IFSM 441 DISC RESP 1

4

Liliana Martinez – Week 1 – Discussion

For Discussion 1, I want to orient you in the course and prepare you for related activities Week 1 and Week 2. So, with these goals in mind your Discussion 1 "to do" is to first read/skim the Week 1 Required Readings, and then respond in your own words in this Discussion forum in 50-100 word responses to the following questions, along with at least two peer posts:

1. How do Agile project management approaches relate to traditional (PMI PMBOK) approaches?

Although at first glance the APM approach could look like it does not relate to the traditional PMI PMBOOK approach, we can find a correlation between them reviewing the project life cycle and the project management processes for both approaches. According to PMI, the project life cycle “is the series of phases that a project passes through from its start to its completion”(PMI, 2017, p. 19) which mean that exist a basic framework for managing a project and a series of process and tools that help get the deliverables. In a general vision the basic framework for managing a project include an initial phase, a series of intermediate phases, and a final phase and every phase has a series of processes and tools that help get the deliverables. The initial phase for a traditional approach includes  initiating process and tool groups but for APM approach is envisioning process and tool groups. The intermediate phases for traditional approaches consider planning, execution, and controlling process and tool groups, but for APM approaches are Speculating, exploring, and adapting process and tool groups. The final phase for both approaches involved all process and tool groups that aid to close the project. (Sliger, 2008).Scope, Cost, Schedule, quality, and constraints are elements present on both approaches. APM has an adaptive life cycle approach in which the project scope is defined and approved before starting an iteration, the goal is achieve a releasable deliverable that is reliable and adaptable within acceptable constraints while traditional PM use a predictive life cycle approach in which in the early stages of the project its scope, time, and cost are determined, the goals is bring a quality deliverable as a result of triple constraint trade-off (UMGC, 2022). Regardless of the specificity of the project a PM require be knowledgeable on the basic framework for managing a project and the series of process and tools that help get the deliverables in order to be proficient on determine the adequate approach to implement the practices and place the focus according project deliverables are setting, well-know or fixed requirements for traditional PM approach and innovative or not well-known requirements for APM approach.  

2. What is Scrum and how does it relate to Agile methodologies?

Scrum is a framework that sets  tools, roles, and meetings to aid teams that work on complex products with an effective collaboration to deliver highest value to project’s stakeholders. Scrum encourages teams working on a problem while they are self-organized, learns through experiences, and continuously improve reviewing their losses and wins. Scrum’s principles and lessons can be used for all types of  teamwork, but it is most used by software development teams. Scrum is related to Agile methodologies because it is one agile process. Agile Scrum methodology is a combination of scrum framework and agile philosophy recommended for projects that need to finish quickly. Agile Scrum methodology breaks projects down into sprints (sizable chunks), two-week to four- week sprint permit an iteration that allows an incremental development. The goal of each sprint is building the most important features first and releasing a potentially deliverable product to be adjusted by stakeholders and customer feedback as an input for the next interaction. Agile Scrum methodology delivers several product’s interaction with the goal of providing the highest value in the least time. Scrum framework helps increase productivity aiding scrum teams to focus on the sprint’s objectives (Peek, 2022).

3. What are the three main Scrum Roles (or Agile Roles) and how should they serve customer value (what is needed) over constraints (schedule, cost, etc.)?

The three main scrum roles are scrum master, product owner, and scrum team. Scrum master has the role of facilitate the scrum process encourage apply scrum rules, holding daily meeting with scrum team,  coaching and motivate scrum team, and remove roadblocks that could avoid scrum team be successful (meet goals and produce deliverables). Product owner, represents the stakeholders and has the commitment to determine product expectations, prioritize goals for each sprint based on the value of stakeholders’ expectation, records changes to products, update to-do list for scrum project. Scrum team is a self-organized and self-administer group (between three to nine individuals) that have the skills to work on deliverable products that meet each sprint’s goals. The three main scrum roles are the core roles, known as “pigs,” and ancillary roles (stakeholders involved in but not committed to scrum project), known as “chickens” (Peek, 2022).

4. Based on a quick "sweep" of the web (web search), identify and discuss one company or government agency actively using Agile PM (Hint: Search DoD or VA  AND Agile or Scrum for many government hits).

In 2016, the IT Acquisitions area of the Department of Homeland Security determined they have taken longer than planned or failed to deliver desired results on their projects and started a transitioning process to move to an agile approach to help them improve. From 2016 to 2019, OHS made significant adjustments and advanced implementing Agile methodology. Although OHS required additional steps as leading practices or to ensure all staff are being trained, in Feb 2020, they formally established agile development as the preferred developmental approach for IT programs and projects. OHS decision was shaped by the Federal Chief Information Officer and Office of Management and Budget (0MB) (OHS, 2020).

Reference

Department of Homeland Security – OHS. (February 19, 2020). Agile Methodology For Software Development And Delivery For Information Technology. Guidance1. On Modular development. Retrieve from  https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/22_0321_cio_agile-development-and-delivery-for-information-technology.pdf

Peek, S. (Jun 29, 2022). What is agile scrum methodology. Retrieve From  https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4987-what-is-agile-scrum-methodology.html

Project Management Institute (2017) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)–Sixth Edition. Pennsylvania. Project Management Institute. Retrieve  from  https://eds-p-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/eds/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzE1OTUzMjBfX0FO0?sid=d6d0470b-62cf-4449-909d-c6f9b07048cd@redis&vid=0&format=EB&rid=1

Sliger, M. (2008). Agile project management and the PMBOK® guide. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2008—North America, Denver, CO. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. Retrieve from:   https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/agile-project-management-pmbok-waterfall-7042

University of Maryland Global Campus. (2022). Introduction to Agile and Agile PM. Week 1. Agile Project Management. Document posted in UMGC [IFSM-441] online classroom, archived at  https://learn.umgc.edu/d2l/le/content/761100/viewContent/28996859/View

CHYNNA

Compared to traditional project management, which focuses on the activities necessary to complete the project, agile project management emphasizes the characteristics of the project. In the traditional structure, the commands are given from one high. However, in the agile framework, the team is encouraged to experiment with several possible solutions before settling on the best one. While traditional planning emphasizes the plan itself, agile planning embraces change.

Scrum is an agile, iterative project management method widely adopted in the software development sector. Scrum relies on an autonomous, cross-functional team of employees. Within agile development, the scrum master and product owner are two roles that direct the scrum teams.

In scrum, the product owner is responsible for promoting the product and ensuring that the development teams deliver the business the most value possible. The scrum master's role is crucial in the scrum process because they eliminate obstacles and ensure that the development team is not sidetracked. The third faction is the scrum team's advocates for sustainable development. It is the foundation on which the sprint schedule is built.

Mastek, an IT solutions company, used AgilePM to fortify relationships with clients throughout developing new products. Mastek was established in India and has since expanded to other parts of the world, including the Americas, Europe, the United Kingdom, Asia, and the Middle East. The scattered team had to work together as one to meet their client's requests and complete their assignments on time. Through the use of AgilePM, they can keep the customer informed at all times, guaranteeing that their projects will be finished successfully and to specification. Customers' trust in the organization has grown due to their increased knowledge of its business and development procedures. Since adopting Agile, the collaboration between the on-site and offshore teams has significantly improved, with fewer barriers to information sharing and more openness to new ideas.

Enterprise Digital & Cloud Transformation Specialist. Mastek. (2022, October 13). Retrieved October 16, 2022, from  https://www.mastek.com/

IFSM 441- Week 1 Lecture . Sign in to your account. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2022, from  https://learn.umgc.edu/d2l/le/content/761100/viewContent/28996859/View