BradEgeland.com #PMP #PPM #project #Agile #cybersecurity #planning #ai #SAFe #coronavirus #virtual #mindmap #remote #COVID19 #scaledagile #fintech #webdesign
  • Welcome
  • Contact
  • Mentoring Contact Form
  • Expertise
  • Blog
  • Find Local PM Jobs
  • Books / White Papers
  • Software / Service Reviews
  • This Week in PM
  • PM Video Series
  • Awards/Recognition
  • Templates & Downloads
  • Clients
  • Professional Services
  • Past Survey Results

5 Reasons Agile Might Not Work for You

8/25/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Is Agile for everyone? Do you think it’s right or best for every project? Or does it have some best fit scenarios? Furthermore, is it right for every industry or for every organization or even for every project manager, business analyst and tech team?


When a company or team make the big decision to shift to Agile development and project management practices, no one says it’s going to be an easy transition. New developers coming in might already be trained or might make an easier transition to new practices. But the current staff of project managers, techs and other developers who have always been doing it ‘another way’ may have a much more difficult time modifying how they think about projects and development efforts and rollouts in general.


When an organization is shifting to Agile practices, existing developers often raise concerns. Will they be productive in a changing and shifting workplace? Everyone is wondering how they are supposed to write code in an environment that involves shifting requirements and there seems to be little or no architecture. These concerns are legitimate and need to be addressed... no question. And they may be big enough to say that the Agile shift is not right for you or that organization now or ever. It depends. Let's consider five reasons that Agile may not be right for you or your organization now or ever... let's discuss and be thinking about comments or sharing your own experiences from a workplace that shifted successfully or unsuccessful or didn't make the shift for whatever reason after considering the change....


You run mostly low tech or no tech projects. Agile seems to be best for higher tech projects. The best projects for Agile are those that have aggressive deadlines, a high degree of complexity, and are unique … meaning you don't have a revolving door of the same type of project on every customer engagement. High tech projects tend to fit this description best and if these are the type of projects you are running, then by all means... go Agile. If you never run these types of projects, then you likely don't need Agile – at least not at the present time.


You or your organization resist change. If you're mostly “old school” and currently full of project managers and techies that are used to things the way they are and seem to always resist change, then you have a big choice to make. Slowly (or rapidly) get rid of everyone and replace them with staff that will buy in to Agile or are already “Agile” ready. That is going to be your fastest way for adoption, but also your most expensive and time consuming. So it may be best to just shelve the Agile conversion for now – sounds too much like a lose-lose for the organization.


No one in the organization or PMO is PMP certified. This isn't necessarily a show stopper. But it can can be very difficult to sell a completely Agile environment and workable project methodology without having a basically PMP certified project management office and staff. PMP means dedication. It means a proven process. It means repeatable processes. It means discipline, success and a common language. If you go to a client and bid on a project with a completely uncertified staff, then it will be very hard to win that client. Not everyone in the PMO needs to be certified, but there are going to be certain clients that will need to hear “Agile” and “PMP” used in the same sentence... guaranteed.


The requirements for most of your organization are both static and well-defined. No doubt Agile works best on a project that really needs it. And usually that is a project that has somewhat vague or changing requirements. Or uncertain requirements from the beginning. Or several phases that the client would like to have rolled out individually. In all of these scenarios Agile is an excellent choice.


I am still of the mindset that with all other things being equal, Waterfall is the way to go. If there were never going to be any sliding or changing requirements and everything is well defined and low-risk from the beginning, then it's very hard to argue against Waterfall. But a project without some change is unheard of. Waterfall can still be the best approach. But if you start to invite lots of requirements uncertainty or requirements that have to change and be defined along the way and a solution that needs to be rolled out over time with growing functionality, then Agile is always going to be the way to go.


Never need phases rolled out early on any projects. I've already touched on this a bit above. If you are managing very standard (boring?) projects that never need early functionality rolled out to the public or end users or whoever that user audience is, then you probably never have a need to make the big conversion to Agile. Depending on the organization, the change won't be fast or easier or without some turnover of sometimes good, experienced personnel. So don't do it if you don't have to. Never do it just to call yourselves “Agile.” Bring an Agile class in house and then call yourselves “Agile” even if you aren't leading any Agile projects … ever. It's a good thing to have in your hip pocket, but you don't have to fully convert if it's not necessary. It won't be free or painless.


Summary / call for input


These are just five potential reasons why Agile might not work for you or in your organization from a development and project management standpoint. Are there others to consider? Most definitely. But these are five key ones to look at first – at least from a high level.


Readers – what are your experiences? Do these reasons make sense? Have you been part of an organization that shifted to Agile? Did it work? What were the pain points? Did it fail or did you shelve the entire process after considering the pros and cons? Please share your thoughts and experiences.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author:

    Picture

    Brad Egeland


    Named the "#1 Provider of Project Management Content in the World," Brad Egeland has over 25 years of professional IT experience as a developer, manager, project manager, consultant and author.  He has written more than 7,000 expert online articles, eBooks, white papers and video articles for clients worldwide.  If you want Brad to write for your site, contact him. Want your content on this blog and promoted? Contact him. Looking for advice/menoring? Contact him.

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    November 2009

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.