressed as:

Individuals and interactions over processes and resources
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
Agile Methodologies Frameworks

These days, the word Agile can refer to these values in addition to the frameworks for implementing them, including: Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming (XP), and Adaptive Project Framework (APF). So what’s Agile methodology in project management? In other words, it is a process for managing a job characterized by constant iteration and collaboration in order to fully answer a client’s needs.

Should Your Business Go Agile?

AGILE
A project management methodology characterized by construction products that customers actually want, using brief cycles of work that allow for rapid production and continuous revision if necessary.

KANBAN
A visual method of project direction where teams create physical representations of their tasks, often using sticky notes on whiteboards (or through online apps). Tasks are transferred through predetermined stages to track progress and identify frequent roadblocks.

SCRUM
A PM methodology by which a small team is led by a Scrum Master whose primary job is to clear away all barriers to completing work. Work is completed in short cycles called sprints, but the team meets daily to discuss current tasks and roadblocks that need clearing.

A project management methodology that grew out of the idea that most IT projects can’t be managed using traditional PM procedures. Work is done in phases, and assessed after each stage.

A PM methodology wherein you are able to change the project plan, budget, and even the ultimate deliverable to fit changing demands, no matter how far along the project is.