Benefits of Agile Project Management

00:04 Okay. Let's have a look at what Agile project management can bring to the project management table.

00:11 In 2001, a group of software development professionals published the Agile Manifesto listing its core values.

00:20 We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others to do it.

00:26 Through this work, we have come to value.

00:29 Working software over comprehensive documentation, individuals and interactions over processes and tools.

00:38 Customer collaboration over contract negotiation responding to change over following a plan that is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.

00:54 Based on this text, we can conclude that with customer focused projects, the Agile approach is better.

01:01 With these types of projects, the product is gradually developed and reviewed multiple times. This reduces the risk of not satisfying the customer's needs.

01:11 It also gives the customer the opportunity to learn more about the product and to assess what best suits their needs.

01:17 They can then share the insights with the team while the project is progressing rather than just at the end.

01:24 This will suit the project manager because it will keep the cost of change under control. By working closely and interacting frequently with the customer and the team. During Agile approach, the project manager can reduce knowledge gaps between what is being planned and what the actual needs of the customer are.

01:41 Miscommunication is likely to be avoided.

01:45 The opportunity to dynamically update a project as it develops is a massive plus. After each iteration, the team has the chance to share what has been effective so far, what has been missed and what can be added to the next iteration.

01:59 This workflow makes innovative ideas easier to implement, and when the priority of a task needs to be updated, work can smoothly be brought forward or postponed. Review sessions also bring product testing into the spotlight instead of having the traditional and more rigid report of actual versus planned data there.

02:22 This means more time is given to testing for bugs and resolving issues which will lead to a working software.

02:29 Excellent. Ajo sounds like a really useful method for project management, right? Well, let's end with a theoretical example of where the Agile approach would really make a difference.

02:43 Imagine the project management office for the 2024 Olympics in Paris have given you a project with the following scope.

02:51 Create a blockchain based system to register all tourists for the games and record specific details such as ID, arrival and departure dates, hotel location tickets they have purchased and more.

03:05 You complete your detailed planning and move into execution.

03:10 Three months in, you hold a project meeting.

03:13 Through discussion with the stakeholders, you become aware that a few new requirements have been made, which are obviously not part of the scope.

03:21 First, the sponsor has added a requirement that the software must now ensure connectivity with French customs.

03:28 The Minister of Internal Affairs requested this as soon as they were briefed about the project. Next.

03:34 During the course of the work, the developers identified a better way of structuring the system to guarantee smoother performance.

03:41 The new system is designed to collect most of the information automatically, thus saving weeks of work.

03:49 And third, the Olympic PR and marketing department have suggested some design improvements. They want to amend various colors, fonts and graphs to factor in newer and trendier ones.

04:01 You can see these suggestions are all beneficial to the project.

04:04 However, they undo much of the work that has already been completed.

04:08 Effectively, this renders 50% of the scope created so far useless.

04:13 Employing the agile approach to this project would have brought all these changes to light a lot earlier and the project would have evolved naturally, saving both cost and time. Makes sense, right? Awesome. And that's the agile approach.

04:30 Remember Project manager? Projects you take home will not come with a disclaimer stating which approach to use that is for you and your wealth of knowledge and experience to determine.

04:42 But we have no doubt that with everything you have learned here, plus that intuitive mind of yours, you will make the right decision.

04:51 Plus, if you're ever in doubt, feel free to consult the friendly guys from the project management office.

04:58 Congratulations. You've made it through the course.

05:01 I hope it was as amazing for you as it was for us.

05:05 And as you go out into the world of project management to learn more and more on top of all we've done here together, we wish you the best of luck with any and all projects you help to succeed.

05:17 Thank you so much for watching and taking your first steps toward a fulfilling project management career with us.

05:24 Goodbye.