#2 | Unmasking Agile: Not Every Project's Superhero

For many years, there’s been this unspoken shade on predictive (waterfall) project management methodologies.

Because of that, many PMOs have over-indexed in a methodology (typically Agile) instead of focusing on the actual needs of the organization it’s supporting.

How did we get here?

Marketing.

Most senior executives heard they don’t have to wait a year to see an end product (that probably fell short of expectations) and the rest was history.

But let’s play devil’s advocate.

Let’s say:

• You’re in charge of planning the Olympics (hard deadline). [Predictive]

• You work in the European public sector where everything follows a standard and massive projects must be split into more manageable work packages. [Prince 2]

• A work breakdown structure makes more sense than a Gantt due to the need to optimize critical people and resources. [Critical Chain]

Forcing all projects to fit into the Agile umbrella is a flawed approach to project management.

Agile works best with projects where the end product is not entirely known at the outset, and it needs to evolve based on continuous customer or stakeholder feedback.

If the team has built a variation of the solution 10x before and the requirements are a no brainer, you probably don’t need Agile.

If there is no engaged customer or product owner, scrum specifically could cause more problems than it’s worth. Who’s giving feedback on the product in support of the business?

Agile relies on a flexible, adaptive approach. Some organizations or stakeholders may not be comfortable or prepared for the level of uncertainty, frequent changes, and lack of a fixed plan that comes with Agile.

Agile requires ongoing collaboration and frequent communication. If the team or stakeholders are geographically dispersed or cannot commit to regular interactions, it might be challenging to implement Agile effectively.

Agile methodologies may not be the best choice for projects where there is a high degree of risk, such as those involving safety-critical systems or highly regulated environments. The iterative nature of Agile might not provide the level of documentation and control required in these situations.

Mindset Shift

The future of project management will require us to become experts in how to solve the unique problems of an organization vs “doing agile”.

By gaining a deep understanding of the organization's unique needs, a project manager can align project goals with the organization's strategic objectives. This understanding includes knowing the organization's culture, structure, business model, and the specific needs and expectations of various stakeholders. This knowledge helps the project manager make decisions that support the organization's overall goals.

Different projects require different approaches, methodologies, and tools. A project manager who has a wide range of frameworks in their toolbox - from Agile to Waterfall, Lean to Six Sigma, Human Centered Design to Kaizen - can choose the right approach for each situation. They can adapt their strategies and tactics based on the project's complexity, risk, team structure, and stakeholder expectations.

In With the New

The future of PMO will require us to be experts in many methodologies. Not just one or 2. It will be critical for us to shift from operational vehicles under agile into strategic thinkers with strong business acumen.

With the rise of AI, we will have a new generation of project tools that will also change how we manage projects and our work in the project. We have to be prepared to coach and train our teams to adapt to these transitions. We must increase our focus on human interactions and identifying skill deficits in our people. In addition to focusing on project deliverables, we should focus on creating high-performing teams in which members receive what is needed to allow them to perform at their best.

Pro-tip

• If you work in a PMO that favors one methodology, go to Google (or your favorite LLM) and ask for 20 (maybe 100 if you’re feeling jazzy) project management methodologies and frameworks available to help you become a better project manager.

• If you’re in a company that does some type of discovery activity and it doesn’t include PMO, figure out a way to add value to that process and get an invite to join discovery engagements. Discovery is a great way to understand opportunities.

• Take personal notes any time there’s a bottleneck, confusion, disagreement, or just anything that you feel you could be better. Start to rank these based on impact. Cross-reference with your list of methodologies and start experimenting.

How to Support

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