Agile project management is an iterative approach to managing software development projects that focuses on continuous releases and incorporating customer feedback with every iteration. Software teams that embrace agile project management methodologies increase their development speed, expand collaboration, and foster the ability to respond better to market trends. -Atlassian Agile Coach
The person behind these five agile project management model phases is James “Jim” Highsmith III. He is one of the original signatories of the Agile Manifesto. Jim Highsmith is also an American software engineer and author of books in the field of software development methodology. He is the creator of Adaptive Software Development. And he is also the winner of the 2000 Jolt Award and the 2005 Stevens Award.
These are the five major phases of agile project management:
Envision
In the first phase, it is usually where the team members visualize the product or service. It is about brainstorming and creating a vision for the project. This phase should focus on the customers’ wants and needs. It is also where the people involved in the project are identified to create a team for the project. In short, it is about what the project is; who is part of the project; and when the project can be made public.
Speculate
The second phase is the extension of the Envision phase. In this phase, the team members merge their ideas which will allow them to envision. It is also where they can develop their plans based on their visions. It is about creating a list of the qualities they want for the final product. And also how the team should work to achieve it. This phase is usually done in two ways: dividing the project into different tasks and deciding the project’s timeline; and deciding on a way to maintain the project’s quality after it is delivered. This is also where the team discusses what’s possible to achieve and what’s out of their reach. It is simply planning for the future while also expecting and accepting change if necessary.
Explore
In this third phase, its main focus is creating value and maintaining the quality of the final output. Aside from this, it also focuses on delivering project features. There are three essential steps in this phase: first, managing the workload and using the proper technical practices; second, creating a self-organizing and collaborative community that shares a responsibility; and third, managing how team members interact with other parties— customers, product managers, stakeholders, business partners, etc.
Adapt
This phase is about adapting to different circumstances. This will allow the team members to prepare for anything that will be thrown at them. It mainly focuses on modifications, changes, and corrections in the product’s lifecycle. It is best to regularly speculate, explore, and adapt in order to improve the product itself. Moreover, this phase is for analyzing the results from different perspectives, from customers to technical staff. Basically, analyzing results comes down to reviewing actual results and planned or revised results. This phase considers the improvements required, which are combined into the re-planning approach.
Close
We’re down to the final phase. Everything, even projects, has its beginning and its end. In this phase, the team members determine the project’s endpoint. Failing to determine the project’s endpoints can result in problems with the customers. Therefore it is important to also plan for the project’s end. But before ending it, it is best to analyze all the key findings and information gathered from the project. This is done so that the team can ensure that they are delivering exactly what’s expected of them. And also to pass along the information to the next team so that they can benefit from it.
The objective of agile project management is to provide a more adaptable alternative to traditional project management. These five phases attest to that objective. It is more than just some kind of agile project management checklist. They provide a framework for other agile ideas, approaches, and practices. These five phases should not be separated from one another. Nor take place one after the other. They should overlap and revisit each other when new information arises. The point of the APM framework is to follow an iterative and cohesive method. This is done to maintain the effectiveness of the project management during the project’s entire lifecycle.
