Of Speed, Efficiency, and Alignment for Successful Project Results
Written by: Jessica Begay, John Pampe, with Linda Ricard
Published June 2024
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Applying Agile Methods of Speed, Efficiency, and Alignment for Successful Project Results
To survive, evolve, and thrive is to be able to adapt to a sometimes chaotic and constantly changing environment. Nowhere is this more important than on the battlefield, where military commanders arm soldiers with a strategic plan while continually adjusting that plan through changing tactical maneuvers. This requires rapidly evolving the strategic plan through agility, speed, quick critical thinking skills, and continual improvements through agile methods.
This same approach applies to project management, where a logically sequenced, linear project management methodology based on critical path analysis. It also includes models of schedule estimates, inter-related tasks, milestones, and deliverables anchors a project team at the strategic level. Successful project teams also apply the flexibility, speed, adaptability, and efficiency of agile processes at the tactical level. This is a means to maintain and/or accelerate project schedule while improving quality and customer value at reduced costs.
Agile Methodology
Agile project management roots stem from the Kaizen philosophy of leaning out processes, tools, and systems through small, ongoing, incremental continuous improvements to reap significant benefits.
This is a client-focused, “fit-for-purpose” approach to project management where products are designed and built in short cycles called “sprints” in response to rapid changes to the project plan, schedule, budget, and final deliverable. Agile project management builds on the Kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement by breaking a project into phases called “sprints” to tackle tasks along the critical path.