Even if you aren’t a techie, this method of project management could benefit your team. It’s time to get agile.
For those who don’t develop software, it can be a tricky and unpredictable line of work. You write some code, you think it works and you keep going. But if something isn’t working right, or the client changes or adds something, you have to go back and redo your previous work. The Agile Method was created as a way to help software developers manage this and contains seven basic steps:
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Establishment of a vision with a strategy meeting
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Creating a roadmap for the product
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Setting deadlines for the project
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Planning short cycles of development aka “sprints”
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Using daily meetings (“standups”) to keep everyone on task
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Reviewing at the end of every sprint
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Conducting a sprint retrospective to decide the next task
You can probably already start to see how this method could be adapted to many other, non-software-creating workplaces, right?
Prioritizing workflow
Got a client that doesn’t quite get how long it takes to accomplish different projects? Agile helps you prioritize what needs to be done. If your team can handle an added project, great. If you are overloaded, the project goes into an overload file and then the client can vote on which of those items in the overload list should be tackled when time opens up.
Add feedback
Another thing that the Agile Method helps with is incorporating any feedback from users before a product is released. For instance, you can beta test something, and then use the insight from the testers to fix any issues before the wide release of the product.
Improve communication
Too often, we don’t share what is going on with our co-workers. Not doing this can inadvertently lead to workflow jams. Using the Agile Method, everyone on the team is made aware of what someone has on their plate, who needs a helping hand and who is available to take on more. Work gets done more efficiently and everyone is happier.
