
In this lecture, we'll have a brief introduction, reviewing some concepts you've likely come across in the past when working with Agile, including its benefits, and important principles to ensure its success.
Download and complete the Introduction Worksheet.
Here, we'll run through a range of key terms in Agile. If you're new to Agile, consider this a crash course in the methodology. We'll cover everything you need to know about project structure, team member roles, tools, and processes.
Download and complete the User Stories Worksheet.
This lecture explains how to calculate budgets for Agile projects. You'll learn how to calculate per-sprint budgets for both time and materials and fixed-price projects. What if you don't assign enough budget to a project? Some contingency budget is always included in Agile projects, and you'll learn how to calculate it based on the confidence level i.e. how confident the team is in the project's success given the budgetary and time constraints. To conclude, we'll go over a few extra tips for staying within budget.
Download and complete the Agile Budgeting Worksheet.
The Agile Methodology does not make a project immune to problems - in this lecture, you'll learn what problems are often seen in Agile projects and how you can handle them. This includes interpersonal issues, scope creep, and issues when transitioning to Agile.
Download and complete the Overcoming Challenges In Agile Worksheet.
The nature of Agile projects lends well to implementing engagement strategies. In this lecture, we'll suggest a few tips for boosting team engagement, then we'll consider how you can adapt your management approach to accommodate individual needs, including the needs of neurodivergent individuals.
Download and complete the Engagement And Individual Needs Worksheet.
This concluding lecture recaps the course content and encourages you to reflect on what you've learnt.
Have you heard the term “Agile” thrown around in your projects but never been properly instructed on how to get the most from the methodology? Have you been using Agile Project Management methods for some time and are looking for ways to improve your execution? Have you recently been put in charge of the budget for an Agile project and need further guidance on how to accurately budget and avoid scope creep?
If so, this course is designed for you. Whether you’re new to Agile or you’ve worked with it before, there’s something in it for you.
The Agile Methodology originates from software engineering. It provided developers with the flexibility to adapt to changing requirements, which was a challenge with earlier approaches. Agile has since been adapted for use in any business project. The methodology involves working in short phases with regular reviews. The course starts out by recapping the fundamentals of the methodology, helping new adopters of Agile get up to speed, and refreshing the memory of anyone that’s used it before. Next, we move on to Agile budgeting. You’ll learn the rationale behind Agile budgeting and how to conduct risk assessments to ensure you include enough contingency funds. A lack of contingency funds is a recipe for disaster, so it’s essential to get this step right. We’ll then briefly look at how burndown charts are used in agile budgeting, before going over a few final tips to help you stay within budget.
After that, we address common challenges that Agile projects face. While Agile is generally more successful than older Project Management methods, it’s not perfect, so it’s essential to be equipped to handle any issues that may arise.
The final part of the course focuses on engaging your team and catering to individual needs in implementing Agile. In particular, we focus on the needs of neurodiverse teams, as the Agile methodology can conflict with the working style of some neurodivergent individuals. Agile should be flexible, not taken as dogma, so adapting the typical working day to accommodate all team members is a must.
By the time you've completed the course, you'll have a deep understanding of the principles of Agile and how to apply them to your projects, from budgeting to execution.