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Agile project management: principles, structure, and methods in 2024.

Wes Brummette

October 15, 2020

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Are you looking to learn about Agile project management ?

Agile project management is a modern project management approach that breaks your project down into smaller, more manageable chunks. You work on each of these chunks during 1-2 week intervals called sprints, helping you easily incorporate customer feedback and make project changes.

As a result, a number of companies have started adopting the Agile approach, making it one of the most common project management methodologies today. Agile adoption within software development teams increased from 37% in 2020 to 86% in 2021.

However, what is Agile project management exactly ?

We have everything you need to know about managing agile projects it in this article.

Looking for an easy way to manage your Agile team all in one place? Get ClickUp’s Agile Management Template for free here!

What Is Agile Project Management?

Why does traditional software development fail, what are the benefits of agile project management.

• Which Companies Follow Agile Project Management?

What Are The 12 Principles Of Agile?

What is the structure of an agile team.

• What are The Different Agile Project Management Methods?

How Does Agile Project Management Work?

Roadblocks with agile methodologies.

Let’s get started!

Agile project management is a modern project management method that dramatically improves the efficiency, adaptability, and success rate of projects. It breaks your project down into short 2-week development cycles called sprints.

Agile is really successful because it actively involves customers in the development process by creating continuous feedback loops for them.  Recent project management solutions have started to incorporate Agile functionalities and features to help facilitate this improvement in productivity.

What are the differences between traditional project management and Agile?

Tr aditional project management methods like Waterfall involve working for months (and even years) at a stretch to deliver a final working product. In Agile, however, there are continuous releases of the working software every one or two weeks. 

Sure, adopting Waterfall lets you work uninterrupted, but it’s putting a whole lot of faith in yourself! Are you really that sure that your customers are going to love all of the features you’ve spent months/years on? 

Agile techniques help your team make quick modifications to your project in line with changing customer needs and project realities.

Unlike traditional project management methods like the Waterfall methodology , Agile embraces change and welcomes customer feedback and user stories into its development process . Adaptability, productivity, and customer focus are the core facets of it.

That’s why it’s called Agile!

Check out our detailed comparison of Agile vs Waterfall , to get a better idea of how these methodologies differ .

Traditional methods are nearly guaranteed to exceed their budgets and timelines. Moreover, customers are always less satisfied with software built with this approach.

There are two major reasons why it’s faulty:

1. Unrealistic and rigid plans

“Here’s the annual plan . Do this”

Essentially, that’s how traditional software development works.

A cross-functional group of senior leaders will decide what the software should look like and determine a timeline and budget. They will tell the project manager to make a project plan to complete the project within those time and budget constraints.

However, top-down plans are unrealistic because they don’t consider the inputs of those people who will actually do hands-on work on the project. 

Rigid plans are also counterproductive because they make it difficult to quickly change the work when something goes wrong. Besides, they also put enormous pressure on the developers, which affects their productivity.

Want to stay productive when working from home but not sure how to? Here are 10 tips to help you out .

2. Incorrect assumptions

Every project begins with a vision of what the output is supposed to look like. This vision is based on certain assumptions about what would be most useful to the customer.

But that’s all they are: assumptions.

After the project initiation , you might find that several of these assumptions turn out to be different from the facts. And when you deliver the project, the customers might change their minds about what they want. 

Which can make you tear your hair out, we get it.

That’s a completely acceptable reaction.

However, that’s also perfectly normal customer behavior too . Customers can’t be expected to be 100% clear about what they want. 

Only once they experience the product can they truly offer meaningful feedback.  

The truth is, human beings are not great at predicting what they want. 

The only way a customer will actually know what’s useful to them is through actually using the product.

A common challenge in traditional development is that you spend months building a tool based on assumptions about what your customers want.

And if you are wrong? 

Your customers reject your product, and you lose millions in dollars of project work.

This waste was all too commonplace before companies started implementing Agile methodologies.

With numerous acceptance tests , Agile helps you work closely with end-users and change the direction of the project based on their feedback. This makes a massive difference to the success and quality of the final products. 

You’re literally building a product for the customers and by the customers!

Why break up your work?

As you’re breaking down your project into smaller segments, it helps you quickly release each segment to your customer base when it’s completed. This helps you get instant customer feedback for each sprint and make any necessary changes and fixes immediately. 

How does this help?

With continuous improvement and the continuous integration of product features based on customer feedback, there’s a lower chance of delivering something that doesn’t match your customer’s final expectations. Additionally, as you’re making the changes immediately, you’re creating self-organizing teams that manage themselves.

How long are sprints?

Unlike the Waterfall approach , Agile sprints are usually short and run between two to four weeks. This short turnaround time ensures that things move quickly, and you implement feedback as soon as possible.

Ever wonder why the Agile project management method is so popular?

It’s because the project management methodology works !

Here’s a closer look at a few of the numerous benefits you get when you switch to an Agile framework :

1. Better customer satisfaction

Unlike other management methodologies, a high degree of customer satisfaction is Agile’s project success metric. 

Instead of assuming what a customer may want or need, the Agile approach actively collaborates with them to give them a product they’re happy with. This is largely down to the sprint-based approach, where you have regular intervals to accommodate user stories and opinions at all project stages.

2. More adaptability

Unlike other project management methodologies, Agile welcomes change. 

It’s an extremely adaptable project management methodology , allowing you to deal with sudden project scope and feature changes with ease!

Confused about what project scope is? Learn more about project scopes.

3. On-time and budget

Adaptability helps project teams develop collaborative decision making to make tradeoffs between time and budget constraints over project goals . Consequently, projects experience faster turnaround times and stay within budget.

Cost savings and time savings?

Talk about the best of both worlds!

4. Better teamwork

As this methodology prioritizes face-to-face collaboration, it results in better teamwork. Everyone actively works together to make the customer happy and accommodate user stories. 

Additionally, Scrum meetings are the perfect place for your team to build chemistry and resolve any pending issues or queries. 

5. Increased motivation

Agile’s sprint-based approach is the perfect way to boost team morale . As they only work on smaller, short-term project goals , they can complete them quickly and feel a sense of achievement. This will motivate them to carry on and complete more sprints faster!

Look at it like this:

Since you’re splitting your project into shorter, more achievable deliverables, you can complete more deliverables. And that means rewarding yourself more.

Bonus: Check out our guides on Agile Metrics & KPIs & Agile Story Points ! 💜

Which Companies Follow Agile Project Management ?

The popularity of the Agile approach has exploded in the past decade and is widely applied in managing software development work . 

It’s now followed by companies, including Fortune 100 companies (IBM) mid-sized companies (Red Hat) to startups (ClickUp).

Although Agile is primarily used in software development, it’s also used in domains such as professional services, manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, etc.

Get the top Agile project management tips from Agile experts

The Agile Manifesto is a document that was developed by Jeff Sutherland and Martin Fowler. It’s a body of knowledge that defines what the Agile methodology stands for and what its guiding principles are.

• Customer satisfaction must always be your highest priority. The only way to do this is through early and continuous test-driven, sustainable development.
• Always embrace changing product requirements , even if they’re at the latter stages of the development process. These iterative (recurring) changes help you target a customer’s needs and wants better
• Deliver working results like products and services frequently. That’s the only way to get continual customer feedback and adapt the next version in line with what customers genuinely need 
• The primary mark of a successful project is a working product or working solution that satisfies a customer’s needs
• Aim for test-driven sustainable development. Your agile team must be able to maintain constant pace and high quality work indefinitely
• Continuous dedication to technical excellence will help you adapt to customer feedback and deliver a final product that satisfies their needs
• Team members and project stakeholders must actively collaborate for continuous improvement. Actively working together is the only way to get a clear, shared understanding to implement customer feedback
• Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the support and environment they need to get the work done
• Face-to-face conversation, in person, is the most efficient way to collaborate over projects. After all, we’re all a little tired of video meetings, right now!
• The best project work comes from self-organizing teams. When teams can manage themselves, they need less supervision, and your project can progress faster
• Simplicity is a core element of the Agile framework. Simplicity can be viewed as cutting down any unnecessary steps and procedures from your general management process
• Remember to constantly evaluate your team’s progress at regular intervals. Use this to fine-tune your future sprints and processes

How do these principles help ?

The Agile Manifesto gives you a very clear measure of what a successful product should be. As long as it satisfies your customers’ wants, it’s a good product. By emphasizing a sustainable incremental and iterative approach to software development, you can support constant changes without getting bogged down or burn out. This will help you maintain high-quality work

As your team is constantly in touch with your customers, there’s no chance of them misunderstanding what your customers really need from a product 

Additionally, by following an adaptive project framework for changing requirements, you’re able to give customers their priority items first, even if they’ve only informed you of this later on. No more hyperventilating after last-minute change requests! 

As you cut down on unnecessary steps and processes, it’s easier to speed things up to cope with changing project demands

What are the 4 core values of Agile?

The 4 core values of the Agile method are:

• Customer collaboration is key
• Embrace change
• Individuals over software
• Working software over extensive documentation

Here’s a breakdown of each one:

A. Customer collaboration is key

The manifesto for Agile also prioritizes customer satisfaction over contract negotiation .

This Agile value states that the only way to truly satisfy the customer is to continuously involve them in the test-driven development process .

Your project team must routinely turn to your customer base for hands-on experience on how the product is shaping up. It’s then up to your team to tweak your project as per your customer’s recommendations. 

This constant collaboration process is the only way to create a final product that meets your customer’s product requirements .

Sure, you could try and simply read their minds to find out what they want, but we’re not sure about how successful that’ll be!

B. Embrace change

Most other project management methodologies view change as an unnecessary spike in project cost . This makes agile the best project management methodology for non-profits , especially for those planning events !

However, that’s not the case with the Agile projects.

The Agile Manifesto understands that change is the only way to eliminate waste and achieve continuous improvement . 

That’s because initial assumptions about a project often prove to be incorrect. And when that’s the case, trying to fit the project requirements to those faulty assumptions leads to inferior products that no one really wants!

*ahem* foldable smartphones *ahem*

That’s why every Agile sprint gives your team ample opportunities to review every project development phase and make easy changes to them, offering you greater flexibility.

C. Individuals over software

One of the major benefits of the Agile Manifesto is that it prioritizes individuals and interactions over the software products and processes.

Because, no matter how complex and advanced your Agile tools and Agile processes get, there’ll always be a human element attached to it. And it is this human element that’s integral to understanding customer needs and adapting to them

D. Working software over extensive documentation

Agile prioritizes delivering working software or a working prototype over carefully documenting everything. 

For example, when you’re under time constraints, Agile practices emphasize on value delivery , i.e. delivering a final finished product over documenting what you are doing for future reference.

You can always document things later, but if you don’t prioritize delivering the end product, you’ll miss your deadline!

However, that doesn’t mean this project methodology views documentation as useless. While it doesn’t prioritize it to the extent that the Waterfall approach does, documentation is essential for reviewing sprints and trying to optimize them.

You need something to look back on and be proud of, right?

If you want a more detailed look at these values, check out our detailed guide on Agile values .

An Agile team is usually a small unit with a product owner leading the way, helping the team understand what the customers need. The project manager, in turn, is in charge of making the development team members do their job properly.

However, the best thing about the Agile methodology is that it’s adaptable to your entire business setup. That’s why you’ll rarely find two Agile practitioner companies with the exact same team setup!

Want more clarity on how Agile teams work? Here’s our complete guide .

What are The Different Agile Project Management Method s ?

There are tons of variations on the Agile project management methodology . 

However, four of the most popular are:

• Extreme Programming

Here’s a small breakdown of each:

1. Scrum project management 

Scrum project management is a popular Agile development method . 

The Scrum framework is characterized by:

• A Scrum master (project manager) and a self-organizing Scrum team  
• Breaking down the entire project life cycle of a product into separate time boxes called sprints
• A Scrum team which works in sprints that last from one to four weeks
• Cross-functional groups with overlapping responsibilities
• Best For : Longer projects that constantly evolve and change. For example, developing a new software product when you’re unsure of what users want

At ClickUp, we love Scrum. It’s one of the reasons why we also love writing about it!

For a quick brief on it, check out our article comparing Agile vs Scrum .

And if you’re really curious about Scrum, we have tons of resources explaining what it is and how it works. 

To get started, we recommend these articles:

What is Scrum project management?

What is a Scrum master?

What are Scrum roles?

What are Scrum artifacts?

What are Scrum values?

Kanban is a visual-first Agile methodology that just happens to sound like Marie Kondo’s newest organizing technique.

The Kanban methodology is characterized by:

• Prioritizing the amount of work that’s in progress over everything else
• Always visualizing your workflows for simpler task scheduling and management
• Not having a timeboxed development life cycle
• Best For : Managing projects where priorities regularly change , and work-in-progress tasks may be abandoned

Here are our in-depth guides on Kanban project management and Kanban boards .

3. Lean software development

Lean software development is another frequently-used Agile project management method. As you might have guessed from it’s name, it’s all about removing unnecessary excess from your projects.

Here’s a quick look at some of the Lean principles :

• Minimizing wasteful and unnecessary activities at all project stages
• Focusing on value provided to the end customer and optimizing the whole rather than small parts
• Simplifying and shortening the software development life cycle
• Empowering individual team members to work on project activities themselves (something not usually present in a Waterfall project)
• Best For : Simplifying current processes and delivering only what is valuable (not everything possible). For example, when your development times are too high, and users aren’t adopting new features, use the Lean principles to solve this

In case you were wondering what those principles were, here’s our guide on Lean principles .

4. XP ( Extreme Programming )

The Extreme Programming form of Agile project management is characterized by:

• Focusing on the technical aspects of software development in particular
• Setting up consistent project stages for software developers
• Prioritizing face-to-face conversation within cross-functional teams
• Best For : Most complex software development projects

If you’re curious about XP, here’s our article on what XP is in Agile .

The Agile project management method can be broken down into two distinct processes: planning and sprints .

Here’s a step-by-step guide to both:

1. Project planning

As with any other methodology , the Agile process starts with project planning meetings . 

However, unlike the Waterfall approach , the Agile method emphasizes agility and minimal waste. 

That’s why your Agile planning stage shouldn’t be needlessly drawn-out and detailed. Just follow these three simple steps:

Project vision statement

This is a quick description of your project’s scope, project milestones , and deliverables. It’ll highlight the product vision, the targeted product specifications, and how it will satisfy customer needs.

Product roadmap

Your product roadmap highlights all the features you’re planning to add to the product specifications . It’ll also mention how each of these features is beneficial and how it helps the customer. 

Most roadmaps also include a rough timeline of when each feature is expected to be released.

Product backlog

A product backlog contains all the items in your product roadmap. However, this isn’t a concrete list of backlog items. Most teams add features to this backlog as changes are made, and new features are requested.

Unlike the Waterfall methodology, the Agile process prioritizes change. That’s why you should never view your project plan and backlog as unchangeable. Instead, look at it as a rough blueprint that you’ll keep editing as an agile project moves along.

Here are two other key concepts to keep in mind:

Release plan

Each project will have several release plans at progressive stages. Each of these plans will include a set of features to be released during a specific development cycle, called a sprint. It’s like a roadmap for your customers, giving them an idea of what’s to come (and what to be excited about!)

This is the deliverable at the end of the Agile sprint , such as a new feature that’s been developed.

Sprints are the backbone of any Agile process. They’re short development cycles that can range from a few days to even a couple of weeks. 

Here’s how they help:

• They break your project into smaller, more manageable parts. Instead of looking at one long-term goal, your team breaks the project into smaller increments that are more achievable. This, in turn, leads to continuous delivery and increased feelings of achievement and motivation!
• Sprints give your team the opportunity to constantly re-evaluate your project at every single development phase . This makes it easier for you to accommodate customer feedback and change things around

There are also four key meetings associated with sprints. Here’s a brief breakdown of each:

Sprint planning

Sprint planning sessions begin with your project team agreeing on the project goals and deliverables associated with it. They’ll go over who needs to perform which task and the expected timebox for this sprint. During the sprint planning stage, the sprint backlog is created.

The back log is the back bone of your project!

To understand this better, check our detailed article on sprint backlogs .

Daily Scrum meetings

Daily stand-up Scrum meetings are a core part of the Scrum framework. 

This Scrum meeting is usually a short 15-minute face-to-face conversation that gives your scrum teams a daily status update on what’s going on.

In the Scrum methodology, these are meetings that your software teams have on a daily basis, to discuss the previous day’s developments and plan ahead. They’ll go over roadblocks faced, things they learned, and any additions to the backlog.

Sprint review

The sprint review is a meeting where the teams present the project deliverables of an Agile sprint to the project sponsor, other stakeholders, and the customers. The product owner plays an active role here and will gather feedback from the stakeholder and customers and update the product backlog accordingly.

For a comprehensive look at this meeting, here’s our article on sprint reviews.

Sprint retrospective

The sprint retrospective takes place at the end of each sprint. It’s where the project team goes over the entire process to find out what worked and what didn’t. It’s a great way to determine what needs to change in future sprints to achieve optimal customer satisfaction. 

Learn more about sprint retrospectives.

3. User stories

Another big element of the Agile method is creating user stories around the features or products you’re working on. It forces developers, project owners, and product managers to go on a joint effort to think about how the user will respond when using the feature.

This way, you’re putting yourself into the shoes of your customers instead of thinking for them. We wouldn’t be surprised if Agile teams scored super high on empathy tests as a result!

Typically, user stories are short and descriptive statements. This can be stored in your task description with the feature you’re working on, or in the list description in ClickUp .

Here’s a basic example of a user story:

As a <<user>>, I want <<to do this>> so that <<I achieve this>> .

With user stories, the conversation changes from writing detailed requirements to discussing how the feature will be used and what it can do. 

When writing user stories, ask, “What will the user do, and what will it help them accomplish?” 

Sometimes this will be different for the various use cases . Oftentimes, teams will do this activity together, along with every relevant stakeholder (like the project sponsor ) towards the beginning of a project or sprint. 

If you want a detailed look at how all these parts come together, check out our article explaining Agile software development and the Agile environmen t .

While Agile project management is one of the most useful management methodologies, an Agile environment doesn’t suit every team or organizational structure.

Here are three cases against Agile adoption:

• If your executive team and project managers are inexperienced and unaccustomed to dealing with sudden changes
• If your company’s management team is culturally more comfortable working with rigid, standard work processes
• If your company takes a wild wild west approach to new processes and without setting up best practices.

However, this doesn’t mean that traditional organizations will never be able to adapt to an Agile project management environment.

Here are three things you can do to prepare yourself for an Agile environment:

Develop clear processes

Inconsistencies in agile processes and practices was voted the top agile adoption barrier for 46% of those surveyed in the State of Agile Report . If your company is going to embrace the agile methodology, make sure you have the key stakeholders in place and take an organized approach.

Consider Agile training and certifications: 

Accredited training organizations like the Project Management Institute and Agile Alliance give you the Agile coaching and resources you need to brush up on the Agile mindset . Once you get your thinking caps on and pass their PMI-ACP exam, you’ll have everything you need to become an Agile practitioner or even an Agile mentor .

For more information on this, check out the Top 7 Agile project management certifications.

Use the right Agile project management tool:

Tools like ClickUp are built for Agile project management practices. Once you start using them, you’ll have no difficulty moving on from your existing management methodologies and quickly adopting a scaled Agile framework !

Here’s our guide on the best Agile tools for a better look at what you should be working with.

It’s no secret that Agile project management is one of the world’s most popular project management methodologies.

It’s simple and quick to help your team breeze through your tasks and projects in no time! 

Additionally, as it emphasizes the change in response to customer feedback, you can rest assured that you’ll be putting out a product that your customers love.

If you’re looking to adopt Agile project management methods, why not try a software like ClickUp? 

It has everything you need to manage your projects and sprints effortlessly! Sign up for ClickUp’s forever free version today

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Agile Project Management: What It Is And Its Key Principles

Liz is an agilist and digital project manager with a passion for people, process, and technology and more than 15 years of experience leading people and teams across education, consulting, and technology firms. In her day-to-day, Liz works as the Chief of Staff at Performica, an HR software company revolutionizing how people give and receive feedback at work. Liz holds a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from The University of Southern California and teaches Leadership and Operations courses in the MBA program at the University of Portland. Liz holds numerous project management-related certifications including: PMP, PMI-ACP, CSP-SM, and a SPHR from HRCI to round out the people-focused side of her work.

Agile project management is often misunderstood or misrepresented. If you're trying to get a handle on what it is and whether it's useful for your team, this guide can help! Learn what it is, what it isn't, and how you can use it to get results.

Agile project management may be one of the most misunderstood concepts in our line of work. Let's dig into what it really means and how it can benefit you and your project team.

Projects that are using an agile framework are best managed in agile project management software .

What Is Agile Project Management?

Agile project management is an approach that prioritizes iterative and incremental product delivery, allowing teams to retain the flexibility and adaptability needed to respond to and incorporate stakeholder feedback.

Rather than following a linear path, as some project management methodologies do, agile encourages being responsive and adapting to changes at any point in the development or project life cycle , without having to go back to the beginning. 

While some refer to agile as a methodology, it's really more of a mindset oriented around the Agile Manifesto. It involves staying open to change, and prioritizing progress over perfection.

For a quick explanation (using burgers!), check out this video.

Agile Vs. Traditional Waterfall Methods

The main difference between agile and waterfall project management methods is that agile approaches prioritize quick increments of work and frequent feedback from stakeholders, while waterfall is sequential and focuses on completing a project in one, linear process.

Here's a table comparing the main qualities of agile and waterfall.

Check out this video to learn more.

Agile Project Management Values & Principles

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Agile Values

The four core values of agile are:

• Prioritizing people and interactions over processes and tools
• Prioritizing a working product over comprehensive documentation
• Prioritizing customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

These four values make agile an extremely responsive and iterative approach that favors flexibility over rigidity. It focuses on problem solving over record keeping.

The 12 Fundamental Principles of Agile in Project Management

The creators of the Agile Manifesto introduced the 12 agile principles that still underpin today's philosophy. They are:

• Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software [but this can be applied to non-software projects, too!].
• Welcome changing requirements , even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.
• Deliver working software frequently , from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
• Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
• Build projects around motivated individuals . Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
• The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation .
• Working software [or value of project outcomes] is the primary measure of progress.
• Agile processes promote sustainable development . The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
• Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
• Simplicity —the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential.
• The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams .
• At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.

When To Use Agile

There are several project situations that lend themselves well to agile project management.

• Unclear or changing requirements: If you’re expecting your project’s requirements to change (or you’re not sure what they are), agile will keep you flexible. This is the case with many software development projects—things change and move quickly as you receive feedback from stakeholders and users. 
• High need for stakeholder engagement: Agile is useful when you need ongoing feedback or input from stakeholders and decision-makers. If you’re working on a marketing campaign for a client that includes multiple rounds of feedback and requires final approval on designs, copy, taglines, or logos, agile is the way to go.
• Rapid testing and prototyping: If you’re required to create a variety of prototypes with different levels of fidelity, like you might if you’re working on a mobile app or website, agile allows you to get started quickly and to be able to adapt your prototypes without going all the way back to the beginning. 
• Need for incremental delivery: Projects that require phases to be delivered separately or where final approval is needed before moving on to a new phase, such as a website project that requires a front-end build as well as a user login portal, are well-suited for agile.

Agile Project Management Pros & Cons

The Benefits of Agile Project Management

Agile project management offers projects the following benefits:

• It increases collaboration and engagement between clients and end users.
• By focusing on small changes over time, it supports organizational culture change .
• It reduces wasted time and effort , and removes unnecessary meetings, allowing the team more time to focus on completing their deliverables.
• It increases flexibility and allows the team to make changes without needing to start from scratch.
• It increases the speed of your feedback loops due to quicker turnarounds, quicker feedback, and rapid detection of issues. If the team is going in the wrong direction, they can be corrected quickly to reduce wasted time.
• It increases accountability from the team by clearly delineating who is responsible for what, and builds trust by allowing the team to work closely with the project sponsor to ensure alignment through the project.

Drawbacks of Agile

Consider these potential drawbacks and challenges before jumping headfirst into agile:

• It can make predicting a final delivery date and total costs up front difficult . 
• It can lead to unnecessary scope creep if teams (or clients) take advantage of the flexibility it offers. 
• It requires complete buy-in and commitment from team members and other stakeholders, some of whom may prefer to be more hands-off or high-level.
• It doesn’t work in large organizations that have a strict hierarchy , because it requires quick decision-making and close collaboration. 
• Documentation is often lacking or completely missing , due to the prioritization of working products.

4 Popular Agile Methodologies

There are over 50 agile methodologies under the umbrella of the agile mindset. This implies that even though we can talk about an “agile methodology,” the reality is that the concept means different things to different people. 

By the term methodology, we refer to the system or strategy used by a development team or project team that follows the agile approach. Here are some of the most popular agile methods:  

• Scrum uses a rigid schedule of events including sprints and meetings (known as Scrum ceremonies ) at intervals to address a set amount of work from the product backlog within a project. The 3 roles are the Scrum master, the product owner, and the Scrum team members. Scrum is great for teams who value predictability in delivery and transparency with stakeholders. It provides a simple process for delegating tasks and prioritizing them appropriately.
• Kanban is based on the visual display of current tasks, future tasks, and completed tasks on a Kanban board while limiting work in progress. The visual display assists agile team members in seeing where their tasks are in the process. Work in progress is limited to encourage the team to collectively finish what they started before taking on new work. 
• Scrumban combines the collaboration cadence of Scrum with the flexibility of Kanban and almost always leverages a Kanban board. Scrumban teams often engage in daily scrum meetings (also known as daily standups), sprint planning meetings, sprint reviews, and sprint retrospectives, but might skip story point estimation, as an example. 
• Lean aims to keep a project or ongoing operations trimmed by discouraging waste. This helps to keep the system clutter-free while improving the flow of value.

Other popular agile methodologies with agile practices are eXtreme Programming , Crystal , and the Dynamic System Development Method (DSDM). There are even some advocates of agnostic agile, an agile framework that prioritizes what’s best for the software development project, rather than a specific agile methodology.

Example of Agile in Action

One instance where agile is particularly useful is in website design and development projects. Paul Naybour, Business Development Director at Parallel Project Training , is currently using an agile approach for a website redesign and development project, in order “ to both speed up the development process and better control changes to the design of the website as we move into the development phase. ”

Agile brings other benefits to Naybour’s project as well:

By using Kanban board-style tools we have implemented a user-friendly way to more easily visualise workflows and manage backlogs – all underpinned by an agile framework. The result is a re-designed website that is on track to fully deliver on the initial objectives of the project on a short timescale.

Paul Naybour

Business Development Director, Parallel Project Training

Similarly, agile is useful for mobile app development projects. Airteam, a digital agency based in Australia, recently completed an app for Doctors’ Health Fund. Delivery Manager Ben Mullaley noted that “ agile rituals like weekly stand-ups played a pivotal role in ensuring the app's success. By promptly addressing emerging requirements through these sessions, we directly benefited our client, Doctor[s’] Health Fund. ”

He continued:

The agile approach enabled us to swiftly adapt to their evolving needs, resulting in a tailored solution that enhances their service offerings to their members, ultimately strengthening their position as a provider of private health insurance in Australia.

Ben Mullaley

Delivery Manager, Airteam

8 Myths About Agile

Agile has become quite a buzzword in digital industries recently. With any good buzz word comes a bunch of misunderstandings about what it is or isn’t. A few of my favorite well-socialized myths about agile include: 

• Agile is only for software projects : While agile gained popularity as a method of software development, its approach to iterative development can be used in many different types of project management contexts, from web design and product development to marketing campaigns and customer service.
• Agile replaces traditional project management : Agile doesn't replace traditional project management but rather complements it, by providing new methods and project management tools to aid teams in better meeting their goals faster and more efficiently.
• Agile focuses mainly on speed at the expense of quality : While agile encourages teams to move quickly, it's still important to maintain high quality standards throughout the process. Quality should be a priority when implementing agile strategies.
• Agile is all about team structure : Although team structure is important in agile and communication within the team is highly valued, it's not the only factor that contributes to successful implementation of an agile approach. The values and principles behind agile are just as important as any team structure or methodology that may be applied.
• Agile avoids committing to delivery dates : While agile allows for more flexibility in delivery, schedule-focused planning can be accomplished with close collaboration between stakeholders and delivery teams. “Doing agile” does not mean you can stop planning projects or go-live dates (read more about agile planning here ).
• Agile eliminates the need for documentation : Documentation plays an important role in an agile environment as it provides a single source of truth for all stakeholders involved in a project, allowing them to stay informed and up-to-date on progress at all times. In high-compliance environments, documentation is simply treated as a requirement.
• Agile does not involve stakeholders : Stakeholders remain involved throughout agile projects, from initiation through delivery, in order to provide feedback and ensure that all requirements are being handled appropriately. Agile is communication-heavy and requires swift feedback loops.
• Agile avoids accountability to the business : Agile teams value collaboration, value creation, transparency and accountability to each other. Teams that are agile and are not acting in service of the business needs typically have other underlying issues at play such as politics, fear, or unnecessary bureaucracy.

How To Implement Agile Into Your Projects

Transitioning to agile requires more than a change or process, it requires the whole team to have a change of mindset, of heart, and fully buy-in to a new way of working. 

Here are a few tips for implementing agile into your projects:

• Teams need significant psychological safety and trust to make agile work . The change is not easy, and teams often hit bumps along the way, which requires an open and curious mind to overcome. 
• Encourage open communication and team-focused decision making . Talk with the team about the purpose behind implementing agile on the project, and ask for their participation in the process.
• If you select a specific methodology, such as Scrum, I highly suggest having one or more members of your team attend formal training in Scrum and trying to “run it by the book” for the first 6-months or so before fine-tuning specific items. This trial period allows enough time for the team to give it a go, but not so much time that a bad practice feels never-ending. 
• The key is open communication and project retrospectives . Be sure you’re hearing from everyone as the team makes decisions on how to operate—everyone’s voice matters!

Best Practices For Delivering Projects In Agile

Agile is great for all the reasons listed above. However, when considering agile for your approach, there are a couple of things to be mindful of:

• Constant communication about estimation : As agile is based on the premise that teams won’t always know what the end product will look like, it can be difficult to accurately predict the cost, time, or resources needed at the beginning of a project. Constant communication between stakeholders and the project team will be key to navigating this challenge. 
• Keep track of long-term goals : Whereas on one hand agile provides refreshing flexibility, on the other hand, it can be hard to keep track of progress on long-term goals or projects that require significant architectural or infrastructural builds. Agile values incremental delivery and sometimes it is hard to visualize the end result when the blueprint is not 100% set before you begin building. 
• Maintain collaboration : While agile fosters greater collaboration between teams both internally and externally, this approach does require considerable and continued commitment from all stakeholders. The best Scrum masters and agile project leaders are excellent communicators—do not undervalue this. 

Of course, the above can be mitigated by having an experienced, committed team well as by using the right tools.

Follow this step-by-step project guide to ensure nothing is overlooked.

What’s Next?

Agile project management frameworks and other project management approaches are covered more in-depth in our Mastering Digital Project management course . You’ll learn about the entire project life cycle from start to finish, specific agile project management methodologies, and how to create important project documentation like risk management plans and estimates (with templates)!

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Agile Methodology Definition

Benefits of agile vs. other methods, agile methodology examples, how to learn agile, agile methodology: the bottom line, what is agile methodology a guide for beginners.

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Forage puts students first. Our blog articles are written independently by our editorial team. They have not been paid for or sponsored by our partners. See our full  editorial guidelines .

Table of Contents

When you’re trying to get something done at work that requires various teams, goals, resources, and demands, everyone has to get on the same page — not only about what needs to get done, but how it should get done. This is where project management methodologies come in. 

One of the most common project management frameworks in 2024 is Agile methodology. Agile is an iterative, collaborative, and continuous approach to project development that teams use across industries, from construction management to software engineering . If you’re interested in landing a job in technology , manufacturing, or business operations, knowing Agile processes can show you’re a collaborative and prepared member of the workforce. Here’s everything you need to know.

What is Agile methodology? Agile methodology, in simple terms, is a way of getting work done through small, continuous, interactive, and collaborative steps. These steps are often called sprints.

Step into the role of a product manager at BCG and organize a sprint to plan for a new feature.

Avg. Time: 3-4 hours

Skills you’ll build: Project planning, project management, prioritization, brainstorming

Agile Development Process

For example, let’s say your team is working on a new mobile app. The Agile development process could look something like:

• Product backlog: The team prioritizes all of the app features and tasks they need to do. This list is flexible and can change over time as priorities, requirements, and resources change.
• Sprint planning: The team decides what features and tasks from this list they’ll work on in the next sprint, a time-boxed period of usually two to four weeks.
• Sprint backlog: The team moves the features and tasks they’ve selected into the sprint backlog and then breaks these into smaller tasks. The team reviews how much time, effort, and resources they need to complete them.
• Development: The team starts working on the features and tasks.
• Daily standups: The team meets regularly to discuss progress and navigate any roadblocks. This process is collaborative and ensures they address any issues quickly.
• Review: Once the sprint ends, the team reviews their work and shows it to stakeholders, who give feedback.
• Retrospective: The team reflects on the sprint, discusses what went well and what didn’t, and makes adjustments for the next sprint.
• Repeat: The team repeats steps 2-7. The product backlog gets updated regularly based on feedback, priorities, and new requirements.

You’ll notice that each part of the process focuses on iterating and continually developing new features. The process is also entirely collaborative ; team members constantly communicate with one another.

Four Pillars of Agile

Agile methodology came to life at the beginning of the 2000s when the Manifesto for Agile Software Developmen t was published. This Manifesto laid out key pillars and principles of Agile methodology that are the basis of how teams use this framework today.

The four pillars of Agile are the central values of this process. According to the Manifesto, Agile values:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools: Collaboration is crucial to Agile methodology. Team members are constantly in communication, working together to solve problems rather than independently working in silos. 
• Working software over comprehensive documentation: Delivering software is of the utmost importance. Agile teams focus on developing software rather than writing down everything someone needs to know about it. 
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation: Involve the customer within the development process, be open to their ideas and feedback, and adjust based on their needs.
• Responding to change over following a plan: Agile is about quick, flexible, and responsive delivery. Teams should be able to make adjustments quickly when needed.

Because of these values, Agile methodology is collaborative, focused on output, flexible, and adaptable . 

12 Agile Principles

Besides the central values of Agile, the Manifesto also laid out 12 Agile principles. These are guiding rules to help teams implement the core values of Agile. 

• The main priority is to satisfy customers by delivering software early and often.
• Be open to changing requirements, even late in the process.
• Deliver software frequently.
• Collaborate often and include both business people and developers in conversation.
• Uplift motivated workers by trusting your team and giving them the support they need.
• The best way to share information with a development team is face-to-face communication.
• The best way to measure progress is by how much working software you’ve delivered.
• Promote a sustainable development pace. 
• Always focus on technical excellence and good design, as it’ll help the team move quicker and better in the future.
• Keep it simple.
• Proactive, self-organizing teams produce the best results.
• Reflect often on how to become more effective, then make the changes needed to do so.

Agile is just one project management framework, but it’s the most popular; according to Digital.ai’s State of Agile report , 80% of teams use Agile versus other project management methods. Why do companies choose to use it over others? Here’s a look at what makes Agile different:

Leigh Ann Gunther, vice president of education at Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Delaware Valley Chapter, says an organization chooses a methodology based on goals, dependencies, and requirements. 

“Various factors can affect the decision, including the maturity of business or stakeholder requirements, risk tolerance, timelines, the size of the team, the skill sets needed, and the resources available,” she says. “Agile may be their best choice if flexibility, collaboration, and continuous iterative delivery are important to organizations. Teams that use Agile methodologies communicate constantly and receive feedback from one another, allowing them to adapt to changing requirements and customer needs. This approach can be particularly beneficial in complex projects, where requirements may evolve or continuous customer input is critical to success.”

Agile methodology is a set of principles and ideas that guide the execution of a project; however, there are multiple ways to apply this methodology. Here are a few common ways companies use Agile in the workplace.

Agile Scrum Methodology

According to Digital.ai, Scrum is the most popular application of Agile — 87% of teams who use Agile use Scrum. Scrum is a method that focuses on breaking tasks down and completing them in sprints.

A team that uses Scrum will have a Scrum leader and product owner who lead the process of breaking tasks down and sprint planning. Developers then work on the tasks the leaders have laid out in a short, iterative, collaborative timeframe (the sprint). 

Agile Kanban Methodology

Kanban is the second most popular Agile methodology framework. This method is about visualizing tasks and where they fit into the development process. Kanban projects typically use a Kanban board, which categorizes tasks into three categories: to do, doing, and done (or some variation).

This management method helps create transparency and visibility on progress. Kanban reflects Agile principles of incremental development, focusing on customer expectations and feedback, and working collaboratively.

Extreme Programming (XP)

Extreme Programming (XP) focuses on delivering high-quality software that meets client expectations. Like the Agile Manifesto, this specific approach has different values and principles. 

The five values of XP are courage, respect, feedback , communication, and simplicity.

Then, there are 12 core practices that focus specifically on software development: 

• Pair programming
• Planning game
• Test-driven development
• Continuous integration
• Design improvement
• Small releases
• Coding standard
• Collective code ownership
• Simple design
• System metaphor
• Sustainable pace

These different core practices give teams tangible ways to implement the five values. For example, pair programming, or when two developers work on programming together, promotes communication and feedback.

Adaptive Project Framework (APF)

The adaptive project framework (APF) focuses on the Agile value of responding to change. In this style, teams break projects down into small cycles. The team first plans out the project, then builds, and then assesses their work. With smaller builds and more frequent reviews, the team can quickly adapt the product to ensure client satisfaction.

Feature-Driven Development (FDD)

Feature-driven development (FDD), like XP, is specific to software development. In this methodology, teams develop and design models for every feature. The process is:

• Develop a model
• Build a list of features
• Make a plan for each feature
• Design each feature
• Build each feature

Unlike XP, there’s much more documentation in this process than face-to-face communication; teams with more planning and design capabilities typically use FDD over XP.

Agile methodology is an essential skill if you’re entering fields like software engineering, information technology, product management , or project management. So, how can you learn Agile?

Use Online Resources

Many online resources can help you learn about Agile methodology — including this article you’re reading right now! Gunther also recommends online resources from the Project Management Institute (PMI) . If you become a PMI member, you’ll get access to webinars, workshops, and even support and mentorship from other members.

If you want hands-on learning, a Forage job simulation is the best place to start.

Forage job simulations teach you job skills for free in a real-life work context. For example, in the Agile job simulation from JPMorgan Chase, you learn what Agile methodology the team uses, build and refine a product backlog, learn about daily standups, and conduct both a sprint review and retrospective.

Apply Principles in Your Daily Life

Who says you need to be on a software development team to practice Agile principles? Valerio Zanini, certified Scrum trainer and product innovation trainer, says the best way to get experience is to apply Agile methodology to something you’re already working on. For example, it could be a class project if you’re at school.

“Do [the project] in weekly increments, running one-week sprints with your team (or even on your own), and practice doing all the Scrum events each week,” he says. 

Zanini even recommends trying to implement this workflow in your personal life.

“At home, you could use Agile to plan, prioritize, and execute chores,” he says. “Plan your sprint on Sunday, decide the chores you will do for the upcoming week (sprint), and create your sprint backlog. Then, at the end of the week, review what you have accomplished, get feedback from your stakeholders (other people in the house), and do a retrospective to decide how you could improve for the next sprint.”

Get Certified

Rather than specific degrees, many Agile and project management professionals have certifications that distinguish them as experts in the field. While some of these certifications require experience, there are more junior certifications for those just getting started.

“If you have little or no work experience and want to demonstrate your passion for learning and commitment to the profession, I recommend the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exam,” Gunther says. “The CAPM coursework and certification exam are designed to impart the basics of project management, including Agile methodologies. If you are interested in developing a deep knowledge of Agile methodologies, values, and principles, the educational materials provided for those preparing to take the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) certification exam are a wealth of top-notch materials.”

Agile methodology is a popular project management framework focused on collaborative, continuous, and iterative development. Many industries — from software development and information technology — use Agile methodologies to get work done, using various frameworks, from Scrum to FDD.

If you’re interested in working in an industry or at a company that uses Agile, you can learn the basics without work experience. The first step is research (which you’re already doing!). Next is using the framework through online programs like Forage job simulations or applying principles to your next school project.

Practice using Agile methodology principles in a real-world work environment with Cognizant’s Ready, Set, Agile! virtual job simulation . 

Image credit: Canva

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Agile project management: Principles, benefits, tools, tips, and when to make the switch

Geared toward continuous improvement, the agile methodology can greatly increase your project’s prospects for success. here is everything you need to know about agile project management, from certification to training to software and more..

Agile project management definition

Agile project management is a methodology used primarily in software development that favors flexibility and collaboration, incorporating customer feedback throughout the project life cycle. The methodology takes an iterative approach to development, breaking down work into small, manageable cycles called “sprints” to focus on continuous improvement in the development of a product or service.

In addition to emphasizing iterative development, in which each sprint results in a potentially shippable increment, agile project management incorporates cross-functional teams who work closely with stakeholders in a process that allows for adjustments as requirements evolve and formalizes feedback loops at the end of each sprint.

Agile project management vs. traditional project management

Agile project management differs from traditional project management, often called waterfall, in a number of ways. Whereas waterfall follows a more rigid, linear approach in which requirements are gathered up front, agile project management’s emphasis on iterative development allows for adaptability and flexibility along the way. Agile’s sprint methodology also differs from traditional project management, which typically advances in distinct phases, from requirements gathering to implementation to deployment.

Agile’s approach to customer feedback also affords more continuous collaboration with stakeholders to better align deliverables to end-user needs. Whereas waterfall typically divides team members into siloed roles, agile project management is cross-functional with team members often taking on more than one distinct role. Although agile does value documentation, it is not as heavily emphasized as it is in traditional project management, for which documentation is often very detailed and assembled in advance.

Compared to traditional project management, agile provides project teams, sponsors, project leaders, and customers many project-specific benefits, including:

• More rapid deployment of solutions
• Reduced waste through minimization of resources
• Increased flexibility and adaptability to change
• Increased success through more focused efforts
• Faster turnaround times
• Faster detection of issues and defects
• Optimized development processes
• A lighter weight framework
• Optimal project control
• Increased focus on specific customer needs
• Increased frequency of collaboration and feedback

When to use agile project management

As with any other methodology, however, agile is not well-suited for every project, and sufficient due diligence is always recommended to identify the  best methodology for each unique situation . Agile project management is most effective when a project’s requirements are not fully discernible from the outset or are likely to evolve over the project’s duration. It is also a good fit when regular feedback is necessary or would be beneficial for aligning deliverables to customer needs. Agile project management is also a strong choice when time-to-market is essential or when dealing with projects of high complexity, as agile’s cross-functional, iterative approach enables teams to deliver solutions quicker while addressing issues as they arise.

Agile may not work as intended if a customer is not clear on goals, the project manager or team is inexperienced, or if they do not function well under significant pressure. Throughout the development process, agile favors the developers, project teams and customer goals, but not necessarily the end user’s experience. Due to its less formal and more flexible processes, agile may not always be easily absorbed within larger more traditional organizations where there are significant amounts of rigidity or flexibility within processes, policies, or teams. It may also face problems being used with customers who similarly have rigid processes or operating methods, or on projects subject to strict regulation and documentation, those with fixed contracts and scope, or environments in which stakeholder feedback is unavailable or feedback participation is likely to meet resistance.

The benefits of agile

Agile was originally developed for the software industry to streamline and improve the development process in an effort to rapidly identify and adjust for issues and defects. It provides a way for developers and teams to deliver a better product, in a faster manner, through short, iterative, interactive sessions/sprints. In the era of digital transformation, with many companies migrating to a digital workplace, agile is a perfect fit for organizations looking to transform how they manage projects and operate as a whole. Agile can help ensure company-wide process and methodological alignment. In terms of business benefits, both the digital workplace and agile provide:

• Increased flexibility
• Increased productivity
• Increased transparency
• Higher quality deliverables
• Decreased risk of missed objectives
• Increased stakeholder engagement and satisfaction

Agile project management principles

There are 12 key principles that still guide agile project management today:

• Customer satisfaction is always the highest priority and is achieved through rapid and continuous delivery.
• Changing environments are embraced at any stage of the process to provide the customer with a competitive advantage.
• A product or service is delivered with higher frequency.
• Stakeholders and developers collaborate closely on a daily basis.
• All stakeholders and team members remain motivated for optimal project outcomes, while teams are provided with all the necessary tools and support, and are trusted to accomplish project goals.
• Face-to-face meetings are deemed the most efficient and effective format for project success.
• A final working product is the ultimate measure of success.
• Sustainable development is accomplished through agile processes whereby development teams and stakeholders are able to maintain a constant and ongoing pace.
• Agility is enhanced through a continuous focus on technical excellence and proper design.
• Simplicity is an essential element.
• Self-organizing teams are most likely to develop the best architectures and designs and to meet requirements.
• Regular intervals are used by teams to improve efficiency through fine-tuning behaviors.

Organizational hurdles to adopting agile

Organizations looking to adopt agile for project management my encounter any of a number of common hurdles, such as the following:

• A company structure or culture that does not adequately support agile: Although project teams may be ready for agile development, the rest of the company may not be on board. Sponsors, executives, and functional leaders must also buy into and support agile for it to be truly effective.
• Unclear understanding of the impact to the overall business goals: Simply executing projects using agile methodology isn’t enough to reap the desired benefits. Projects can still be executed in ways that don’t provide the entire business with the results that help achieve sustainable growth. Strategic alignment is still critical.
• Rushed testing cycles: Sprints can create a risk of rushed testing cycles. In the process of trying to get through sprints as quickly as possible, teams can become more focused on the timeline and miss simple aspects of the testing cycle, which can have potential significant repercussions. Defects can go undetected or are detected too late.
• Limited agile skill: Although agile is rapidly taking root, top agile talent can be hard to find and attract. Limited agile talent means limited benefits for companies wanting to execute projects using this methodology.

For a deeper look at how to make the shift, see “ Agile project management: 16 tips for a smooth switch to agile .”

For insights into how organizations go wrong with agile, see “ 7 simple ways to fail at agile ” and “ 5 misconceptions CIOs still have about agile .”

Popular agile methodologies

Within agile there are some frequently used or  popular methods , with Scrum,  Kanban , and Lean being the most popular. Some agile methods include:

• Dynamic System Development Model, (DSDM)
• Extreme Programming (XP)
• Adaptive software development (ASD)
• Agile Unified Process (AUP)
• Crystal Clear methods
• Disciplined agile delivery
• Feature-driven development (FDD)
• RAD(Rapid Application Development)

To find out which methodology is right for your project or organization, see “ Comparing agile project management frameworks .”

Combining agile with other methodologies

The opportunity exists to combine agile with other methodologies such as waterfall to create a hybrid solution. Companies sometimes use waterfall to handle one or more phases — such as planning — where these do not require rapid or repetitive steps. Planning in particular requires a more comprehensive, methodical, often slower approach to defining, analyzing, and documenting aspects of a project. This makes waterfall a better approach. Once a project enters the development phase, rapid and repetitive changes require a different approach and this is where agile kicks in to deliver the best results in the shortest amount of time.

This hybrid approach aids in making agile even more adaptable within various industries or to suit the more unique nature of a project, product, or service.  Again, due diligence is required to determine the suitability and capacity of the different methods and processes available.

Agile project management and Scrum

Scrum is a powerful framework for implementing agile processes in software development and other projects. This highly adopted framework utilizes short iterations of work, called sprints, and daily meetings, called scrums, to tackle discrete portions of a project in succession until the project as a whole is complete. There are three key roles within Scrum: the  Scrum master , product owner, and Scrum team members:

• The product owner creates and prioritizes a product backlog (work to be done).
• Teams select items from the backlog and determine how to complete the work.
• Work must be completed within a sprint (usually two to four weeks).
• The Scrum master meets with teams briefly each day to get progress updates.
• Sprint reviews are conducted at the end of each sprint.
• The process starts again until all work or backlog is complete.

Agile project management tools, templates and resources

There are also many templates available from companies like Microsoft that project managers can use rather than re-creating the wheel. Here are just a few among several others available from Microsoft: 

• Agile glossary
• Agile process guides
• Use agile in Microsoft Project

Agile project management software vendors also typically have built-in agile templates in their software.

Agile project management software

Companies using agile are likely to leverage software geared to agile development in order to get the full benefits of this methodology. Here are just some of the agile solutions available:

• Atlassian Jira + Agile : This is an agile project management tool that supports Scrum, Kanban, and mixed methodologies. This project management software comes with a comprehensive set of tools that help Scrum teams perform events with ease.
• Agilean : Agilean automates workflow management for small and midsize IT companies fitting different verticals. It is customizable and has 50 built-in templates.
• SprintGround: This is a project management tool created for developers to organize work and help them track progress.
• VersionOne : This project management solution is built to support the  Scaled Agile Framework  at all levels.

For a deeper look at agile project management software options, see “ Top 11 agile tools for project management .”

Key agile skills

There are six key agile project management skills or attributes that all project managers should have:

• An ability to cut through unnecessary work and focus only on essential work
• Sound judgment under pressure and the ability to remain calm under stress
• Strong motivation and coaching skill to guide and support teams throughout a project
• Exceptional organizational abilities to keep everything straight and prioritize
• The ability to think and make decisions quickly as circumstances change rapidly
• A high level of adaptability in order to accept change and reduce unnecessary confusion and risk

Agile project management certification and training

As agile methodology picks up speed, so does the demand for professionals with agile knowledge and experience. Here are the most popular agile-focused certs for benchmarking your knowledge.

• Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM)
• Agile Project Management (AgilePM)
• Professional Scrum Master (PSM)
• Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO)
• Certified Agile Project Manager
• SAFe Agilist
• SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager
• SAFe Scrum Master
• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
• ICAgile Agile Fundamentals (ICP)
• ICAgile Agile Product Ownership (ICP-APO)
• ICAgile Agile Team Facilitation (ICP-ATF)
• ICAgile Business Agility Foundations (ICP-BAF)
• ICAgile Agile Project and Delivery Management (ICP-APM)
• PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)

For a more in-depth look at these certs, see “ Top 16 agile certifications available today .”

The future of agile

As competition is continually increasing and time to market is also shrinking, agile offers numerous benefits and limited drawbacks. As more companies make the shift to a digital workplace that is highly dependent on speed, flexibility and increased productivity, agile or hybrid methodologies will become increasingly necessary. Its application in multiple industries and alignment with the benefits offered by a digital workplace model, indicate that agile adoption rates will continue to increase across industries around the world.

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What is Agile methodology and how does it work?

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What is the Agile methodology?

Agile methodology's 4 main values

The 12 guiding principles of Agile methodology

Benefits of the Agile methodology

What is agile project management.

Choosing the right Agile approach

Most organizations talk about needing to be more agile. Whether it’s staying competitive in an expanding market, adjusting for stakeholder priorities, or remaining up-to-date with technology, agility is in constant demand .

The Agile methodology goes deeper than keeping teams and organizations adaptable, though. Agile project management has been shown to help teams make continuous improvements, respond to changing business needs, and increase efficiency. 

We’re here to show you what the Agile methodology is and how you can use it to improve project management for your team.

We will dig further into the background of the Agile methodology, what agile project management looks like, and ways to be more agile. But first, let’s get the basics out of the way by answering the surprisingly complex question: what is the Agile methodology?

The Agile methodology is an iterative approach to project management and software development that uses feedback loops and test-driven development to solve problems. It’s not a single method but a collection of best practices that involve constant collaboration . 

Agile methods focus on the ability of a team to be flexible , encouraging team members to identify uncertainties in their projects and adapt to challenges .

The Agile methodology is most associated with software development projects. However, you can apply it to any industry, project, or position. Agile techniques can give greater control to team members and increase their responsiveness and efficiency to projects.

Where did the Agile methodology come from?

The Agile methodology was developed in response to older software development methodologies that failed to meet the increasing demands of the software industry.

At the turn of the millennium, outdated processes couldn’t keep up with the speed of technological advancement or the needs of clients and end-users. Because of this, a group of industry leaders came together to rethink the principles of the industry.  

They shared a vision of a process and strategic planning that prioritized results over structure. Eventually, this led to the establishment of the Agile manifesto , which outlined the core values and principles of the Agile methodology.

Agile methodology’s 4 main values

Though the values outlined in the Agile manifesto were initially geared toward software development, you can apply them to a variety of industries. These four pillars are at the core of any agile team, regardless of their department:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

Agile’s creators envisioned a more open, collaborative process where plans didn’t have to be set in stone. They sought to dissolve the strict boundaries between customers and software developers, remove bureaucratic obstacles, and allow for more iterative product design.

12 principles of Agile methodology

The 12 principles of Agile expand on the core values. They give developers (and individuals from other industries) solid guidelines to use when facing professional dilemmas. 

• Customer satisfaction through early and continuous software delivery 
• Accommodation of changing requirements throughout the development process
• Frequent delivery of a working product
• Collaboration between the business stakeholders and developers throughout the project
• Support, trust , and motivation for the people involved
• Face-to-face interactions
• Working software is the primary measure of progress
• Agile processes to support a consistent development pace
• Attention to technical detail and design enhances agility
• Self-organizing teams that encourage great architecture, requirements, and designs
• Regular reflections on how to become more effective

These 12 principles function together to increase collaboration and transparency between clients and developers. This tactical decision turned out to be an incredibly effective one.

It gave developers access to crucial feedback , helping to ensure their product was high-quality. It also allowed clients to play a more active role in developing and delivering their products.

According to a 2014 study into the efficacy of Agile methods, the Agile process has a positive impact on project success. By prioritizing tasks and properly distributing the amount of work required to complete deliverables, teams become more effective . 

Here are a few more benefits of the Agile methodology: 

1. Increased efficiency

The Agile methodology’s success shows us that paperwork and protocol should not be the driving forces behind the creative process . It’s quite the opposite — interaction, evaluation, and fluidity foster more motivating and exciting working conditions within cross-functional teams. 

2. Satisfied customers

The values and principles of Agile bring the product development cycle back to its roots. It reminds us that products should be designed by people, for people. And, it reminds us that we got to where we are now by adapting and improvising based on customer needs. 

3. Improved product quality

Our creative potential flourishes when we have the space to collaborate, think outside the box , iterate, and reshuffle priorities. As a result, you actually get better products in shorter time frames. 

4. Greater flexibility 

In an increasingly fast-paced and results-driven world, it no longer makes sense to rigidly define a target. The chances are that by the time you’ve taken your shot, the target will have moved or become something else entirely.

When to avoid using the Agile methodology 

There are clearly many benefits to using the Agile approach. However, that’s not to say it’s the best project management system, for every single team and project. There are some situations where you may want to avoid the Agile methodology. 

Here are some scenarios where it’s better to not use Agile: 

• If your customer, client, or management is rigid and requires approvals at every stage of development, say no to Agile. Since Agile is about adapting quickly to change, it wouldn’t work where these approvals would slow things down. 
• If your project is simple or has a quick turnaround, Agile isn’t needed. It’s better in this situation to use the waterfall methodology , which focuses on a linear, beginning-to-end approach and is appropriate for short-term projects. 
•  If you simply can’t get your team or management on board, listen to them. Agile can be a complex system to utilize and understand, and you need your entire team to do it right. If there’s a lack of agreement, it’s better to try other methods. 

The Agile methodology is basically the same thing as Agile project management — it just refers to a specific approach. If a team decides to use Agile project management, that means they will focus more on teamwork , flexibility, and collaboration over a linear, checklist-style approach. Agile project management is iterative and typically occurs in short sprints. 

6 steps to Agile project management

Based on the Agile methodology, six critical project management stages were established as a framework for success. These deliverables aim to provide team members with crystal-clear priorities and an understanding of the various layers of the project. They also provide a centralized overview of the journey between concept and product.

Let’s walk through each piece that makes up Agile project management:

• Product vision statement : A concise declaration of the project’s aims — what the team hopes to achieve with the product.
• Product roadmap : An overarching outline of the product’s central goals, direction, methods, and priorities.
• Product backlog : A prioritized list of tasks yet to be achieved. The highest priority tasks appear at the top and then descend according to the level of urgency. 
• Release plan : A timeline that outlines short-term release goals. Release plans are generally focused on small releases of functional product features and do not span longer than a handful of months. 
• Sprint backlog : Unlike the product backlog, a sprint backlog is an identifiable set of micro-tasks relating to a specific goal within the product roadmap. These are usually identified and tackled by the Scrum team (explained in more detail below).
• Increment : An actionable step that improves product functionality and takes the team closer to their eventual goal. Each increment must make sense in the larger context of the project. They must also act in congruence with prior increments and contribute to the overall usability of the product.

Choosing the right Agile approach 

Agile project management can be broken down further into a few approaches that have different purposes. These include Scrum, Kanban, Scrumban, and Extreme Programming (XP). 

Depending on the set goals , project managers decide which Agile approach is most suited to the development process. The team then uses this approach as a framework for their progress. 

The Scrum and Kanban approaches are the most widely used. Let's take a closer look at each one.

The Kanban approach depends on visualization . It focuses on developing a graphic representation of the development process using a Kanban board. Tasks are displayed based on their completion status. 

This development method helps predict and resolve bottlenecks before they have too much of an impact on progress. Kanban seeks to optimize workflow by grouping tasks and removing obstacles. 

If your team has unique requests coming from teams all over the company, Kanban can help. As project requests are made, you can visualize them on the Kanban board, prioritize them, and then have all the tasks presented in one place for everyone to see. This is helpful so that each person can be aware of the status of their request.

In contrast, Scrum requires the team to have more control over the scope of their work. You would structure your workflow and assign team members specific roles so that you can complete projects in specific time frames. Tasks that aren’t assigned to that time frame or “sprint” are ignored until the team meets to prioritize tasks for the next sprint. 

Scrum emphasizes Agile values while providing clear guidelines for understanding the development process. It’s one of the most popular types of Agile project management, so let’s dive in a little deeper. 

Agile’s Scrum methodology

The Scrum methodology has three major defining characteristics. 

Unlike other Agile frameworks, Scrum emphasizes the roles and responsibilities of the development team. It also focuses on the events that make up the development process and the artifacts that track progress and organize tasks. 

Several tech giants have successfully used Scrum , including Google, Spotify, Apple, and Airbnb. Scrum draws on the values and principles of the Agile process to put together a framework that guides and supports all team members. 

It pays specific attention to the management of: 

• Tasks  
• Timelines 
• Personnel 

It creates a workflow that facilitates feedback and regular check-ins around goals. The end product is developed through several iterations. With Scrum, all team members learn from their mistakes , maximizing efficiency.

The roles involved in the Agile or Scrum methodology 

In Agile methodology, especially in the Scrum approach, there are three key roles: 

• Product owner 
• Development team 
• Scrum master 

Together, these are known as the Scrum Team. Let's take a look at the responsibilities of each role.

1. Product owner

The product owner is responsible for the overarching vision of the product. They represent the customer’s interests and give insight into the conceptual understanding of the product.

Product owners should communicate regularly with the rest of the Scrum team about how best to implement their vision. 

2. Development team

The development team is the group responsible for putting the product together. This team usually consists of: 

• Designers 
• Engineers 
• Other practical professionals 

These employees are capable of executing the vision on a technical level.

3. Scrum master

The Scrum master coordinates the development team by making sure they adhere to Agile methodology. They keep team members focused by helping to get rid of persistent obstacles. They also: 

• Eliminate distractions 
• Organize priorities
• Provide general support 

The stages of Agile’s Scrum approach 

The Agile Scrum framework includes several time-specific events, called timeboxes. These events provide structure, regular check-ins, and help organize the actual Scrum process. 

But who attends what event in Scrum and what happens in each event? Let's take a look.

A sprint is a defined period wherein the team sets and achieves a short-term goal. A sprint does not typically run for more than a month and two weeks to support rapid and focused progress. 

2. Sprint planning

This session includes everyone involved in the Scrum process. In this session, the details of a sprint are discussed and finalized. This happens every time a new sprint begins, and it ensures that there is proper planning and consensus.

3. Daily scrum

Daily scrums are small, quick meetings that include key Scrum team members. The team discusses progress from the day before and agrees on goals for the following day. These meetings happen at the same time every day and usually run between 10-20 minutes.

These meetings are sometimes referred to as the “Daily Standup.” In these cases, participants stand for the whole meeting to remind them that it should be short and efficient.

4. Sprint review

The sprint review is the counterpart to the sprint planning session, and it happens at the end of each sprint.

Sprint reviews give the developers a chance to present their progress to the client and other invested parties. These stakeholders then provide feedback which is used to plan the next sprint. 

5. Sprint retrospective (or retro)

Once the previous sprint is completed, the Scrum team comes together to discuss the highs and lows of the process. This is not about the project metrics but instead about how effectively they worked as a team. Then, they try to carry over these insights into the next sprint.

Ready to use the Agile methodology yourself? 

Older project management methods are products of their respective times. They worked up to a point. Nowadays, product development needs to remain adaptable according to the client’s evolving needs. Modern businesses need a framework that allows for a more flexible and iterative workflow.

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Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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The beginner’s guide to scrum and agile project management

What can help you build a car, save your marriage, code software, write a book, or even renovate a house?

A whiteboard and a pad of sticky notes (the analog OR digital kind!).

Well, and the knowledge of how to use them, of course.

If you work in tech (or spend any amount of time with engineers), you’ve probably heard about “Scrum” and “Agile.” It’s a system mentioned in reverent tones by tech types and seems to have its own strange language. Terms like “planning poker,” “stand-ups,” and “sprints” are thrown about by its proponents.

It can all be a bit intimidating to the uninitiated.

I know because I’ve been there. During my first week working at a tech company I was introduced to Scrum through our software development team, and I was instantly hooked. The way they were able to take complex problems, prioritize them into individual tasks, then delegate those tasks to the team member best suited to solve each one was incredible.

But was this just for engineers? Could us non-code-wizards really benefit from something like Scrum? If so, how do you even get started?

Buckle up, because we’re about to “ sprint ” through an intro to Scrum (you’ll get that joke by the end of this article, I promise).

What is Scrum and Agile?

Things can get a bit confusing to newcomers in regards to nomenclature. “Scrum” and “Agile” seem to be used interchangeably when you first enter this world, but there is an important distinction.

Agile refers to a set of “methods and practices based on the values and principles expressed in the Agile Manifesto ,” which includes things like collaboration, self-organization, and cross functionality of teams.

Scrum is a framework that is used to implement Agile development .

A good analogy would be the difference between a recipe and a diet. A vegetarian diet is a set of methods and practices based on principles and values. A recipe for chickpea tacos would be a framework you can use to implement your vegetarian diet.

This is similar to the relationship between Agile (the diet) and Scrum (the recipe you follow).

Agile was born out of the techniques utilized by innovative Japanese companies in the 70’s and 80’s (companies like Toyota, Fuji, and Honda). They started working via the kanban method to improve the speed and flow of work.

In the mid-90’s, a man by the name of Jeff Sutherland found himself frustrated by companies who were continually plagued by projects that were behind schedule and over budget. He sought to find a better way.

His research brought him to these Japanese companies and their Agile methods. Basing his work on this, Sutherland created the Scrum framework. After a series of successes using his new methods, Scrum began to quickly spread throughout the product development world.

Who Can Benefit From Scrum?

You could be forgiven for thinking Scrum was something limited to engineers or developers. But the framework can be beneficial for other types of projects too.

“Scrum can be used for any sort of complex project, the caveat is that it works best when there’s a concrete product being produced,” says David Matthew , a Certified Scrum Master for Incentive Technology Group , “If you work in marketing and need to write copy for a project, it could definitely be beneficial for your team.”

Scrum has been used by everyone from the FBI , to marketing agencies , to construction crews. Any time you’re producing some sort of product, be it software or an email campaign, Scrum can help you organize your team and get more work done in less time.

The People and Parts of Scrum

T o understand Scrum, you’ve got to know the people and parts of the framework. The good news is, you don’t need any special experience or certifications to start.

“You don’t need much to get started with Scrum,” says Matthew, “You really just need a place to organize your thoughts, or your Backlog . That could be software like Trello, or even just a whiteboard. You need the different roles, like the Product Owner and the Scrum Master . The actual tools you need are not as big as the roles involved.”

Let’s break down the pieces and parts that make Scrum happen:

• Scrum starts with a Product Owner . This is the person who represents the final user’s best interest, and has the authority to say what goes into the final product.
• If I were using Scrum to design a car, items like “Must have an engine” would be near the top of my prioritized list, because the car can’t work without it. “Must be painted red” would be lower on my priority list; it might still be important to me, but it’s not a requirement for the car to run.
• Next up is the Sprint . A Sprint is a predetermined timeframe within which the team completes sets of tasks from the Backlog. The length of time depends on the needs of the team, but two weeks is pretty typical.
• Teams meet every day to give progress updates in the Daily Scrum . Many people also call these “Daily Stand-Ups.”
• Each Sprint ends with a review , or Retrospective, where the team reviews their work and discusses ways to improve the next Sprint.

As you can see, there’s not really any special equipment or training you need to get started. The hardest part is learning the lingo, and staying true to the rules and guidelines that make Scrum work.

“Scrum is kind of like poker; you can learn the rules in 10 minutes, but it takes a long time to get great at it.”

Starting a Basic Scrum Framework

If you’re tired of your current methods of project management, why not give Scrum a shot?

Since you don’t need special training to get started, it’s really just a matter of learning the ropes on your own. Sutherland and his co-creator, Ken Schwaber, make this super easy by making the official guide freely available on ScrumGuides.org .

Learning the basics of getting started is easy. Mastering the technique is the hard part.

Here’s Scrum Master David Matthew again:

Still, don’t let that deter you. One need not be a master to start making their work lives happier and more productive.

Here are some basic steps to get started:

• Download and print the PDF version of the official Scrum Guide : Read it on your commute or during your lunch break with a highlighter in hand. Highlight the phrases and roles that are new to you and start working on memorizing what each one means.
• Pick your roles: You need a Product Owner (speaks for the user, final say in what the project needs), a Scrum Master (helps the team move along based on the principles of Scrum), and team members. Remember, there’s no room for egos in Scrum. Scrum runs on a “servant leader” model.
• Create your product Backlog: The Backlog is where you list out everything the project needs, ordered by importance. Keep in mind that the Backlog is never complete. As the project takes shape and new needs emerge, you will add to this. The Product Owner takes primarily responsible for this.
• Plan your Sprint: Next, it’s time to pick tasks from the backlog to be completed in your first Sprint. Sprint’s are time-limited. You can decide a time length that works for you, but they are always less than one month. During the Sprint Planning, the team decides what tasks to include in this Sprint and who will be responsible for them.
• Get to work! Time to start working on that Sprint! Team members work on their tasks, and everybody checks in on their progress at the Daily Scrum Meeting. This meeting lasts no more than 15-minutes and answers three questions: What did you work on yesterday? What will you work on today? Is there anything blocking your work today that you need help with?
• Review your work: At the end of the Sprint, the team reviews the work accomplished and presents their completed tasks.
• Review your process: During the Retrospective meeting, you’ll review how the actual work process went and plan ways you can improve your work and be more efficient next time.
• Repeat! With your first Sprint complete, it’s time to start over again. Pick more tasks from the Backlog and repeat the process.

Making It All Visual

A n important principle in Scrum is the idea of transparency. All team members involved should be aware of what everyone else is working on, progress being made, and what the team is trying to accomplish.

That’s why making things visible for all to see is so important.

A big piece of this is the Scrum Board . This is a place where you can organize your Backlog, as well as tasks that are being worked on in the current sprint and their progress.

Scrum Boards can be as simple as a whiteboard with sticky notes for each task, or as complicated as specialized software, with charts and task tracking features.

For my personal Scrum Board, I use Trello.

My Trello Scrum Board is broken up into seven lists (inspired by this blog post ), representing the workflow of my tasks.

• Resources: In this list, I keep all tasks that are recurring. That way I don’t have to make a new card every time I need to build a landing page for a webinar. Just move that card out from the Resources list.
• Backlog: Here’s where I keep my Backlog of tasks to be worked on. When my boss tells me he has something he needs help with, I add it to my Backlog list.
• To Do: When I plan my Sprint, I pull tasks from the Backlog to this list. This is the current Sprint I’m working on.
• Doing: When a task has been started, it gets moved here.
• QC: Quality check. As tasks are completed, they get moved to “QC.” At the end of the week, I review this list to make sure everything is up to snuff.
• Done: Passed quality check, ready to be shipped! No more edits or reviews necessary, it’s scheduled and ready for action.
• Blocked: When something is preventing me from completing a task (maybe I need to purchase something first and need approval from my boss), I move it to “Blocked”, along with a comment about what the blocker is.

Trello is an effective tool for this, because I can throw my board onto a monitor that’s visible for anyone to see, share access with my entire team, and put every detail needed on each and every task in the form of comments, checklists, due dates, and attachments.

I can assign different team members to these tasks and integrate it with our marketing Slack channel , too. That way, when a team member moves a task from “Doing” to “QC,” I know they’re ready to move onto the next task.

My end goal here is that anyone assigned a task should have everything they need to complete it on that card. There should be no reason they need to come to me with questions, or wait for me to give them something. When tasks are clearly outlined before assignment, work moves significantly faster.

The Importance of Iteration and Improvement

One of the core features of Scrum, and what makes it so potentially powerful, is the idea of iteration and improvement. This is in regards to both the product being worked on, and the efficiency of the team itself.

At the end of each Sprint, the work delivered should be ready to deliver to a client. This does not mean that it’s a finished, complete project. Far from it. Rather, it means that the work should be complete enough to show some sort of Minimum Viable Product (MVP, in startup parlance).

If it were a car, you should be able to drive it. Maybe it doesn’t have a radio or A/C, but it can drive.

Why is this so important?

Because it lets you collect feedback from users early on, helping guide development of the product to ensure a good fit with the user.

I think everyone has experienced those moments in life where you worked for hours on a project, only to find out the person you’re delivering it to had something else in mind completely.

Imagine spending thousands of dollars and many months developing a product, only to find out it doesn’t actually solve the user’s problem.

Going back to our car analogy, if we deliver the car to the user in small, iterative chunks, it’s not such a big deal when they say “Gee, you know what? After driving it around a bit, I think I want it to be a convertible instead.” Learning this after the final product is delivered would be a huge problem.

Scrum is built on iterative deliveries of your product. Rather than waiting until the project is 100% complete to deliver it to the user, you deliver useable chunks of the project over time. This helps avoid wasted efforts when needs change or things get lost in communication.

But beyond the importance of iterations and improvements for the product, Scrum also focuses on improving the process with each new cycle.

During the Retrospective meeting, team members discuss areas where their efficiency could be improved. Maybe it’s a tech limitation holding them back. Maybe one team member is overloaded with tasks. The team decides how to fix these problems, with the intent of improving their efficiency in the next Sprint. Theoretically, the team should be more efficient and produce more work with each new cycle.

Wait a Minute…MORE WORK?!

When I first started looking at Scrum, there was something that scared me a bit: this whole idea of completing more work.

More work? I’m overworked already!

But the idea behind Scrum is not to “do more work,” it’s to work smarter and thus accomplish more.

Sutherland has a great quote about this in his book Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time:

“Think about your job. How much of your time is wasted while you’re waiting for someone else to finish their work, or for information to be delivered, or because you’re trying to do too many things at once? Maybe you would rather be at work all day – me, I’d rather be surfing.”

Scrum doesn’t measure you by the hours you logged, but by the tasks you accomplished. Who cares how long a task took if the result is the same?

With Scrum, you’re not creating more work for yourself; you’re being more efficient with your time so that you can spend less of it at the office and more time with the people and things you love.

How’s that for work-life balance?

More Resources

Scrum is hard to fit into a single blog post, so I highly recommend doing some further reading on the topic if it interests you:

• Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half The Time, by Jeff Sutherland – This book was my first deep dive into Scrum. Everything is laid out in an entertaining manner, with stories to back each and every aspect of the framework. A great read.
• Our Agency’s Epic 200% Productivity Secret, by Adam Steele – I came across this blog after watching the developers at my company work with Scrum and wondering if any marketers are using it. The answer? Yes, and in a big way.
• The Scrum Guide, by Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber – The basic guide you need to get started.
• Scrum Glossary , from the Scrum Alliance – Definitions of all the people and pieces in Scrum
• Scrum Certifications , from the Scrum Alliance – If you want to dive deeper into Scrum, check out some of these certification courses.

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What Is Agile Project Management? 2024 Guide to the Methodology

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Teams are starting to see the benefits of switching to Agile project management, but what is Agile? If you want to learn more about iterative approaches to project management, read on. Our guide will teach you everything you need to know about Agile values and principles.

Last Updated: 17 Aug'24 2024-08-17T18:17:08+00:00

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Key Takeaways: What Is Agile?

• Agile is a set of values and principles that puts the customer above processes and documentation.
• The Agile project management approach is versatile and favors face-to-face communication, adaptability and phases of continuous improvement.
• Many project management methods now incorporate Agile concepts and values found in the Agile Manifesto.

In 2001, a group of developers called the Agile Alliance met to discuss alternative approaches to the overly-structured traditional project management methods that hindered software development. The resulting values and principles they came up with would change the face of project management. So, exactly what is Agile?

In this guide, you’ll find out why the Agile Manifesto was created, how Agile methods changed the face of project management and why you should consider adopting iterative and highly flexible Agile project management methodologies for your modern team. Let’s dive in.

What Is Agile Project Management?

Before going any further, we will take a quick look at what Agile project management is. The Agile Alliance came up with the Agile Manifesto . The manifesto is a list of values and principles that favors individuals over tools, working software over documentation, collaboration over negotiation and responding to change over following a plan.

Agile project management is an iterative way of working that champions flexibility, open communication, continuous improvement and customer (stakeholder) involvement throughout a project’s life cycle. This approach radically differs from traditional project management methods that rely on mountains of documents and rigid schedules. Learn more in our Agile vs traditional project management methodologies.

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• Discover 10 fundamentals of project management
• Understand step-by-step plans for PM execution
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Agile practices allow teams to pivot and change course with ease when new demands are made. Agile methodologies also favor constant face-to-face communication over documents to ensure all parties are on the same page every step of the way. In a way, Agile methods are living, breathing methods that put customer satisfaction first.

Key Agile Concepts

As you dig into Agile, you’ll find a world of terminology and concepts that might confuse you initially. However, as you and your team develop an Agile mindset, you’ll have no issues understanding the lingo and concepts used throughout Agile projects.

Key Agile concepts include “user stories,” “personas” and “ milestone retrospectives .” User stories are a small unit of work that adds value to the product. Personas describe the type of people who might use the product. Milestone retrospectives are meetings at the end of sprints and iterations.

Below, you’ll find a table with several common concepts Agile teams must understand to succeed.

Agile Software Development

Before the Agile Manifesto was created, teams working on software development projects used traditional project management approaches, like Waterfall, to complete projects. The Waterfall method is document-heavy and requires a development team to complete entire phases of work before implementing changes and testing software.

With an Agile framework in place, Agile teams are free to communicate with clients whenever they want. Agile teams can collaborate, identify problems quickly and incorporate and test software changes on the fly instead of waiting until the end of a project cycle. This is why Agile methods are so commonly used in software development projects.

Knowing that Agile methods were developed for software developers might make you wonder if can be used in other areas of work. The good news is Agile processes can and have been implemented successfully by many teams in a wide range of industries.

Benefits of Using Agile Project Methodology: Why Choose Agile?

Those working in manufacturing, marketing, production, human resources, digital services and more have incorporated an Agile approach into their work because there are so many benefits. Below, we’ll quickly cover some of the industries that are saying goodbye to traditional methods.

Marketing Teams

Marketing teams can benefit from Agile methodologies. Thanks to Agile Kanban boards , they can quickly create tasks, assign team members, add due dates and see where a particular campaign or task associated with the project is sitting in the pipeline.

On top of this, constant face-to-face communication with project stakeholders means cross-functional marketing teams can quickly react to changing market trends, social media requests and changes to branding. Agile marketing teams can also adjust campaign parameters on the fly with minimal fuss.

If you want to switch to Agile methods and need software that provides robust Kanban boards, lists and other Agile tools, check out Zoho Projects (here’s our Zoho Projects review ).

Manufacturing and Product Development

Agile principles have been used in manufacturing and product development for decades. In fact, it was Toyota in the 1940s that made Kanban and Lean methods popular. By using Agile and Lean methods, manufacturers and product developers can identify work bottlenecks, wasteful processes and whether any team members are overburdened with work.

During the manufacturing or product development cycle, client feedback can be incorporated at any time, product iterations can be planned quickly and deliverables can be produced rapidly. If you’re interested in software that mixes Agile and Lean methods, check out our Leantime review .

Human Resources

Whether you use software like monday.com to help you track applicants moving through a hiring phase or Asana to organize employee performance evaluations, HR teams can efficiently manage complex processes without fuss.  

Cross-functional teams can collaborate on a wide range of topics and incorporate employee feedback quickly, which could help improve employee satisfaction and retention. HR teams can take a page from a Scrum team’s book and incorporate daily huddles to discuss issues or use sprints to develop employee incentive programs. The sky’s the limit.

Types of Agile Methodologies

As you’re well aware by now, Agile isn’t a methodology. However, numerous methodologies use Agile principles and concepts. We’ll take a quick look at a few Agile methodologies that will serve you well.

The list below shows just a few Agile methodologies that can be used by software development teams and other groups. Scrum and Kanban are the most popular Agile methods due to their ease of use and ability to get the best out of teams. However, other Agile project management methodologies can also help lead you to project success.

7 Popular Agile Methodologies

• Scrum : Scrum masters break work into small chunks (sprints) and lead teams through daily meetings, so members can discuss project progress and solve problems.
• Kanban : A visual approach to Agile that provides eye-opening global project overviews.
• DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Method) : An Agile method that focuses on full project life cycles rather than small chunks of work.
• Extreme Programming (XP) : A highly adaptive Agile approach with short sprints for volatile projects.  
• Scrumban : A hybrid Agile project methodology that combines elements of Kanban and Scrum .
• Adaptive Software Development : An adaptive project framework that focuses on continuous adaptation and learning.
• Lean : An Agile method that forces entire organizations to identify waste and make production more efficient.

Lean is another popular Agile methodology. Not only does Lean mix well with Kanban, but it also complements more complex methodologies like PRINCE2 and Six Sigma , which have Agile variants. Extreme Programming and Adaptive Software Development are also highly respected methods for feature-driven development in the software industry.

The good news is that most modern project management software, including many included in our roundups of the best project management software and the best free project management software , supports these ways of working. You can also find many project management certifications that can help you learn about these methods.

Best Agile Project Management Software

Many project management software platforms can be used to get the most out of Agile teams. Our team of experts rounded up the best Agile tools for project managers to use, so take a look at the list to see some options. Below, we’ll take a quick look at two platforms that stand out.

1. monday.com

• Easy to learn
• Competitively priced
• Friendly user interface
• Limited free plan
• Poor security on cheap plans
• Collaboration could be better

monday.com regularly tops our best-of lists for project management software. This Agile-forward software features many tools, including Kanban boards (which can be used for Scrum), lists, calendars and customizable dashboards. It also offers support for integrations and automations.

monday.com is easy to use, gives you templates for multiple working styles and jobs, and has some of the most affordable plans in the industry. If you would like to learn more about pricing, check out our monday.com pricing guide . Read all about the platform in our monday.com review .

• Maximum users: 2
• Minimum users: 3; All prices per user

• Robust free plan
• Easy to use interface
• Comprehensive feature set
• Lacks versatility
• No discount for small teams
• Lots of technical terminology

Jira is for you if you need robust software that supports Agile teams. Designed with software developers in mind, Jira features user-friendly Kanban boards that help manage sprints with ease. There are integrations with many leading platforms, support for audit logs, retrospective meetings and daily scrums via Confluence, and much more. 

There’s a great free plan for small teams, and there are paid plans for budgets of all sizes . If you’d like to learn more about Jira’s plans, check out our Jira pricing guide . If you want the skinny on Jira’s tools and features, head over to our full Jira review .

• Max. 10 users. unlimited boards, reports and insights; backlog; basic roadmaps; 2GB of storage; community support
• Monthly pricing starts from 11 users, pricing changes based on the number of users. Monthly pricing changes with teams over 100. Annual pricing is for 1-10 users

Final Thoughts: Understand Agile Project Management

Traditional project methods have their place and are still the standard for some industries, like construction (check out our roundup of the best construction project management software ). However, Agile methodologies are taking over due to their versatility and flexibility.

We live in a fast-paced world where decisions must be made quickly. If you’re unwilling to try Agile development methods, you might eventually be left behind, and neither you nor your clients can afford that. If you want to know more about Agile, you can read our list of Agile interview questions.

To learn more, check out the guide we made on the best Agile estimation techniques . If you’re seeking to improve your Agile skills, head to our guide on the best Agile certification options . We also have a guide on the Agile Iron Triangle and Agile planning .

Do you use traditional methods? Are you considering a switch to Agile ways of working? What’s your favorite Agile approach? Let us know in the comments, and as always, thanks for reading.

FAQ: Agile Methodology

Agile is a series of principles and philosophies that help guide project managers and their teams through projects that require flexibility, strong communication and collaboration, and timed phases of work.

Per the Agile Manifesto, the four principles of Agile are individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation and responding to change over following a plan.

Agile is not a project management methodology but a set of guiding principles and philosophies that Agile methods, like Scrum, are built upon. Learn more in our scrum vs agile guide.

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Agile project management: Everything you need to know

You’ve been working on a complex multi-team project and are almost at the finish line. Suddenly, the client gets in touch to say they want to take a different direction. If this resonates with you, an Agile project management methodology will enable you to rapidly adapt and pivot without wasting resources.

But is it right for your project? Our guide breaks down the basics of Agile, including best use cases and how to get started planning your Agile project management on monday.com.

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What is Agile project management?

Agile project management is an incremental, iterative approach to delivering a project throughout its life cycle. Iterative processes are commonly used in software development projects because they promote speed and adaptability. Agile teams work simultaneously on different project stages, called iterations or Agile sprints. These allow you to problem-solve and make constant revisions as you respond to outcomes, customer feedback, and results in real time.

What is the difference between Agile and Waterfall methodologies?

Agile is the opposite of traditional project management styles, such as the Waterfall approach, where tasks flow in a pre-determined sequence: each dependent on the previous task.  These are the key differences between the two.

For a more indepth comparison, read our Agile vs Waterfall guide

Example of Agile project management

An example of an Agile project management approach could be developing a new website. Within a single iteration or sprint, your team would:

• gather requirements
• write a website brief
• design and develop the site
• complete testing
• constantly adjust

During each iteration, you’ll review progress and adjust the plan as needed (e.g., adding/removing features, making design changes, etc.). Once the sprint is complete, they can move on to the next sprint. This process continues until the project is ready for launch.

What are the 4 key Agile project management values?

These 4 following values drive every decision made under the Agile project management framework:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
• Working software over comprehensive documentation.
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
• Responding to change over following a plan.

These values are further elaborated in our guide on Agile values .

What are the guiding principles of Agile project management?

The Agile Manifesto lists the 12 guiding principles of Agile project management:

The Agile Manifesto , which is the primary document outlining this Agile methodology, lists the 12 guiding principles of Agile project management:

• Satisfy the customer : gear everything toward the needs of your target market.
• Don’t fear change : even change late in development can give your product or service a competitive edge.
• Deliver working versions frequently : little and often is the rule, so stay focused on completing iterations rather than finished products.
• Bring business people and technical people together : any disconnect between departments leads to misalignment between your products and target audience.
• Motivate, trust, and support your team members : provide a supportive environment for your team to excel.
• Engage in face-to-face conversation : regular feedback is at the heart of Agile.
• Measure progress with working versions of the final product: course-correct as needed.
• Encourage sustainable development : ongoing progress over the long term beats hackathons.
• Pay attention to technical excellence : good design enhances agility.
• Keep it simple : focus on creating an MVP ( minimum viable product .) Don’t waste time building a huge product with lots of features if your customer just needs the basic version.
• Use self-organizing teams : autonomy leads to more motivated and productive employees.
• Regularly reflect and review : you can’t learn or progress without evaluating your workflow.

Read more in our guide: The 12 Agile principles

Is Agile project management right for your project?

Agile project management gives teams better visibility into project performance through frequent Scrum meetings and sprint reviews. Although Agile’s roots are grounded in software development, you can use it successfully for projects in any field. In today’s world, every business uses a system to track its progress and accomplish tasks — even if it’s not to produce a physical product.

Agile shortens the work cycle, so you can get to market faster while constantly adjusting the course to align with market changes.

Use Agile when:

• Project requirements are unpredictable and may change frequently
• Projects are complex and will require frequent iterations
• Frequent feedback to stakeholders or clients is required
• Projects involve a high degree of risk or uncertainty
• Projects are focused on delivering value

Companies like ING, Gore, and Spotify already use Agile project management to handle multiple, interconnected tasks. Why not join them by signing up for a free trial of monday dev to plan out your next Agile project?

What are the primary responsibilities of Agile project managers?

For Agile teams to be successful, they need a project manager who embodies the Agile foundations of flexibility, collaboration, and efficiency. Some responsibilities specific to Agile project managers include the following: 

• Agile project estimating refers to breaking up a project and estimating how much time & resources each task will consume. Because of an Agile project’s inherently flexible nature, these estimates are often adapted and produced throughout the course of a project’s life cycle. Agile project managers commonly use the system of story points, which measure a task’s effort and difficulty on a relative scale, to produce more accurate estimations.

• Agile reporting is the process of tracking and consolidating project data to provide regular updates and insights on a project’s progress. It’s important an Agile project manager is tracking and communicating these project metrics routinely throughout the project, so the team can actively consider data to make informed decisions on a project’s course of action. Agile reports are often shown in visually intuitive graphs or charts so the information is accessible and digestible for any stakeholder.

• Stakeholder communication must be carefully managed by Agile project managers to ensure that everyone is aligned on the project throughout its course. By creating transparent systems and updates, project managers can successfully facilitate consistent, clear communication with stakeholders and ensure effective collaboration. This can include shared documents, planned meetings, and visibility into working systems.

What are the benefits of Agile project management?

Agile is the right framework for your project if you’re interested in:

1. Increased customer satisfaction

Happy customers are the end goal of any type of project management. Not only do they want to experience stellar communication, but they also want to be 100% satisfied with the finished product.

Zoe Averbuch , Senior SEO Manager at monday.com, explains why Agile is a more customer-centric approach than linear project management styles.

“With Agile, updates are constantly released, so the client isn’t left waiting for a product or new feature. With linear, the first release is only available when the product is completely ready, so the customer may become impatient waiting to use any part of the product. People prefer receiving frequent minor updates and improvements as opposed to a complete product after a year.”

2. Dynamic changes

Once you’ve completed a stage in a linear project, there’s no room for modifications as you hand over to the next team to handle their tasks.  This isn’t the case in Agile project management where change is readily embraced. Zoe explains,

“This is a huge benefit since projects are dynamic and requirements constantly change, so clients can get their adjustments implemented within a couple of weeks.”

This also reduces risk as you’re working with actual conditions and requests rather than predictions.

3.  Efficient use of resources

Catching the need to change a project at the right time can save considerable time and money since the team can quickly make adjustments without scrapping and starting from scratch.

4. Boosted collaboration

Agile creates plenty of room for interdepartmental collaboration  between team members. The nature of the methodology encourages conversations and check-ins which breed creativity and innovation . Zoe adds,

“Everyone has a clear role in Agile, knows their place and where and how to contribute. It also promotes daily meetings where project team members share updates so if someone is stuck, other members can help.”

5. Speed to Market

The Agile methodology allows you to bring the concept to your users as fast as possible. During every iteration, an Agile project produces something valuable. At any instance, you could decide you want to launch what has been delivered in order to start building your user base or test your hypothesis.

If these benefits sound enticing to you, and you’re ready to take an Agile approach to project management, the next step is choosing from the many Agile methodologies.  

6 Agile project management methodologies

The State of Agile Report 2022 highlights that Scrum is the “most dominant framework” in Agile, with 87% of respondents using it. However, it’s not the only option. Check out how Scrum compares to other Agile project management methodologies .

Scrum project management

Scrum is an Agile framework for managing product development and other knowledge work through an emphasis on breaking down projects into iterative sprints.

It’s experimental and allows teams to create a hypothesis of what they believe will work, try it, reflect on the experience, and adjust accordingly.

Larger project teams are broken into smaller Scrum teams that include a Product Owner — who represents the interests of the business — and a Scrum Master who works to minimize roadblocks that prevent work from getting done. These individual teams self-organize and work in a Scrum sprint that lasts one to four weeks.

Kanban project management

The popular Kanban framework takes a visual approach to organizing projects and requires real-time communication into capacity and full project transparency. Work items are represented visually on cards, allowing team members to see the state of every piece of work at any time. Instead of working in sprints, teams work together to improve the product continuously. At the core of this framework is a Kanban board that outlines a logical workflow for fixing issues or adding features.

Extreme Programming

Extreme Programming (XP), a methodology used to quickly produce higher-quality software emphasizes customer satisfaction, technical excellence, and teamwork. The core practices include test-driven development, simple design, refactoring, continuous integration, pair programming, and coding standards. This approach is popular for software development projects because it focuses on building the right product quickly and uses checkpoints to course-correct as needed.

Feature-Driven Development

Feature-Driven Development (FDD) focuses on releasing features incrementally, isoften used for large-scale software projects where the customer isn’t sure what they need until they experience it. FDD starts with a “big picture” design that sets the stage for the project. Then, teams work in short cycles to deliver small chunks of functionality. After each cycle, review meetings ensure everyone is on the same page and the customer feels the project meets their objectives.

Lean project management

Lean project management uses lean manufacturing principles to adress project management, andocuses on reducing waste, optimizing collaboration between teams, and working towards the same goal. It’s often used in highly regulated industries where compression and speed of delivery are essential. The key practices of Lean PM include continuous integration, small batch sizes, customer feedback loops, and working in cross-functional teams.

Adaptive Software Development

Adaptive Software Development, built upon an earlier Agile methodology, Rapid Application Development works best in a rapidly changing environment. It’s popular with startups who want to quickly respond to feedback from customers and stakeholders. The cycle is continuous and involves gathering customer feedback, analyzing the results, making changes to the product or process, testing the new approach, and repeating the process. The core practices of adaptive software development include risk management, customer feedback loops, rapid prototyping, evolutionary design, and iterative development.

Become Agile with monday.com

monday.com  provides a centralized and automated platform, including easy-to-use and customizable templates to manage your whole Agile workflow. Check out three features to kickstart your next project.

1. Data integrations from multiple apps and tools

monday.com provides access to 72+ built-in integrations and our powerful automation builder will help you bridge the gap between different departments and teams that rely on various apps.

For example, you can bring together the support team that uses Zendesk and the development team that relies on Jira. By eliminating that silo, your developers can spend more time on the features and bugs that your customers care about the most.

You can connect board items to relevant sprint activity statuses, and the roadmap will automatically provide insight into project progress.

2. Custom templates to plan your iterations and sprints

Instead of messy whiteboards,  make work assignments super clear with a digital sprint board. Color-coded item statuses, priorities, and assigned owner columns leave no room for doubt. You can use and customize our ready-made templates to suit your unique Agile process, such as our product roadmap template

3. Synced dashboards to get live, high-level overviews

Combine data from multiple sources to build custom dashboards in minutes with our widgets and drag-and-drop editor. For example, Agile teams who want visibility into project budgets and iterations can view this on the same dashboard.

Want to see it all in action? Sign up for a free trial of monday dev below.

Is Agile right for you and your team members?

You’re probably already considering how an Agile approach to project management could boost your team’s transparency and productivity. A great way to start and ensure smooth adoption is to start building out these processes with monday.com. Start creating your Agile project management plan for free by signing up for a monday.com trial, no credit card required.

Agile PM FAQ

What are the 6 phases of agile project management.

The exact process will depend on which Agile style you follow but will usually encompass these phases:

Concept: defining the idea and goals Inception: designing the initial plan Iteration: developing and testing the deliverables Release: releasing the product and tracking progress Maintenance: fixing, updating and adding new features Retirement: finalizing the project and closing out activities

What is Agile project management best for?

Agile project management works best for projects that require frequent feedback and change. It's also ideal for projects with high levels of complexity and uncertainty.

What are the drawbacks of Agile project management?

Agile project management isn’t the best fit in complex projects where there are multiple dependencies. For example, in an engineering or construction project where everything needs to happen at exactly the right time, full-blown Agile may create bottlenecks. The same goes for highly regulated industries where you need sign-off before starting.

• Agile methodology

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Product Management

The Essential Guide to Agile Product Management

Content Writer

Created on:

September 11, 2024

Updated on:

12 min read

Transform Insights into Impact

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In the tech world, the more adaptable you are, the more successful you become. 

Think about startups surpassing established companies or innovative products overtaking traditional ones.

This success comes from embracing change and focusing on the customer.

Agile product management captures precisely that. 

It's a mindset that enables teams to deliver top-quality solutions more quickly and efficiently. 

In this article, we cover the core elements of agile product management. We go over what agile is, its benefits, popular frameworks, and how to make the most of it for your product's success . 

What is agile product management?

As its name suggests, agile product management is a flexible approach to developing products. It prioritizes adaptability, customer feedback and continuous improvement. 

The core agile principles are:

• Continuous delivery of working products
• Collaborating closely with customers
• Staying open to change

In agile SaaS product management , the product vision is set early, but it can be adjusted. Teams work in short, focused sessions called sprints, collecting feedback and making improvements along the way. This keeps the product aligned with what customers are looking for. 

Product history: agile vs waterfall

As soon as the software development started, the push to make it faster and more efficient followed. Over time, businesses developed various product management approaches to meet this demand, one of the most influential being agile management. 

But agile wasn't the first.

Actually, long before it gained popularity, the waterfall approach was the go-to method for software development. 

What is the waterfall approach?

Similarly to agile, its name mirrors its core principles: workflows follow a linear, top-down sequence. Each stage must be fully completed before moving on to the next.

You can probably sense the problem here, especially when it comes to modern product development.

Waiting for each stage to be fully completed means that if an issue is discovered later in development, you have to go back to where the problem occurred. That makes the mistake time-consuming and expensive.

Another significant issue is that the waterfall methodology wasn't designed with the customer in mind. This methodology starts with clear, fixed goals, so making changes based on customer feedback isn't something it handles well.

This is where agile stepped in during the early 2000s. 

It flipped the waterfall model on its head, putting a focus on flexibility, speed and customer insights . While waterfall remains helpful in specific situations (e.g. for projects with strictly defined goals), the agile process has become the preferred approach in modern software development, thanks to its ability to deliver high-quality products that truly meet customer needs quickly.

Key benefits of agile product management

Here are the key benefits product leaders and teams can get with agile product management:

Faster time-to-market

Agile product management speeds up time to market. It achieves this through an iterative approach—breaking projects into smaller, manageable pieces. 

Agile teams also work on different product parts simultaneously, increasing production speed. And If any issues arise or updates are needed based on customer feedback, product managers can quickly make necessary changes.

Higher customer satisfaction

An agile mindset is about keeping the customer at the heart of your product strategy and development. It actively involves customers throughout the product development process, ensuring everything about the product aligns with the user persona's needs and expectations.

This focus on the user leads to better solutions and stronger customer relationships. An agile approach, where product teams make changes in small, repeated cycles, means they can quickly adapt to what works and what doesn't, refining products based on real feedback. 

Increased flexibility and adaptability

The market changes fast. Agile development helps you change with it and do so effectively.

The approach focuses on continuous development. There's no "it's built, and now we wait". Instead, your agile development team works in short sprints and gathers feedback constantly . This lets you make adjustments quickly and cost-effectively. For example, if users frequently request a new functionality for search in your app, agile enables you to add this feature in the next sprint.

This method minimizes downtime, avoids delays and extra costs, and ensures your next product roadmap stays aligned with what matters most—user expectations and market demands.

Better product quality

With agile product management, you can count on top-quality products. 

How can you be sure?

The approach leads your product teams to make regular tweaks and refinements throughout the product management process . They also carry out frequent testing to catch potential issues early. All this attention naturally results in a more polished product.

Improved team collaboration

Agile methodologies boost team collaboration through regular feedback and close cooperation among managers, developers, and customers. This breaks down barriers and encourages a team-based approach to solving problems and making decisions. 

The key is simple: frequent communication and clear business objectives keep everyone aligned. Agile management creates an agile environment where ideas and tasks are tackled as a team, leading to more synchronized and effective efforts.

Agile product management frameworks

Each product is unique. While many modern projects benefit from Agile product management, there are various ways to implement this approach. 

These are called agile product management frameworks . It's important to understand them well so you can choose the one that best fits your team's and product's needs.

Here are five of the most popular agile methodologies.

Scrum is an agile framework for managing complex projects with a focus on iterative development. It's like a rugby team huddling together to plan their next move—Scrum's name and methodologies embody that team spirit.

How does it work? 

Scrum organizes work into short, focused sprints, usually lasting one to four weeks. The Scrum team tackles tasks from a prioritized list and adjusts development based on feedback and new insights.

In Scrum, two key roles are essential for your product team here: the Scrum master and the Product owner. The Scrum master guides the product team through the process and ensures that Scrum rules are followed. They are the go-to person for keeping everything on track. The Product owner decides on the most important features. The Product owner also ensures the product aligns with customer needs and expectations.

When to use Scrum: Scrum is perfect for managing complex projects where requirements and feedback frequently change.

Kanban is a visual project management tool that optimizes workflow and boosts productivity. At the heart of Kanban is a board showing tasks and their statuses in categories you're likely familiar with: "To Do," "In Progress," and "Done." This visual representation provides real-time insight into the state of every task, helping teams manage and prioritize work.

Kanban operates on a pull-based system. Tasks are added to the board only when there is actual demand, and work is pulled in only when there's capacity. This approach minimizes overloading and ensures efficient completion before introducing new tasks.

When to use Kanban: Use Kanban to visualize tasks and manage ongoing work as it comes in.

Lean Software Development (LSD) is about making your development process smoother and more efficient. It's the "less is more" approach for software. LSD essentially eliminates "waste" (the feature your customers don't need or want) and boosts productivity. 

The core idea behind LSD is to build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This product management buzzword is actually a basic version of your product. It lets you gather user feedback early and adjust based on actual needs. This helps you stay agile, address issues quickly and deliver a product that resonates with users.

When to use Lean Software Development: For small projects with a short time frame and where there's the need for constant testing.

Extreme programming

Extreme programming (XP) is precisely what it sounds like. It takes programming practices to their "extreme" limits to improve software quality and development efficiency. This framework focuses on rapid iterations and continuous feedback to adapt to changing needs and new technologies. XP also calls for close teamwork among developers, customers, and stakeholders. 

XP development starts with defining product strategy, management analytics and user stories . These help the team understand and focus on the needs of the users.

When to use Extreme programming: When you need to deliver high-quality software quickly. This framework is also perfect for small teams often needing to change their solution's functionality. 

The Crystal agile development framework recognizes that different team sizes require different approaches. For instance, small, agile teams might rely on informal communication, while larger teams benefit from structured methods.

Therefore, Crystal categorizes projects into color-coded levels based on team size. Each color—Crystal Clear, Yellow, Orange, Red, Maroon, Diamond and Sapphire—corresponds to a specific range of team sizes (from less than six employees to 200+) and suggests the amount of documentation and structure. 

For smaller teams, like those in the Crystal Clear category (less than six people in a team), minimal documentation and less formal processes are needed since the development team can manage coordination through regular communication.

As teams grow larger, moving to colors like Crystal Yellow, Orange, or Red, the framework recommends increasing structure and documentation to help manage complexity.

When to use Crystal: if your team works in the same location and you work on small-term projects. 

How can Zeda.io help you get the most out of agile product management?

Agile product management covers a lot—from prioritizing product features and coordinating teams to gathering feedback and adjusting strategies. 

You need a single, dependable product management tool to handle all these elements seamlessly. 

This product management software is designed to help agile product managers and teams easily gather feedback, set business objectives, and collaborate efficiently. It keeps everything in one place, making your agile project management processes smoother and more effective.

Here are the key features of Zeda.io and how you can use them to boost your agile product management:

• Voice of customer : Easily track and analyze feedback from multiple channels with Zeda AI product management tool —Voice of Customer. It gives you a crystal-clear view of what your users really want. This lets you prioritize key features and adapt quickly.
• Product insights : A big part of agile product management is staying responsive to customers and market demands. Zeda.io's Product Insights feature gives you a pulse on what your customers think about every aspect of your product.
• Impact-first roadmaps : Put agile product management frameworks into action in the most effective way. Use Zeda.io roadmaps to plan, prioritize, and manage your product strategy . These agile roadmaps let you adapt quickly and keep everyone in the loop with the project's progress.
• Release notes AI : Send release notes to strengthen the bond with your customers. Highlight new features, bug fixes, and, best of all, how you've acted on their feedback. This level of transparency builds trust and makes them engaged, loyal and genuinely satisfied with your solutions.

Agile product development takes effort and attention to detail. You need to manage various aspects and implement the right frameworks. 

But it's worth it. 

Investing in an agile approach leads to happier customers, stronger loyalty and greater overall results. 

To get reliable support for implementing agile product management— sign up with Zeda.io .

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What does agile mean in product management?

Agile in product management means a flexible approach to development that focuses on adapting quickly to changes and prioritizing customer needs.

What is Scrum agile product management?

Scrum is a popular agile development framework that breaks down projects into short, manageable sprints multiple iterations, typically lasting one to four weeks.

What is the difference between lean and agile product management?

Agile is a broader term that refers to a set of product management principles for developing solutions through frequent, small improvements. It also revolves around meeting customer needs. Lean fits within this approach as a specific framework that helps the development team put the agile practices and agile principles into practice. The main difference is that the agile process is focused on a deep understanding of users and handling changes. In contrast, Lean focuses on creating a Minimum Viable Product and cutting out anything that doesn't add value to the product.

What is the agile product life cycle?

The agile product lifecycle is a process where you plan, build and release your product in small steps. Then, you gather feedback and use it to make improvements.

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What Is Scrum? Methodology Overview for Project Management

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Scrum is a method that can help increase efficiency and manage resource tracking for complex projects. Instead of tackling a massive project all at once, the team breaks it down into smaller, more manageable sprints, focusing their efforts on delivering high-quality results incrementally.

A simple analogy for understanding scrum is to think of how you would train to run a mile. Rather than build long-distance stamina, it’s more effective to run short, intense sprints with the goal of completing a single lap of a track as quickly as possible. Each sprint sharpens your speed, increases endurance, and allows you to refine technique.

This is exactly how scrum works in project management, and when used effectively, it can result in faster project delivery with minimal wasted time or budget.

What is scrum?

Scrum helps teams organize and complete complex projects more efficiently. By breaking these complicated projects into smaller, more manageable pieces, the team is able to constantly improve their work through iterative feedback.

Scrum simplifies complex projects while fostering collaboration. While scrums are frequently used in software development, this methodology can be used to carry any team through any complex project.

The term scrum originated in the game of rugby to describe when the team moves up the field as one unit, passing the ball to the correct person as dictated by the rapidly changing gameplay. After first being used in the 1980s by writers Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka as a way to visualize evolving modern business practices in the context of sport, scrum became permanently associated with this project style.

What is the scrum methodology?

The scrum methodology enables teams to work collaboratively to take on complex problems in small, manageable tasks called “sprints.” Sprints will typically last a few weeks with a review process at the end to discuss how things went and what can be improved.

This iterative process makes it easier to continuously improve the product and the workflow through the constant feedback. It’s like having regular tests throughout a semester to gauge your learning and making adjustments before taking the final exam vs going into the final exam without studying.

Instead of waiting until the end to see if the project is successful, scrum allows teams to continuously assess progress and adapt.

Scrum vs agile

Agile is a more general mindset for managing projects where the focus is being flexible, working in small steps, and always improving. Scrum is one specific way of putting the agile mindset into practice. In other words, agile is the idea, while scrum is the facilitating action.

SEE: Find recommendations for the best agile project management software .

How to get started with scrum

In order to get your team started with scrum, the first step is to assemble your scrum team. The main requirement for the members of this team is that they will be there for the full lifecycle of the scrum. This helps maintain consistency and ease of collaboration.

Scrum team roles

Scrum encourages team members to take ownership of their work, communicate thoroughly with the rest of the group, and self-organize. The structure of the team executing this methodology does matter.

Key roles include:

• Product owner: The product owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the work the development team does and acts as a liaison between the stakeholders and the scrum team.
• Scrum master: The scrum master facilitates and guides the scrum through each event to the ultimate goal. It’s important to note that this role is not necessarily a manager but a project facilitator and leadership role who works to anticipate roadblocks for the development team, ensuring smooth and continuous progress.
• Development team: The development team is responsible for executing the deliverable product at the end of each sprint. They are self-organizing for the duration of the sprint and serve different roles within the development team depending on their skillset.

Collectively, this group is referred to as the scrum team. Each role is an essential part of the methodology and feedback cycle, with the end goal being improving the product through each sprint.

The next step is to determine who is responsible for the scrum artifacts.

Scrum artifacts

Maintaining visibility of progress to the entire team is a key component of each sprint in the scrum. This is highly useful for the team to stay on track and self-organize as they move through project stages. To streamline the management of these artifacts, the team may consider using project management software .

Product backlog

Who oversees it: Product owner.

What is it: This document should hold all the ideas, items, and proposals for the entirety of the project and serves as the single source of truth for the scrum team. Most importantly, it contains the Definition of Done (DoD), which defines the scrum team’s agreed-upon definition of completion for the project or product. It should be continuously updated to reflect the current adaptations and improvements the scrum team has made.

Sprint backlog

Who oversees it: Development team.

What is it: This document holds the overall vision for a specific sprint. It defines the sprint goal, which is the scope of work the development team is responsible for delivering at the end of the sprint. It keeps them on track with the overall project via the sprint goal, which defines the sprint’s role in the overall project, and houses the task breakdown, where each task is broken down into actionable steps.

Burndown charts

Who oversees it: Scrum master.

What is it: Burndown charts are visual representations of the team’s progress. These charts pull data from the product backlog and the sprint backlog in order to show the amount of work remaining for the product vs the time remaining until completion. This tool provides the entire team visibility into the current progress made and allows the team to make course corrections if their timeline isn’t attainable.

Who oversees it: The entire team, but primarily the development team.

What is it: The increment is the actual product that is being worked on by the development team. It is the current status of the product, which is essentially an amalgamation of the current sprint along with all the previous sprints. The scrum team monitors the increment closely in order to be sure that the product meets the DoD at completion.

Scrum events

After the product backlog is created by the product owner and the scrum team is assembled, the final step for you is to attend the sprints—also known as scrum events.

The scrum events are:

• Sprint planning: This meeting kicks off the sprint. This is where the entire scrum team meets to determine the timeline of the sprint (often 2–4 weeks) and the DoD is agreed upon.
• Daily scrum: This occurs every day the sprint is being worked on, typically at the same time and duration for consistency. This short meeting attended by the development team is where the group discusses what they did yesterday, what they are going to do today, and any obstacles they may be facing.
• Sprint review: This review is held with the entire scrum team and stakeholders at the end of the sprint to review the increment. This is where the team presents the product to the stakeholders to get feedback on what needs to be updated.
• Sprint retrospective: The sprint retrospective is the final event of the sprint and includes the entire scrum team. This is where the team reflects on what went well and what can be improved for the next sprint. The focus is continuous improvement for subsequent iterations.

Your team may want to consider using a scrum project management tool in order to facilitate current sprints and maintain a history of past sprints for comparison. Project management software is also useful when coordinating between company employees and outside stakeholders.

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Understanding the 4 Core Values and 12 Key Principles of Agile Project Management 

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O rganizations are constantly seeking methods to increase productivity, enhance project tracking, and adapt to change management requirements, especially in remote work settings. Agile Project Management has emerged as a leading approach that provides the necessary flexibility and responsiveness. By focusing on iterative progress, collaboration, and continuous improvement, Agile helps teams remain productive while keeping projects on track.  

Let’s dive into the four values and twelve principles of Agile and how they can be applied with project management tools, such as the Yoroproject template, to increase productivity and optimize task management.  

The Four Core Values of Agile Project Management

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.

While project management software and tools are critical, Agile emphasizes the importance of communication and collaboration. The success of a project relies on how team members interact and adapt to changing requirements. A project management tool like Yoroproject facilitates effective communication by integrating real-time updates, enabling teams—especially remote ones—to stay aligned without losing sight of critical tasks.  

Working Software Over Comprehensive Documentation

Agile focuses on delivering tangible, functional results. Instead of spending excessive time documenting every detail, Agile encourages teams to prioritize creating functional software or deliverables. Tools that support this process, like Yoroproject’s task management templates , streamline workflows and ensure teams remain focused on the most critical path.  

Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation

Agile encourages teams to work closely with customers or stakeholders, continuously incorporating feedback throughout the project lifecycle . Agile’s flexibility makes it ideal for adapting to evolving customer requirements. With project tracking features in Yoroproject , teams can adjust timelines, manage change, and ensure the project’s critical path remains on track.  

Responding to Change Over Following a Plan

In a dynamic business environment, change is inevitable. Agile embraces change management by adjusting plans as necessary rather than rigidly adhering to outdated schedules. This adaptability is further supported by project management tools that allow for easy adjustments to tasks and milestones, ensuring teams remain productive even in the face of evolving project scopes.  

The 12 Principles of Agile Project Management

Customer satisfaction through early and continuous delivery.

The highest priority of Agile is to satisfy customers through frequent and early delivery of valuable work. Using Agile project management tools like Yoroproject , teams can break down large tasks into manageable increments, track progress, and ensure timely delivery of functional products.  

Welcome Changing Requirements, Even Late in Development

Agile thrives on flexibility. By welcoming changes in requirements—no matter how late they appear—teams remain agile and better equipped to deliver a successful project. Project management tools support this by offering dynamic task management , making it easy to update project scopes and timelines.  

Deliver Working Solutions Frequently

Agile promotes frequent deliveries of working solutions, which helps stakeholders visualize progress. With the project tracking feature of Yoroproject , teams can ensure that critical deliverables are consistently met and that key project milestones remain on track.  

Collaboration Between Business Stakeholders and Developers

Continuous collaboration between all stakeholders ensures alignment. Whether your team is working in-house or remotely, Agile’s collaborative nature is amplified with tools like Yoroproject , which offers features like task assignment, progress tracking, and communication channels to keep all parties in sync .  

Motivated Individuals Are the Key to Success

Agile projects depend on motivated, empowered individuals. The right project management software can increase employee autonomy by offering clear task management systems and simplifying the allocation of responsibilities.  

Face-to-Face Conversation Is the Most Efficient Form of Communication

While in-person meetings aren’t always possible—especially with remote work—a project management tool that offers real-time communication features can mimic face-to-face interactions. Remote teams using Yoroproject can use integrated communication tools to maintain real-time collaboration and keep productivity high.  

Working Solutions Are the Primary Measure of Progress

Agile measures progress based on the delivery of working solutions rather than the completion of tasks. A robust project management tool can track real-time updates and milestones, helping teams assess their actual progress in relation to deliverables.  

Sustainable Development Pace

Agile encourages teams to maintain a sustainable pace for development. By leveraging a tool like Yoroproject , teams can balance workloads, manage deadlines, and ensure that everyone is moving at a sustainable pace that maximizes productivity .  

Continuous Attention to Technical Excellence

Agile values continuous improvement. Project management tools can support this principle by enabling retrospective meetings and feedback loops, allowing teams to reflect on what went well and where improvements can be made.  

Simplicity Is Essential

Agile promotes simplicity by encouraging teams to focus on what is necessary. A project management tool like Yoroproject offers clear, straightforward task management templates, making it easier to keep projects focused and free from unnecessary complexity.  

Self-Organizing Teams Produce the Best Solutions

Agile trusts teams to self-organize and produce the best possible outcomes. With the support of an efficient project management tool, teams can take ownership of their workflows, allocate tasks, and manage their critical path independently, resulting in a more productive and motivated team.  

Regular Reflection for Continuous Improvement

Agile principles emphasize continuous reflection and improvement. By regularly reviewing workflows, teams can adjust their processes to improve productivity. Project management software plays a critical role here by providing a historical view of task management and project progress, which can be used for informed reflections.  

How Agile Principles Align with Modern Project Management Tools

Agile Project Management thrives when it is paired with the right tools. Yoroproject offers customizable templates that align with Agile methodologies, including task management, project tracking, and the critical path for project deadlines. In a world of increasing remote work, using Agile and the right project management tools ensures that teams stay on top of tasks, remain productive, and meet project objectives , all while adapting to change.  

Agile Project Management is built on four core values and twelve guiding principles that make it highly adaptive, efficient, and customer-focused . By integrating these values with a robust project management tool like Yoroproject , teams can maximize productivity, manage their critical path, and handle change management effectively, even in remote work environments.   

Ultimately, Agile ensures continuous improvement and delivery, helping businesses remain competitive and successful in today’s fast-evolving landscape.  

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