Agile Project Management

The course provides an overview of agile project management, defines key terminology, describes the four agile methodologies, outlines the agile lifecycle, and explores the primary areas of expertise necessary to manage agile projects successfully. Learn the proper application of agile principles and how they can be applied to scope development, requirements analysis, planning and schedule development, and cost estimating. Also explores team building, project governance, managing value, scaling up and contracting, as well as methods for transitioning to Agile.

This course promotes a deeper understanding of the Scrum and Kanban development methodologies and how they adhere to the mindset, values, and principles of the Agile Manifesto. Students learn how Scrum uses short development cycles called sprints to focus on continuous improvement in the development of a product or service, as well as compare and contrast the roles of product owner, development team, and Scrum Master. Additionally, students learn how Kanban was developed using Lean principles and is focused on improving product flow through the system and is best prescribed when flexibility, continuous delivery, and increased productivity and quality is desired.

Turbulent business environments demand constant change, and organizational change management approaches must be developed from a rigorous and evidence-based understanding of individual behavior. This course draws from several scientific perspectives to present an Agile approach to change reflecting the latest science on organizational behavior, the psychology of risk, and complexity theory. Students gain a better understanding of the contributing factors to the success and failure of organizational change and are exposed to real breakthroughs in our understanding of people in the twenty-first century.

Disruptive technologies are rapidly changing the project management landscape, and more and more companies are learning how to work collaboratively to deliver the best possible value to customers through predictable, incremental releases of innovative features through the implementation of agile methodologies. Students gain a comprehensive view of the role of the agile coach, learn how to adapt powerful tools from many allied disciplines to leadership, mentorship, and coaching, evolve their personal leadership styles, and recognize failure, recovery, and success modes in their own coaching.