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2015 | Buch

Introduction Kapitel lesen Erstes Kapitel lesen

Managing Agile

Strategy, Implementation, Organisation and People

verfasst von: Alan Moran

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

This book examines agile approaches from a management perspective by focusing on matters of strategy, implementation, organization and people. It examines the turbulence of the marketplace and business environment in order to identify what role agile management has to play in coping with such change and uncertainty. Based on observations, personal experience and extensive research, it clearly identifies the fabric of the agile organization, helping managers to become agile leaders in an uncertain world.

The book opens with a broad survey of agile strategies, comparing and contrasting some of the major methodologies selected on the basis of where they lie on a continuum of ceremony and formality, ranging from the minimalist technique-driven and software engineering focused XP, to the pragmatic product-project paradigm that is Scrum and its scaled counterpart SAFe®, to the comparatively project-centric DSDM. Subsequently, the core of the book focuses on DSDM, owing to the method’s comprehensive elaboration of program and project management practices.

This work will chiefly be of interest to all those with decision-making authority within their organizations (e.g., senior managers, line managers, program, project and risk managers) and for whom topics such as strategy, finance, quality, governance and risk management constitute a daily aspect of their work. It will, however, also be of interest to those readers in advanced management or business administration cou

rses (e.g., MBA, MSc), who wish to engage in the management of agile organizations and thus need to adapt their skills and knowledge accordingly.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Introduction
Abstract
Agile, originally derived in part from the manufacturing sector, has evolved into a set of principles and practices that have flourished within and found applications beyond the IT sector. Its adaptive, value-driven, collaborative and empowering essence drives innovation in an iterative and incremental manner that is founded upon organisational and experiential learning. Over time, many methodologies (e.g., XP, Scrum, DSDM, SAFe®) have become established reflecting different facets of Agile ranging from engineering, product development, project management and enterprise architectural perspectives all of which continue to be influenced by other developments (e.g., lean). Assessed in the sober light of day, however, Agile not only poses but also faces challenges within organisations that must question the role of existing structures and hierarchies, people factors together with their culture and processes that ultimately address the core nature and existence of the enterprise.
Alan Moran

Agile Strategy

Frontmatter
Chapter 2. Strategy and Innovation
Abstract
When engaging in matters of strategic importance, agile organisations require an action oriented perspective that is based on market dynamism driven by the realities of the extended enterprise, globalisation, mass customisation, digitalisation and innovation. Accordingly, the classical strategic management approaches based on market and industrial analysis (e.g., marketing audits, SWOT) are found wanting due to their static outlook and lack of embracement of change and uncertainty. Instead agile strategy may be better framed in the language of dynamic capabilities and the negotiation of institutional legitimacy through a debate of the politics of meaning. Seen in this light coping with change and uncertainty requires the very organisational, emotional and intellectual basis that is so conducive to agile thinking and action. Within this context therefore the role of the agile manager is to be understood both as an entrepreneur of change and a challenger of the organisational status quo.
Alan Moran
Chapter 3. Financial Management
Abstract
In spite of the economic claims made for Agile (e.g., enhanced return on investment, cost risk management), financial and accounting aspects of Agile are a relatively neglected topic (e.g., advice on accounting for capital and operational expenditure, pricing models). Yet value delivery and economic risk mitigation lie at the heart of Agile one of whose central tenet is the use of feedback loops to validate and refine solutions. Moreover, the iterative and incremental structure of agile projects directly contributes to improved rates of return owing to the frequency of benefits enablement which improves the net present value of expected future cash flows. It is therefore prudent to embed classical appraisal thinking into agile projects (e.g., increment level assessment of return on investment) in order to demonstrate value to the customer and to ensure that an appropriately agile contracting framework and pricing model are in place that recognise the unique features of Agile whilst permiting the learning that takes place within such environments to enhance value.
Alan Moran

Implementation

Frontmatter
Chapter 4. Agile Project Management
Abstract
This chapter considers the major elements of agile project management as perceived through the lens of the DSDM Agile Project Framework (which is related to DSDM Agile Project Management though there are significant differences). The introduction of this framework forms the basis of discussions elsewhere in this book concerning how wider matters including governance, quality and risk ought to be tackled in the agile context (though other disciplines covered in this book such as configuration management feature less prominently in the DSDM Agile Project Framework). Owing to the existence of an extensive body of literature concerning specific practices and guidance it is not necessary here to delve into operational details. However, where appropriate the standard DSDM literature is complemented with wider perspectives (e.g., agile success factors, role conflicts and compatibilities, implicit self-organisation roles) so that even the reader already familiar with DSDM may yet discover some new insights.
Alan Moran
Chapter 5. Agile Programme Management
Abstract
Typically an organisation is involved in multiple undertakings some of which can be aggregated together to serve a common vision whilst others represent disparate or opportunistic activities. Combined they enable the transition of an organisation from its current state to a desired future state which inevitably gives rise to tensions between tactical (i.e., operational) and strategic concerns which must also be managed alongside wider organisational change. Change itself may be triggered by market movements, new regulatory terms of reference or a multitude of other reasons resulting in a continual sense of transformation and transition within the organisation. A programme represents one of the highest levels of change management wherein multiple related projects are combined in order to deliver new capabilities. There is a strong similarity between the DSDM Agile Programme Framework and Managing Successful Programmes® both of which use the same terminology and broadly similar structures and products suggesting that the former is an evolutionary idea nuanced with some agile details (e.g., delegation of decision-making, incremental delivery of capabilities) rather than a seismic challenge to existing thinking on programme delivery.
Alan Moran
Chapter 6. Governance
Abstract
Governance is concerned with how decision-making within programmes and their projects is conducted. Embedded in this view is the assurance that the necessary project management capability exists and is sufficient for the needs of the organisation and that at an individual project level resources are being deployed in an effective and efficient manner. In respect of organisation and role structures governance also encompasses not only matters of accountability and responsibility but also the concentration and balance of power. Thus whilst traditional governance models often stipulate the existence of a steering committee that directs projects and to whom decisions may be escalated for resolution, other approaches rely more on collective wisdom and the democratisation of decision-making suggesting that the implementations of governance models may vary considerably in their details. Therefore, although governance seeks to ensure that intended benefits are realised in a manner that ultimately fulfils the overall strategy and vision, precisely how this is achieved is an open matter. This implies on the one hand that accommodation of agile thinking is called for and on the other that agile stands to benefit from traditional perspectives on governance.
Alan Moran
Chapter 7. Quality and Test Management
Abstract
Classical approaches to solution development envisage quality and testing in terms of completed solutions that are to be assessed for suitability resulting in either transition to production or return for rework and amendments. Such processes possess gatekeeper characteristics and use existing specifications as their grounds for assessment. In an agile environment, quality and testing are, however, more deeply integrated into the solution development process and assume the nature of dialogue within the team concerning the meaning and implications of quality and how it is to be concluded that it has been achieved. The agile toolkit includes many practices that support this dialogue including direct collaboration and communication, pair programming and code reviews and technical driven practices such as refactoring, test-driven development and continuous integration. This enables business to clarify its position on quality, affording the team the opportunity to have this validated (e.g., posing questions to Business Analysts or performing reviews at the end of Timeboxes) and to continually improve its own process (e.g., conducting Timebox retrospectives, use of automated quality and testing tools). The result is that quality and testing activities occur earlier and more frequently than in non-agile approaches and that in spite of the occasional difficulty of clearly delimiting quality and testing activities (e.g., quality control), there can be no doubt of their presence or efficacy in agile environments.
Alan Moran
Chapter 8. Risk Management
Abstract
Though explicitly embedded into the DSDM Agile Project Framework, risk management in most agile methodologies remains a passive and implicit activity that can be misdirected and often misunderstood. It is telling that whilst most solution developers have little difficulty explaining which features they are working on (e.g., requirements) or to what level of quality they should be completed (e.g., acceptance criteria), few can comment on the capacity of their work to reduce (or exploit) project risk. These shortcomings can be addressed by applying agile risk management practices that embody those aspects of traditional project risk management which lend themselves to application in the spirit envisioned by the agile manifesto. This can include identification of key risk drivers that link back to wider programme risk management, acknowledgement of social and cultural influences on risk management along with risk tailoring of the underlying agile process. Thereafter operational risk management takes a moderately familiar form albeit with amendments that make it more conducive to agile environments.
Alan Moran
Chapter 9. Configuration Management
Abstract
Configuration management has sometimes been considered an ancillary discipline within the agile community in spite of its widespread use within the IT sector where it underpins practices such as continuous integration and automated deployment processes. Without configuration management it becomes impossible to effectively manage change, support exploratory feature development, ensure accountability during solution development or provide a holistic lifecycle view of solution development and agile process performance. Thus configuration management ought to be understood as much more than a mere technical means of tracking changes but rather as an important mechanism for supporting governance and risk management of agile processes.
Alan Moran

Organisation and People

Frontmatter
Chapter 10. Organisation
Abstract
Organisational theory embodies a wide range of concerns, though its primary focus is on the operating characteristics and structure of the enterprise. On account of its prevailing influence, it is important first to understand organisational culture and how this impinges on and is influenced by the adoption of Agile practices. This naturally leads to a discussion of organisational learning owing to the intimate links learning shares with culture and how these combine to ensure that outcomes are achieved in an agile organisation that adopts an adaptive future looking and change driven orientation. What emerges is that self-organisation becomes the central organisational paradigm, endowed with the necessary empowerment and autonomy required by agile teams willing to assume initiative and responsibility. This in turn prompts a different leadership response from management that is more aligned with these underlying cultural and learning drivers. Finally, attention turns to scaling Agile and the impact this has on those key ingredients that have made Agile so successful at the project level raising the question of whether or not they can be sustained in larger change programmes.
Alan Moran
Chapter 11. People Factors
Abstract
The psychological make-up of agile teams has been the subject of relatively little research in spite of the emphasis on humanism and emotional intelligence in agile management. Given the clear socio-technical character of the agile process, it is important to establish a broad understanding of its implications for teams and their performance. It would seem that a variety of people factors (i.e., motivation, commitment, emotional intelligence and personality) are intimately linked. Motivation and commitment thrive in the self-organisation paradigm of agile environments and related practices, benefiting from the autonomy and purpose found therein. In this context emotional intelligence plays an important role not least for managers who must develop it as part of their competencies if they are to be able to successfully manage agile teams. In terms of personality the message that diversity is a strength is confirmed in multiple empirical studies. There are two complementary approaches to this topic that furnish some insight into the relevance of personality to Agile. One is based on descriptive aspects of personality whilst the other an attempt to explain potential mechanisms behind it. Finally, it is possible to gleam from the sparse, but tantalising research some general principles that find application in daily management.
Alan Moran
Backmatter
Metadaten
Titel
Managing Agile
verfasst von
Alan Moran
Copyright-Jahr
2015
Electronic ISBN
978-3-319-16262-1
Print ISBN
978-3-319-16261-4
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16262-1

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