PM 101: Workshop 10 - Agile Project Management (APM)

Location: In-Person | COLE 340

Date: July 10, 2025  

Time: 1pm – 3pm  

Facilitator: Te Wu

While traditional project management can be viable and effective for many types of projects, there are situations in which agile or adaptive project management is superior.  For projects and project organizations that require greater flexibility, faster time to results, greater collaborations especially with customers, and higher preference for incremental improvements, then APM can be a strong approach. emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, rapid delivery, and continuous improvement. APM has become increasingly important in various industries (especially in software development) due to its adaptability and effectiveness in managing complex projects. Here are some key reasons why agile project management is important:

Adaptability to Change: Agile allows teams to adapt quickly to changes in project scope, market conditions, or customer needs. This adaptability is crucial in today’s fast-paced business environments, where requirements can change rapidly, and businesses must be responsive to stay competitive.

Customer-Centric Approach: Agile focuses on delivering value to the customer through regular and early delivery of valuable product features. This iterative approach ensures that the project continually aligns with customer needs and expectations, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

Improved Collaboration and Communication: Agile methodologies encourage regular communication and collaboration among team members and with stakeholders. Daily stand-up meetings, sprint planning, and reviews foster a transparent and inclusive environment where all team members are aligned and informed about the project’s progress and challenges.

Faster Time to Market: By breaking down the project into manageable units (sprints), agile enables teams to deliver workable features more quickly and frequently. This not only accelerates the time to market but also allows organizations to benefit from early feedback to make necessary adjustments.

Increased Project Control: Agile provides mechanisms for regular monitoring and reporting of project progress, such as burn-down charts and sprint reviews. These tools help project managers identify and address issues promptly, leading to better control over the project lifecycle.

Risk Management: Agile’s iterative nature allows risks to be identified and addressed earlier in the project, reducing the likelihood of project failures. Regular iterations and feedback loops ensure that risks are managed proactively rather than reactively.

Enhanced Product Quality: Continuous testing, integration, and feedback incorporated in agile practices ensure that quality is maintained throughout the development process. This approach helps in identifying defects early, reducing the cost and effort required for fixing issues later.

Employee Satisfaction and Engagement: Agile methodologies empower teams by involving them in decision-making processes and allowing them to self-organize. This can lead to increased job satisfaction, better team dynamics, and more effective use of individual skills and creativity.

In short, agile project management is crucial for organizations seeking to improve their responsiveness, efficiency, and effectiveness in managing complex projects. But while APM may be superior in many situations, it is not a panacea. APM can be difficult to learn and apply, and it must have strong organizational support, often requiring culture changes.  This session will highlight the advantages and limitations of agile project management and will conclude with a hands-on exercise.

Benefits

To Participants:

• Learn the latest approach to project management and understand the pros and cons of agile project management
• Apply the core concepts of agile project management and/or traditional project management from the earlier workshops
• Gain an appreciation of various ways to lead projects

To the University:

• Achieve greater awareness and insights of project management challenges and identify the various ways to implement projects
• Drive greater flexibility and speed to project delivery by applying agile project management

Project Management 101 Learning Series Schedule