Summary

In this episode, Jimi Fosdick joins Dave for a conversation about his journey from traditional project management to agile. They discuss the challenges of applying traditional project management to software development, the importance of understanding the context and problem domain when choosing project management approaches, and the misuse of the term 'agile' in the consulting industry. They also touch on the legacy of Frederick Taylor and the need for a people-centered approach in project management. The conversation explores the challenges of traditional project management and the need for a more empirical and agile approach. They discuss the problems with big upfront planning, the importance of shorter cycle times, and the fear of failure. The conversation also touches on the need for more humane workspaces and the changing nature of work. The principal themes include the limitations of traditional project management, the benefits of an empirical approach, and the evolving workforce and work environment.

Takeaways

• Traditional project management is effective for problems that can be solved on paper upfront, but may not work well for software development.

• Agile approaches, such as Scrum, are better suited for software development and other complex, empirical problems.

• The term 'agile' has become an overloaded and misused brand in the consulting industry.

• Hybrid approaches that combine traditional project management and agile practices can be problematic and may not fully embrace the values and principles of agile.

• A people-centered approach is essential in project management, and the focus should be on collaboration, respect, and solving the right problems. Traditional project management relies on upfront planning, which can lead to longer cycle times and higher failure rates.

• An empirical approach, such as Agile, allows for shorter cycle times and the ability to adapt and change as needed.

• The fear of failure often hinders organizations from embracing more agile and iterative approaches.

• There is a growing emphasis on creating more humane workspaces and allowing for more flexibility and creativity in the workplace.

• The nature of work is changing, and organizations need to adapt to the expectations and needs of the new generation of workers.

Chapters

02:20 Introduction and Background

05:52 The Challenges of Traditional Project Management in Software Development

08:33 Differentiating Scrum from Traditional Project Management

12:13 The Misuse of the Term 'Agile'

14:38 The Problem with Hybrid Approaches

22:17 Legacy Code in Our Heads: Shifting the Project Management Paradigm

26:21 The Benefits of an Empirical Approach

28:46 Overcoming the Fear of Failure

33:18 Creating More Humane Workspaces

39:03 The Changing Nature of Work

Contacting Jimi

- Web: https://fearlessagility.com/

- X: https://x.com/FearlessAgility

- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FearlessAgility/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realFearlessAgility/

- Courses on the Scrum Alliance site: https://tinyurl.com/yjc2rtmf

Links from Dave's Intro

- The Art of War for Collaboration Course http://modusinstitute.com/course/art-of-war-collaboration

- Guided Personal Kanban (September 2024)

http://modusinstitute.com/course/guided-pk-sep-usa

The Agile Network*

https://go.theagilenetwork.com/l/web-dprior

Use the discount codes below to get either 20% or 2 months of free access

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Contacting Dave

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mrsungo