AgileTHIS

…so this it finally it! My first blog and my first post on it. On this blog I will try to focus on project management in general and on the agile perspective of projects. One of my key workareas is how to include the agile projects into a traditional project environment – How can Scrum and any other project method co-exist – How do we handle agile contracts, and what does an agile project NOT give you as a project manager, Scrum Master or any other projectmember.

Im a certified Scrum Product Owner and right in the middle of attaining my PRINCE2 certification. Since 2007 I have been in charge of starting up aprox. 10 new Scrum teams – both in the private and public sector – and I have been running projects since 1998. Over the last 2 years I have often stumpled upon people with too many expectations and way too much prejudice against project methods - because why is it that spokesmen of both camps say “we cant co-exist with the other part” without trying…

In my worldview alot of organisations are missing out of huge innovation by not letting go of their prejudice – I really hate the fact that people who are saying: “Im the agile kind-of-person” – or “Im the waterfall kind-of-person” for that matter - aren’t being agile against the process and method itself. You shouldn’t go with Scrum just because it’s agile or Scrum, but because it brings you value – It’s ok to just use parts of the method as long as it is working for you, your projects, your clients or your organisation… then just don’t call it Scrum. Call it what it is – your method! You know – teamwork can be called a lot of things – and Scrum is just one of them!

March this year I will be attending my 2nd. Scrum Gathering. The last one was in Stockholm, where I heard alot of talk about Scrumbutts. Scrumbutt is a saying, when your not really doing Scrum 100%. I know that Scrum is working – true – but we need to take it to the next level now. We need to make it co-exits with the rest of the world instead of just acting like the Borgs from Star Trek – “Resistance is futile. We wish to improve ourselves. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service ours…” that worldview is so wrong – because we cant just close our eyes to the fact that our projects DOES need maintenance and DOES perhaps need a Sprint ZERO to startup with in order to remove impediments.

So these are some of the things I in the future will blog about – feel free to comment them and this post as well.

Enjoy reading and have a fantastic day!

/Chris