UT Dallas Project Management Symposium Copyright © Lipke 2014 1
Advanced Topics in Project
Management: Spring 2024
INTRODUCING AGILE
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Types of Project Lifecycle
• The need for different types of project life cycles arises
from the diverse nature of projects and the varying
requirements they involve.
• Predictive Lifecycle (Fully Plan-Driven)
• Iterative Lifecycle
• Incremental Lifecycle
• AGILE
Types of Project Lifecycle
• Predictive Lifecycle (Fully Plan-Driven)
• Take advantage of the things that are known and proven
• Iterative Lifecycle
• Allow feedback on partially completed or unfinished work to
improve and modify work
• Incremental Lifecycle
• Provides finished deliverables the customer may be able to use
immediately
• AGILE
• Leverage both aspects of Iterative and Incremental Lifecycle
• Iterate over the product to create finished deliverables
Project Lifecycle Comparison
Item Predictive Lifecycle Iterative Lifecycle Adaptive Lifecycle
Phases Sequential Sequential Sequential
Overlapping Overlapping Overlapping
High Level Scope Yes Yes Yes
Detailed Scope At the beginning of Only for each phase Only for each phase
the project or iteration
High Level Yes Yes Yes
Planning
Detailed Planning At the beginning of Only for each phase Only for each phase
the project or rolling or iteration
wave
When Used? Product is well Large and Complex Product is not well
understood Projects understood,
rapidly changing
environment
Customer Beginning,
Involvement when scope Periodic Continuous
changes,
project end
Characteristics of Project Life Cycles
A project’s inherent characteristics determine which life cycle is the best fit
for that project.
The Continuum of Life Cycles
No life cycle can be
perfect for all projects.
Each project finds a spot
on the continuum that
provides an optimum
balance of
characteristics for its
context.
Agile: Iterate over the product to create finished deliverables. 6
Gain early feedback and provide customer visibility, confidence, and
control of the product.
UNCERTAINTY, RISK, AND LIFE CYCLE
SELECTION (Stacey’s Matrix)
Project Life Cycles
Predictive life cycles. Take advantage of things that are known and
proven. This reduced uncertainty and complexity allows teams to
segment work into a sequence of predictable groupings.
Incremental life cycles. Provide finished deliverables that
the customer may be able to use immediately.
Iterative life cycles. Allow feedback on partially completed
or unfinished work to improve and modify that work.
Agile life cycles. Leverage both the aspects of iterative and
incremental characteristics.
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Characteristics of Life Cycles (Cont’d)
• The goal of Agile is to deliver a functioning product as quickly as
possible and then build upon it in short intervals — or iterations —
rather than tackle the whole project immediately.
• Agile approach is flexible and allows the project team to adapt to
their environment and change direction.
• Agile projects provide value to clients and users throughout the
entire project life cycle, rather than only once the project is finished.
In an agile environment, the
team expects requirements to In agile projects,
change. The iterative and incremental delivery
incremental approaches uncovers hidden or
provide feedback to better misunderstood
plan the next part of the requirements.
project. 9
Comparison: Agile vs Traditional
Focuses on contractual
Focuses on user satisfaction
obligations
Has high flexibility Has low flexibility
Managed by the project
Self-managed
manager
Cyclic approach Linear approach
Constant collaboration with Minimal stakeholder
stakeholders engagement
Quick turnover and short Slow turnover, longer
deadlines deadlines
Entire project planned from
Rudimentary planning
start to finish
Identify The Development Approach
Project: Paint a lady that looks ‘out of this world’
Rework
Result: Rejected Result: Accepted
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Predictive / Traditional / Waterfall
Identify The Development Approach
Project: Paint a lady that looks ‘out of this world’
Iterative
Incremental
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Identify The Development Approach
Project: Paint a lady that looks ‘out of this world’
Cx: No, no… Cx: Goddamn it, Cx: Better. But Cx: I want her Cx: I want a
Make her No. Make her bring her a smile. to smile – but natural smile…
look pretty look pretty and And get rid of not pose in a a natural
human these messy hair tooth paste ‘subtle’ smile
ad!
Adaptive
Cx: Looks Cx:
better. Fanastic.
Make it a Now,
bit lively develop the Cx: Develop Cx: Thank You
rest more!
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Hybrid Life Cycles
Agile Agile Agile Predictive Predictive Predictive
Agile Development Followed by a
Predictive Rollout
Agile Agile Agile
Predictive Predictive Predictive
Combined Agile and Predictive
Approach Used Simultaneously
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Hybrid Life Cycles (Cont’d)
Agile Agile Agile
Predictive
Largely Predictive Approach with Agile
Components
Agile Predictive Predictive Predictive
Largely Agile Approach with a
Predictive Components
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While there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more
Key takeaways from this Agile
Manifesto guide
• Value No. 1 places people, collaboration and relationships at the
center of Agile. Processes and tools are valuable, but people and
relationships are even more important.
• Value No. 2 is the most controversial today because it advocates
“working software over comprehensive documentation.” Robust
documentation is good, but actually delivering solutions is better.
• Value No. 3 is the most misunderstood due to “contract
negotiation” and vagueness around “customer.” Commitments are
good but collaborating & building the right thing is better.
• Value No. 4 is the heart of Agile: “Responding to change over
following a plan”.
Important review questions
• On what basis do we use or select a certain
methodology to manage a project?
• Give project examples to clearly differentiate between
iterative and incremental development approaches in
projects.
• When do we use only a predictive (waterfall)
methodology to manage a project?
• Give three project examples that would be placed in
the simple, complicated and complex sections on the
Stacey’s matrix.
