Managing projects is a key component of an organization's effectiveness and long-term success. Statistically, organizations that use proven methods of managing projects can manage plans that are 2.5 times more efficient.
What are Agile frameworks?
Agile is a product management approach that breaks down projects into dynamic phases, including planning, testing, and collaboration.
The philosophy of Agile is built around continuous iteration to help teams build products faster, more efficiently, and with swift adaptability. Agile is the umbrella word that covers a variety of methods and strategies.
Phases in project management
No matter the scope, every product must follow an order of operations that can be managed and controlled. As per the PMI (Project Management Institute), the standard project management procedure comprises these phases:
- Taking Initiative,
- Planning,
- Executing,
- Monitoring Performance, and
- Closing Project.
As a guideline to achieve specific goals, The phases are the basis of the lifecycle of a project's management. However, this model is not sufficient for all tasks. A typical project will have several internal phases within it.
They may differ greatly based on the nature of the work, business, team, or even the project directly. In the quest to discover an all-encompassing approach to project management, humanity has come up with a large amount of PM strategies and methods.
Traditional project management methodologies
As per the previously discussed classic framework, conventional methods employ a sequential strategy for execution. The project is then taken through the beginning of planning, executing, and monitoring right up until completion.
Often referred to as linear, this strategy comprises a variety of internal processes sequential in nature and carried out chronologically. It is most often used in the manufacturing or construction industries in which modifications are required throughout the process of the traditional approach. However, software engineering has also made use of project management.
The model is also known as the “Waterfall model” and has been the standard method of software development since the beginning of the 1970s. In general, the two fundamental steps are common for all computer programs regardless of the size or the complexity. First, there is an analysis stage and then a development step.
Rebecca Madro
List of top Agile frameworks
The most well-known practices and frameworks include the following:
Scrum
Scrum is the most popular Agile method that controls the flow of the process. It's employed by 58% of companies while 18% of companies use it in conjunction with another method. The first time it was mentioned was back in 1986. The year 1995 was the time when Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber, Scrum Guide’s authors, introduced it during the OOPSLA conference.
This presentation was founded upon the experience they gained through the application of the methodology over the past few years. Although Scrum was developed long ahead of the release of Agile documentation, it is based upon Agile practices and is compatible with the principles outlined in the document.
Scrum is designed to maintain the collaboration of the people who work on complicated products and the details are constantly being modified or added. It is built on the regular interaction of three main roles:
- Scrum Master
- Product Owner
- Scrum Team (Developers)
Rebecca Stewart
Kanban
Kanban is also among the popular frameworks for implementing Agile Project organization. However, as per 43% of organizations, Kanban is utilized in conjunction with their Agile methods.
It is a straightforward yet effective method for creating software products. Its roots go back to the card system with a visual utilized during Toyota manufacturing to control production.
Translated to "visual signals" in Japanese, the Kanban concentrates on visualizing the workflow. It also prioritizes the (WIP) work in process and limits its capabilities to align it efficiently to the team capacity.
Hybrid
Waterfall and Agile are two distinct perspectives of managing software development. Agile is focused on the concept of rapid development, flexibility, and adaptability, while the waterfall encourages development in steps, which demands planning and is opposed to making adjustments during the process.
Almost 23% of organizations discovered that applying the techniques from both could be more effective than selecting one or the other. Combining the traditional Waterfall method alongside Agile is known as Hybrid.
Specialists make use of the benefits associated with the Agile method of software development. In terms of planning, estimating, and the setup of hardware, Waterfall performs well. However, when you integrate Agile techniques into a conventional Waterfall workflow, companies can increase the chances of achieving successful projects.
Rebecca Stewart
Lean
Based on the most recent figures, 17% of companies use Lean. The popularity of the framework decreased between 2015 and 2016. However, it remains among the top five popular Agile frameworks.
With the same roots as Kanban, the method was developed as a process that was used in physical manufacturing. It was derived from Toyota's production process that focused on "making the cars customers ordered in the fastest and efficient manner.
Lean techniques to develop software were presented by Tom Poppendieck and Mary in their famous book: “Lean Software Development- A Agile Toolkit”. It outlines the seven fundamental concepts:
- Eliminate waste
- Enhance learning and generate knowledge
- Take time to decide,
- deliver as soon as possible,
- Empower your team
- Integrity and quality are built into and,
- Check out the whole.
Michael Pierce
Bimodal
The Bimodal method is extremely popular. It estimates that about 16% of firms opt for this approach. The concept "Bimodal IT" was first presented by Gartner around the year 2014. Bimodal refers to the process of handling two distinct, but consistent ways of working: one that is centered on predictability while the other one on agility.
Mode 1 follows a traditional approach; consequently, it performs flawlessly in predictable and well-understood areas. As per Gartner, the mode seeks to make use of what is well-known while also transforming the existing system into a suitable state for a new digital age.
Mode 2 follows rapid app development. The process is nonlinear, exploratory, and designed to address new challenges. It is particularly useful in projects that must be completed as soon as possible.
Both methods demand different skills sets, methods, and tools. Thus, two distinct workgroups are necessary. They have two main goals: maintaining stability and embracing new ideas. The team members concentrate on the projects that match their style best.
XP (extreme programming)
XP (Extreme Programming) is different from other frameworks mentioned above. Its emphasis is on the specific components of developing software which includes high-quality code. XP is utilized for almost 9% of businesses.
It brings together the most crucial of the essentials, providing Agile team members with a variety of tools that improve the process of engineering. It consists of techniques that are used in software engineering to enhance efficiency and adaptability to changing demands.
XP calls for developers to execute only a few engineering techniques at the most possible level thus the reason for its name. XP was first proposed in the 90s by Kent Beck. Beck set out to find ways to accomplish complex tasks as efficiently as is feasible. He outlined XP techniques in his famous publication “Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change”.
Crystal
Crystal is among the most flexible and light methods to manage the development of software. It is a natural way of doing things. It is a collection of Agile methods that focus on the interactions of people with processes, placing aspects like communication skills, abilities, and the ability to perform first.
The method was created in 1991 by IBM employee Alistair Cockburn, it implies that different teams work separately depending on the size and priority of projects.
Say that smaller team members tend to be connected and can work without the need for constant reporting or documentation. In contrast, larger teams need an organized approach to communication to ensure everyone is working together. There are seven fundamental principles in Crystal Agile.
- Frequent delivery
- Improvement in reflection
- Osmotic communication
- Personal security
- Concentrate on your work
- Access to experts on the subject and users
- Utilization of the technological environment
Rebecca Madro
DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Method)
DSDM was the first framework to bring in product management aspects in 1994, with strict adherence to fixed-time periods. Unlike other methods, which use sprints, DSDM focuses on a tighter scope. This method is better suited to projects with a higher need for governance. In comparison to frameworks like Scrum, which works well for products, DSDM might be a better fit for projects.
DSDM is built around eight principles, including:
- Focus on the business need
- Deliver on time
- Collaborate
- Never compromise quality
- Build incrementally from firm foundations
- Develop iteratively
- Communicate continuously and clearly
- Demonstrate control
DSDM runs well for an overall comprehensive approach, unlike other methods, which are more operational-based.
What agile frameworks work best for large organizations?
SAFe Framework
SAFe is the Scaled Agile Framework. To simplify, SAFe is a way to make your entire end-to-end business Agile, including non-project work and non-project employees. The SAFe framework benefits larger organizations that have huge projects requiring multiple teams working simultaneously.
There’s no cookie-cutter solution for the unique challenges each organization faces. Not every SAFe recommended practice will be relevant in every situation. Therefore, SAFe practices are built on stable principles. You can be confident the practices apply in most situations.
What are SAFe principles?
SAFe principles are based on ten fundamental Lean-Agile concepts, systems thinking, and observation of profitable companies.
- Apply systems thinking - Everyone must understand the larger goal of the system.
- Take an economic view - Delivering the best quality and value with the quickest sustainable lead time.
- Assume variability and preserve options - Consider design options for a longer period during the development process and use realistic data to narrow your focus and optimize outcomes.
- Incrementally construct with fast, integrated learning cycles - Creating solutions incrementally in a cycle of quick iterations facilitates faster client feedback that will allow you the ability to change directions early in the project if needed.
- Base achievements on objective evaluation of working systems - Organizations, developers and customers should share the responsibility evaluating the system to ensure economic benefit.
- Visualize and limit work in progress, batch sizes, and control queue lengths.
- Apply cadence and coordinate with cross-domain planning - Needed to operate effectively in the presence of development uncertainty.
- Unlock the innate motivation of knowledge workers - Allowing autonomy and innovation free from constraints will improve employee engagement and overall positive outcomes.
- Decentralize decision making - Creating a consistent decision-making framework is a significant step in empowering employees and guaranteeing a fast flow of value.
- Organize around value - Organize around efficiency and the speed you can respond to the innovative needs of the client.
Pros and cons of the SAFe framework
The SAFe framework helps larger organizations work seamlessly together by placing individual Scrum teams in a productive order.
If you are a large organization that has been in business for a while, SAFe might be easier to progress toward than strictly Scrum implementation at scale. SAFe also applies the Agile method to the entire company, not solely to one team at a time.
On the other hand, adding managers can compromise the freedom of Scrum teams to be innovative and act independently. If you implement it wrong, SAFe can turn out just as challenging as an old-school approach, such as the waterfall methodology.
A SAFe product vision is not as flexible. Decisions are no longer made by the people closest to the problem. Some people feel SAFe doesn’t count as an Agile approach at all, since it doesn’t entirely commit to the principles in the Agile Manifesto.
If your organization is considering implementing SAFe, review the SAFe implementation roadmap for detailed steps regarding successful implementation strategies.
LeSS framework
Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS) is a framework that resembles the traditional Scrum framework but is quite different. LeSS is a way for scaling Scrum to multiple teams that work in unison on the same project.
LeSS applies Scrum principles to organizations operating on a larger scale. LeSS focuses on implementing cross-functional teams that differ in size. There may be a handful of workers on one team, or there may be hundreds or thousands.
In the LeSS framework, teams should be independent and cross-functional. Scrum Masters focus on several teams and practices, instead of a single team. Managers are not always utilized in LeSS, and their duties may vary.
LeSS frameworks and principles are designed to support the needs of larger teams. These principles help create more collaborative, responsible teams that have a greater customer focus.
These guiding principles help teams concentrate on the customer. Transparency, and providing customer-centric values are needed for organizations to remain competitive and responsive.
Like SAFe, LeSS also has a number of core principles empowering teams to apply the general Scrum philosophy throughout the entire organization. The principles include:
1. Large Scale Scrum is Scrum
2. Transparency
3. More with less
4. Customer-centric
5. Systems thinking
6. Lean thinking
7. Whole product focus
8. Continuous improvement towards perfection
9. Queuing theory
10. Experimental process control
Basic LeSS vs LeSS Huge
Basic LeSS is typically used for two to eight teams (10-50 people), whereas LeSS Huge is used for over eight teams (50+ people)
They share these similarities: one product backlog, one definition of done, one definition of ready, one (overall) Senior/Lead Product Manager, and one sprint.
The main difference is LeSS Huge has: Area Product Managers, area product backlogs, area product vision, and a set of parallel meetings per area.
It’s important to remember these frameworks are just guides. Every organization has its own structure. It’s completely acceptable to adjust a framework to suit the organizational structure and industry sector.
Adaeze Obinna
FAST Agile
FAST Agile (Fluid Scaling Technology) combines Open Space and Open Allocation to create a straightforward and simple to master agile approach. FAST may be a little ahead of its time and requires certain conditions to work.
This was true of scrum and any agile method when first introduced. The way we worked and the way we looked at work had to change before agile could be accepted as a conventional way to work.
FAST Process:
• Merge teams into a tribe
• Throw work on the wall
• Let teams self-organize around the work
• In 2-3 days, meet back and share progress
• Repeat
Like SAFe and LeSS, FAST also has several principles that guide the process. However FAST is its own method inspired by Open Space Technology. FAST principles include the following:
• Do the right thing.
• Mentor and be mentored.
• Be a T-shaped generalizing specialist.
• Emergent design and architecture.
• If you feel you can add more value by switching teams, then switch teams.
In a nutshell, FAST is focused on autonomy, shared purpose, self-organization and collaboration.
Final thoughts
The Agile frameworks are frequently thought of as a single methodological approach. Many methods haven't been mentioned here.
No matter the exact methods and strategies they employ, Agile teams are demonstrated to boost profits by 37% faster and produce 30% higher revenue as compared to companies that aren't Agile.
Achieving business agility and the added value and benefits of Lean-Agile at scale is not an insignificant effort. Organizations must fully embrace the Agile mindset and develop a culture that is nimble, open-minded and allows for autonomy.
These frameworks provide a sustainable path to help large organizations successfully scale Agile and achieve desired business outcomes.
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