Agile, Scrum and IS Project Management

Effective project management in an IT/IS environment demands best practice project management sklls but also an awareness of the special demands that arise when implementing new technology and systems development initiatives.

It is no surprise that structured approaches to Project Management were pioneered in the systems arena.  Projects usually involve multiple business functions; projects are increasingly critical to achievement of organisational goals; there is usually heavy involvement with external partners; when technology boundaries are being pushed then risk multiplies; timescales are almost always tight.

Fortunately we have seen the evolution of best practice techniques which build directly on the experience, good and bad, of organisations around the world.  Whilst the basic methodologies must always be scaled and honed to meet specific needs they are the starting point for all IT project professionals.

• Agile
  • Agile project methods use iterative methods to enable project managers to work with change on their projects.
  
  
• Scrum
  • Scrum is an established Agile process that can be used to manage and control complex software and product development and project management using iterative techniques
    
    
• IS Project Management
  • Mainly courses which support the qualification structure developed by the British Computer Society and accredited by ISEB
  • They range from Foundation level through to an advanced course designed to build on PRINCE2 Practitioner skills
  
  
• DSDM
  • Dynamic Systems Development Method and its precursor Rapid Application Development are structured approaches for fast and agile projects particularly in an IT environment
  • Many are finding that DSDM approaches blend pragmatic realism with the rigour of PRINCE2