\n\tAgile project development methodology has become fashionable these days. Leaders watched what it did first for product development and then for software development. They soon realized the principles of cooperative development, many iterations, and short design cycles could be applied throughout business regardless of application or industry.<\/p>\n
\n\tFor leaders today, the question isn\u2019t whether<\/em> to use Agile, but which<\/em> Agile method to choose.<\/p>\n \n\tMethods Are More Alike Than Not<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tAll Agile methods are based on the Agile Manifesto. The Agile Manifesto specifies multiple iterations, small teams, short timelines, constant validation, and inspections before iterations. This approach can be applied to man things, from software development to learning,\u201d points out Alex Lopes, clinical professor and director of the Technology Consulting Workshop for Operations & Decision Technologies at Indiana University.<\/p>\n \n\tBuilt-for-purpose adaptions have resulted in multiple Agile flavors. SCRUM, Kanban, Lean development, and Dynamic System Development Model (DSDM) frameworks, for example, focus on project management. The Crystal Methods framework streamlines communications within the development team, while Extreme Programming (XP) aids software development and code validation.<\/p>\n \n\tOf all the recognized Agile frameworks, Lopes favors SCRUM. \u201cIt\u2019s flexible and has processes that are good for project management, but what sets SCRUM apart and makes it powerful is its supplementary approaches,\u201d he says. SAFE, for example, is a scalable version that breaks large projects into smaller sections for development. \u201cThis method is used by Deloitte and Ernst & Young, among others,\u201d he notes.<\/p>\n \n\tScott Ambler, senior consultant for Scott Ambler + Associates, prefers Kanban because of its clear workflow visualization. \u201cHaving said that, it doesn\u2019t really matter which version of Agile you use,\u201d Ambler continues. \u201cThe primary concept of Agile is collaboration and incremental, evolutionary advances. Therefore, my advice is to use a blended approach that fits your situation. Strict adherence to formal frameworks works for the situations for which they were designed, but if you\u2019re not in that situation, you need to think things through. Do what makes sense for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tVerizon\u2019s Hybrid Approach<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tVerizon used a hybrid Agile approach to develop its OPT Groom construction maintenance training program for new workers who maintain telecommunications equipment (notably, telephone pole replacement) throughout the northeastern U.S. \u201cWe started with a blank slate and broke the project into 24 manageable chunks. One week later, the new program was ready to deploy and students arrived one month afterward,\u201d says Michael Sunderman, executive director of Verizon Learning & Development. \u201cDevelopment would have taken eons using sequential methods.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe hybrid Agile approach Sunderman and his team used combined elements from multiple Agile frameworks to develop an efficient methodology for this particular project. Basically, it included sprints from SCRUM for iterative development and workflow visualization from Kanban.<\/p>\n \n\tBefore development started, Sunderman assembled every piece of hardware and equipment the learners would work with in the field\u2014chainsaws, construction clamps, pole pullers, etc. This ensured course developers could see and handle the equipment themselves. Importantly, developers performed their work together, working in one 4,000-square-foot room for five consecutive days.<\/p>\n \n\tNext he assembled the right people. \u201cI brought about 40 people from L&D (including video production and graphics designers), along with safety experts, outside plant operations workers and supervisors, fleet operations managers\u2026anyone who had a say in how this was done.\u201d The L&D experts worked in teams of two, consulting with subject matter experts (SMEs) as needed.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cAfter 24 hours, the teams made their initial presentations,\u201d Sunderman says. \u201cAfter 48 hours, they delivered prototypes. If their section taught people to operate a chainsaw, for example, that team would go out to see first-hand what lesson it was trying to get across and perhaps film the experience.\u201d That hands-on experience and immediate access to SMEs helped ensure L&D team members had command of the technical terms and also enabled rapid course corrections from the other disciplines in the room.<\/p>\n \n\tDaily presentations enhanced continuity from module to module, too. What stood out most, Sunderman says, was the way the groups revised content based on real-world situations and feedback. \u201cA SME might say, \u2018Here\u2019s how to do this,\u2019 but the safety department would say, \u2018No,\u2019 and show a different method. Together, they\u2019d develop a safe solution that worked in the real world.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe last 30 minutes of each day was devoted to preparing for tomorrow. This involving planning for any adjustments and ensuring that each team had the time and tools it needed.<\/p>\n \n\tThroughout the week-long development cycle, the project manager used a Kanban board to track workflow. \u201cThat way, we knew which team would be ready next for a particular SME or for a review,\u201d Sunderman says.<\/p>\n \n\tOne of Sunderman\u2019s lessons learned is to pay attention to visual consistency from day one. \u201cIf you can use a common template, you\u2019ll save yourself work on the back end,\u201d he says. This will help the modules flow together. He also advises considering which devices learners will use to view the content. The construction maintenance team worked from tablets in the field, so that was the technology platform the development team used.<\/p>\n \n\tFor any Agile approach to work optimally, have the right people on site. \u201cSome SMEs want to phone in comments. That only works if they\u2019re ready at the moment they\u2019re needed and have good video access,\u201d Sunderman says. Otherwise, reviews take longer and the creative spark wanes.<\/p>\n \n\tIn addition to SMEs and the L&D team, he also advises having a strong flow manager on site. This person\u2019s role is to keep the development teams on track and coax the groups that want to do more\u2014and there\u2019s always one, he says\u2014to share their work.<\/p>\n \n\tPreparing the Agile Mindset<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThe biggest issue for any Agile approach is the mental preparation of the company,\u201d Lopes says. This involves a willingness to change, and to trade a certain amount of bureaucracy for rapid, responsive development.<\/p>\n \n\tTransitioning from a sequential waterfall approach to Agile can be challenging, particularly for project managers, Amber adds. \u201cThey like predictability, but Agile is very flexible.\u201d To embrace the rapid iterations such flexibility enables, they must be able to sever themselves from the overburden of bureaucracy. Some find this threatening, he says.<\/p>\n \n\tTo help with the transition, Lopes advises defining the early requirements thoroughly while maintaining flexibility for them to evolve as the understanding of the project, market conditions, or priorities change. Developing the requirements just before each new iteration allows the project to evolve despite changing circumstances. \u201cThe main principle is to embrace change,\u201d Lopes stresses.<\/p>\n \n\tUltimately, the choice of an Agile framework is less important than the use of one. When making your selection, choose a framework that seems to fit your goals. Then modify it as needed, blending the best aspects of multiple methods, as well as best practices and your own experience. When you do this, you will have an Agile framework that\u2019s effective and efficient for your specific needs. The key element, which all Agile frameworks boast, is that whatever method you use supports the development of multiple iterations and constant evaluations in a short timeframe.<\/p>\n