Tag: Project Manager

What Is The Difference Between Scrum And Agile?

What Is The Difference Between Scrum And Agile?

Every industry and every career has unique jargon and terminology that any outsider would need help understanding. Scrum and Agile are two terms that a project manager or someone who works closely with one will understand easily. So if you are planning on starting a career as a project manager, you must know about these standard terms and the difference between them.Many individuals just beginning their careers in project management need to avoid mixing up Scrum and Agile. A huge part of becoming a competent project manager is understanding the terminology and the process of working with various tools, systems, and methodologies.Creating a thorough project plan and implementing the right tools and techniques is essential for anyone in a project management role. So start by understanding Scrum vs. agile and what is effective in which type of project. What Is Agile?Agile is a vast methodology that is commonly used in project management processes. The project team follows an agile method to offer the best value to the clients efficiently. The process is iterative, making it easy to carry out changes in software development.An Agile project is more manageable as the work is split into smaller tasks, and outcomes are tested regularly. What Is Scrum? Scrum is an Agile framework that helps in accomplishing tasks in manageable portions. Continuous improvement is the primary goal during a Scrum project. Even in the Scrum process, the project is constantly under analysis, and regular experimentations and feedback are done.Additionally, Scrum enables individuals and teams to collaboratively and gradually generate value for the organization. The structuring helps understand the workflow and make better choices regarding the tools used. Difference Between Agile And Scrum Agile and Scrum rely on an iterative process, regular client involvement, and group decision-making, meaning it is easy to confuse them. If you want to differentiate the two, you must understand that the primary distinction is that Scrum is an Agile methodology.This means that Scrum follows all the Agile principles, whereas Agile has many other methodologies similar to Scrum. However, you must also understand that where Agile does follow an iterative approach, it still delivers the full result at the end of a project. Scrum, on the other hand, divides work into smaller deliverables, and results can be expected at the end of each sprint.Let us give you a better understanding of the differences between Agile and Scrum:Agile ScrumIt is a relatively newer concept introduced in 2001 It has been around since the early 1990sIt is a philosophy under which many other methods are included It is part of the Agile frameworkYou will find easy alternatives like Waterfall Alternatives of Scrum include Kanban and Lean developmentThis iterative process results in the continuous delivery of the product This iterative process results in continuous improvement of the processIt is defined by 12 principles in the Agile Manifesto Is defined by 3 pillars in the Scrum guideWhat Are The Other Agile Methodologies? Scrum is only one part of the Agile methodology. There are other approaches you should equally be aware of. Besides Scrum, the two well-known project management techniques are Waterfall and Kanban. Waterfall Even though the Waterfall methodology is part of the Agile philosophy, it follows a different more linear approach. Working on a project with the Waterfall methodology, you cannot go back to the previous steps once you have completed them and moved on to the next ones.Smaller projects with closer deadlines benefit greatly from the Waterfall approach as the team stays focused on smaller portions of the project and ensures that everything is executed perfectly. Kanban Another Agile technique that varies from the regular Agile philosophy is the Kanban technique. A Kanban board is a tool used in this type of project management. A Kanban board aims to enhance the project management process through workflow visualization.A Kanban board has various columns to add cards or tickets on which you can write your tasks and keep track of them throughout the project. Depending on the task's stage, you can move the card around. Read Also: Project Management in a PRINCE2 setting Important Factors To Keep In Mind Before Choosing A Project MethodologyIf you were wondering whether you should opt for Agile or Scrum, you approached the situation the wrong way. Everyone wants to opt for the Agile method only some understand that Agile is just an umbrella term. Consider using these methodologies on your projects once you have a firm grasp.Scrum is part of Agile, so the choice is between Scrum, Waterfall, and Kanban.So these are the things you must take into consideration before choosing a project methodology:The team you are working with and their abilities Client's expectations from the final product The time you have to carry out the project before the deadline The budget for the project All the difficulties you might face during the project The accessibility of tools you might require for the projectAfter considering all these factors, you'll better understand what project management tools and methodologies are ideal for a project. Conclusion The amount of time it takes to produce deliverables is one of the critical distinctions between all the various Agile methodologies like Scrum, Waterfall, and Kanban. They also have different ways of planning tasks and marking what is finished.Whatever the case, Agile, and Scrum are not two different things but part of the same family. Choosing Scrum as a project management methodology indirectly means choosing Agile.Read Also:Using Project Management to Maximize the Holiday Season at Work A Guide to Choosing an Enterprise Document Management Solution A Digital Asset Management Solution Overview

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Project Manager

How to Spot an Elite Project Manager

Every entrepreneur wants to achieve growth and success in their businesses, one aspect that is very important in every business is the people who work for it and especially their leaders. A project manager must ensure that every project that the business is working on succeeds without failure or waste of resources. In this case, a project manager is expected to have topnotch skills and be strategic in everything he does. Being a leader, they are also expected to not only direct their respective teams but also exercise collaboration with everyone involved. Learn how to identify an elite project manager by checking for the following attributes. 1. Reliable Judgment: A project manager is like any leader and is expected to make many important decisions in the company. He must also be able to strategically prioritize tasks at work to ensure that every aspect of each project is taken care of. His judgment in every decision is very important, and this includes his ability to determine project scope, budget, job scheduling, resource allocation and job assigning to every person in the team among other responsibilities. Brian Setencich warns that if a project manager makes a poor judgment in any of these responsibilities, the entire project is affected. 2. Communication Skills: The project manager is expected to direct other people involved in the project and therefore must communicate all of his directives effectively. Also, a project is usually carried out by different people and everyone involved including the leaders is expected to work on building a positive relationship with other members of the team. The project manager should be able to communicate his directives and instructions in a result-oriented manner. An elite project manager should be able to ask the right questions, address everyone respectively and also listen to his team members because when they are free with their leader, it becomes easy to express their opinions and creativity. 3. Enhance Other People’s Skills: An effective manager is one who can spot a strong opinion from his subordinates and is willing to listen and implement it in the organization if considered viable for the project. People feel more motivated to do more when their opinions and creativity is valued. A project manager should, therefore, give these people the freedom to showcase their skills and talents without limitation. If possible, he should also push for training and development of his team members for better results with the project and the overall performance of the organization. 4. Ability To Think And Act Strategically: A project manager holds a very strategic position in an organization and therefore must be very tactical in every decision he makes. Brian Setencich insists that a project manager should be able to see the big picture in every aspect of the project he is managing and then direct others towards that vision. He is supposed to be very strategic when making every administrative and financial consideration. Another important consideration an elite manager is supposed to make is on how to assign jobs in the project whereby he matches skills and tasks in question without being biased. 5. Ability To Manage Risks: The world today is changing at a high rate, and it is only those who are prepared for change who will be able to survive and thrive in such times. For instance technology advancement is very rapid and the internet keeps on introducing new aspects to people’s personal lives and businesses. Some of these changes might come as risk factors for a specific project, and a good project manager should be prepared before damage happens. An elite manager should remain active and agile in their mindset so as to effectively manage risks as soon as they are anticipated.Recruiting leaders in a business can be more overwhelming than when acquiring any other employee because of the solidity of skills required. If you are hiring a project manager and you are not sure how to acquire an elite one, then consider working with an experienced employment agency.Read Also:Perfect Resume Samples For Every Job How To Live Healthily Even If You Have A Full-Time Job Is Your Company Offering Enough To Potential Employees? 

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