Learn how to use an agile Light Touch to manage your project team more effectively

Overview Most project managers work in a hierarchical organization where assignments come from the top down. In an agile project management environment this hierarchy is counterproductive.

The concept of agile project management pivots on the idea that assignments and work flow should be determined by the highly skilled team members whose primary responsibility is to deliver customer value. This Light Touch management approach means managers must allow agile teams autonomy and flexibility without sacrificing control. This chapter from Managing Agile Projects, by Sanjiv Augustine, explains how managers can relinquish the absolute control they are used to for the more efficient agile management philosophy. For this change in philosophy to be effective, agile management requires these activities:

• Establishing decentralized control that defers decision making for frequently occurring, less critical events to the team.
• Managing the flow of customer value from one creative stage to another.
• Recognizing team members as whole-persons and treating them accordingly.
• Focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses to leverage people's uniqueness.

Title: Managing Agile Projects
Author: By Sanjiv Augustine
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR
Chapter 2: Light Touch
ISBN: 0131240714; Published: May 12, 2005; Copyright 2005
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