Agile methods are taking the IT and software development worlds by storm. Why? Because they're effective and they better align with the realities of software development projects-changing requirements, ever more challenging technologies, highly compressed schedules and evolving teams. This workshop teaches you how to adapt and respond to all of these challenges within your software projects.

Software Projects Require More Than Traditional Project Management Skills.

This workshop focuses on bringing non-traditional methods to bear within your software projects. With projects consistently failing at a +60% level for the past 10 plus years, it's clear that traditional techniques aren't working all that well. We'll explore how to blend traditional and non-traditional PM techniques to enhance your project success and delivery of real business value. We'll examine Agility as it relates to chartering, estimating, planning, risk management, change and release management.

Improve your Coaching and Soft Skills.

Today's software teams require vastly different leadership and management skills from Project Managers to truly achieve success. You can't simply tell everyone what to do. Instead, you need to be a strong coach, a change agent, and very effective at stakeholder management. Each method and discussion point brings home the fact that trying to drive success through planning simply doesn't work. Instead, plans need to be actualized through the organization and team.

Cutting Edge Ideas: This workshop is based on leading edge tools and techniques from some of the principles leading the Agile revolution. We'll explore concepts from:

• Agile Estimation & Planning - Cohn
• Agile & Iterative Development - Larman
• Agile Project Management - Highsmith
• Crystal Clear - Cockburn
• Extreme Programming - Beck
• Lean Software Development - Poppendieck
• Retrospectives - Kerth
• Scrum - Schwaber & Beedle
• Software Endgames - Galen

One of the strengths of the course is that it serves as a learning springboard into further areas of Agile Project Management. A full reference resource list will be provided.

In-Class Practice Session Overview

This class is a stimulating combination of class interaction, case studies, group exercises and workshops. Each is designed to allow you to easily grasp new concepts and techniques. Specifically, you will cover:

• Using Chartering as an assessment and corrective action tool
• Examine risk and release readiness metrics across different development methodologies
• Agile practices force field analysis for overcoming adoption challenges
• Wideband / Planning poker release planning simulation
• Scrum negotiation simulation for release content prioritization
• Coaching workshop focused on several common and challenging conversations facing project managers