Course summary

Agile is a strategy that is proving to be very effective in project work of all kinds. What began as a product development and then IT approach, is now being used broadly across all business projects.

In this one-day introductory workshop, we will demonstrate the concepts of Agile project management and how to apply them across a range of business projects. This is an overview and is not aligned to any particular Agile methodology, although we will introduce you to some of the most popular approaches.

Agile involves an incremental, iterative approach to project delivery and stands in distinction to traditional methods, that focus on extensive planning, rather than letting the project dictate its own parameters, where possible. The Agile approach is effective when the scope of the project has uncertainty and changes are inevitable. Agile allows for flexibility to meet the client needs and enables speed of delivery.

This hands-on course provides the knowledge and techniques required to implement successful Agile concepts and explains the best way to transition from a traditional planned based Waterfall approach into Agile. We will define the difference between Waterfall and Agile concepts, and demonstrate the application of Agile with some hands-on activities, which can be easily replicated in your business.

Our workshop is designed for anyone, in any industry or field, not just IT, who has an interest in the benefits of an Agile approach. It is suitable for project managers, executives, team leaders and team members who wish to participate in Agile projects or apply for Agile project roles and techniques with little or no experience.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• appreciate the history of Agile and the Manifesto
• know when to apply Agile versus Waterfall techniques
• describe Agile methodologies, language and techniques
• apply Agile principles on your projects
• implement and prioritise user stories
• utilise effective estimating techniques.

Content

This introductory course leads with the basic principles of Agile project management. We will define the Agile Manifesto and demonstrate the key factors of effective Agile delivery. Throughout the course, Waterfall and Agile processes are compared to ensure you understand and can decide where each approach can be applied in projects.

The various key Agile approaches are discussed, including the language and techniques used in each. You will be then have the opportunity to apply some of these principles to a case study. This will include user stories and their priorities, using backlogs and improved estimation techniques.

Prerequisites

None

Who this course is for

This course is for professionals involved in planning, coordinating or delivering projects and business improvement initiatives in their organisation. It applies across structured and fast-moving project environments, including engineering, construction, health, education, government, commercial and non-profit sectors.

• Project managers looking to improve planning, delivery and oversight
• ‘Accidental’ project managers managing projects without formal training
• Team leaders, supervisors and business leaders responsible for project outcomes
• Project coordinators, business analysts and subject matter experts
• Change leaders, managers and support staff involved in organisational initiatives
• Anyone working on projects who wants to better manage timelines, stakeholders and priorities

Delivery modes

• Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
• Online workshop via the platform Zoom

Delivery style

Interactive workshop

Materials

Course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox.

Course Brochure