Agile project management is a popular approach to project management that completes things in small sections called iterations. Each itineration is often reviewed by the project team as well as others involved with the project and this critique is used to determine the next steps. Agile project management training involves teaching these approaches and allowing people to become a AgilePM practitioner to use in a variety of roles.
Basics of agile project management
Agile works on the basis that when people are empowered and interact quickly with a project, there is a higher and constant delivery of value. The aim is to provide the maximum value for business priorities in time and budget allowed.
The project management system means that each project becomes smaller pieces which are then created in order of importance. It involves working with the customer as well as other members of the team to ensure everyone is engaged and contributes. Agile projects reflect, learn and adjust at regular intervals so the customer is satisfied, the goals are being met and problems are handled as quickly as possible. And it creates a working mindset that allows the team to easily adapt when change is needed.
Why agile project management is popular
With the agile approach, there is a sense of those being involved having more power over what happens, and this can encourage a diversity of ideas. People feel more engaged and responsible for the project and are keen to contribute which leads to the continuous improvement of processes and the whole project.
Because clients are involved with the process in agile project management, there is better engagement and rapport built between all areas of the team. Changes are incremental and evolutionary rather than revolutionary and responded to things that haven’t worked. This also allows for positive cultural change during the lifespan of the project.
Agile also allows ‘gremlins’ to be tested and either dealt with or rejected early in the process. This offers tight feedback loops compared to other project management approaches such as the waterfall approach.
AgilePM practitioner
The Agile Project Management or AgilePM training certification is designed to help people learn to adapt and use the agile project management approach. It is also designed to help companies that want to use this leaner structure to their project management, allowing them to respond more quickly to change while learning to implement high priority initiatives.
The training system works alongside formal approaches such as PRINCE2 and also complements the standards such as ISO 9001 and CMM1. It uses proven fundamental within DSDM Stern to create a certificate that delivers the learning needed to adapt to the fast-paced, changing approach that is agile.
Who is the training for?
This kind of training is perfect for both new and experienced project management staff. This means you don’t need previous experience in project management to take it but if you have, it will complement what you already know. It is also popular with contract staff or consultants who will be working in agile project management environments and want to better understand how the system works.
Another category of people who take the training is for project managers who want to specialise in the agile approach and need certification to confirm this. In fact, anyone wanting to learn how to use agile for their projects, whether personal or business related, can benefit from the training.
What the training includes
Quality agile project management training will learn candidates how to lay the foundations for successful agile projects and teach them how an agile project is managed. This can be by comparing to other systems to help highlight the differences. It will also work through the different management styles required for successful agile projects versus the ‘traditional’ project management styles seen.
In order to gain certification, there is usually a test or exam. One example can be a question basis where a pass mark is achieved at 50% correct or above. These tests usually take 2+ hours to complete and candidates that reach the pass mark will be awarded a recognised certificate in agile project management.
This knowledge can then be applied to projects within their business or used as a means to apply for agile-based jobs.
There is also a relatively new project management certification called Half Double. The Half Double Methodology is a project management approach based on actual human behaviour, unpredictability and complexity. It has been tested and validated through numerous projects in various industries and been applied to a wide range of project types – and it works. Find out more information at the Half Double Institute website.
