The Combat Identification Server (CIdS) Technology Demonstrator Project (TDP) has been delivered on time, with quality and budget parameters using the Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM). CIdS is a complex system and software project. The objective is to help clear “the fog of war” by providing a picture in the cockpit of an aircraft of the position of nearby friendly forces on the ground. The selection of DSDM for the CIdS TDP was motivated by the Tactical Datalinks Delivery Team’s (TDL DT) objective to demonstrate that complex military technologies could be delivered without delay or cost overrun. The use of DSDM was a bold move, but the CIdS project delivered successful outcomes for all involved. In the current economic environment, delivering acceptable solutions on time and at a fixed cost is surely a priority for the Ministry of Defense (MoD). The success of the CIdS project has provided a good example for the project management in the defense sector.
Write a five to six (5-6) page paper in which you:
Speculate on the prominent reasons General Dynamics selected the agile framework they did to use in this project.
Identify the major business problems the project team tried to solve. Analyze the manner in which the project team applied the agile project management techniques to ensure they delivered the project on time, on budget with good quality.
Give your opinion if you agree with the approach(es) identified in Question 2. Justify your response.
Analyze the manner in which the project teams and coaches master the agile methodology to solve business problems. Determine the approach that you believe is the most effective. Provide a rationale for your response.
Determine whether or not the agile approach produced more business benefits than a traditional project management approach. Justify your response.
Provide your opinion on the agile coach’s role in this case and determine if the coach is critical to the success of the project. Support your answer.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length
Case Study 1: Success with Agile Project Management in General Dynamics
Adoption of Agile project management approach in handling projects has resulted in significant levels of success characterized by the observation of budget, time and quality parameters. In this regard, use of Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) delivering of in the Combat Identification Server (CIdS) Technology Demonstrator Project (TDP) is evident of the projects can be completed with the expedition. Additionally, adoption of DSDM in delivering of the projects was influenced by the Tactical Datalinks Delivery Team’s (TDL DT) to showcase that complex military technology completed within the cost and time parameters. The Agile project management is effective in ensuring that projects are able to meet the expectations of the end user by ensuring that funds are effectively managed and that there are no delays in the delivery of the project. Current economic conditions call for the employment of Agile project in delivering to ensure projects are appropriately managed and delivered within the set parameters.
Prominent reasons for adopting Agile framework in projects
There are various reasons that will prompt organizations to adopt Agile framework in managing and operating projects (Paasivaara, Maria and Casper, 2006). In this respect, the Agile framework prioritizes interactions and individuals as opposed to the tools and processes used in achieving a goal. This approach ensures that people and their interaction regulates the project to the desired destination. Also, people are in control of tools and processes and thus prioritizing them ensures that they are in control of the project. Consequently, the Agile framework gives more concentration on the working software as compared to the comprehensive documentation involved in the project. In this case, the software works towards the delivering of the project while documentation is a blueprint to the implementation of the project. The approach ensures that the project is running at all times. Moreover, the Agile framework is geared towards ensuring that the projects meet all the quality standards. The testing of the project is integrated to ensure that checks and balances are met at every development stage. The inspection of the products and the project is done regularly ensuring that appropriate adjustment are made thus achieving quality standards in the projects. Additionally, the adopting agile framework ensures flexibility in the project one can respond to changes as opposed to following the plan. The agile framework allows modifications to be made while at the same time fixing requirements and time in the course of implementing a project.
Major problems avoided through the use of an Agile framework
Organizations and institutions adopt the Agile framework in an attempt to avoid problems and issues associated to project development (Bjamason et al., 2011). In this regard, the frameworks enable the product team and the owner identifies problems early in advance before the project proceeds. There are regular inspections and quality Assessment in the course of the project enabling the relevant parties to note problems in time and thus responds appropriately. This approach ensures that the impacts of mistakes are averted and appropriate correction made in good time. Consequently, the adoption of the Agile framework ensures problems of miscommunications among parties to the project. Miscommunication leads to failure in the project since planning and coordination are adversely affected. However, use of the agile framework enhances continuous integration, communication and iterative releases thus increasing engagement and reducing chances of miscommunication. The approach creates consumer satisfaction, business engagement, and positive working relationship. Additionally, using the Agile framework eliminates the problem of lack of transparency. The Agile framework gives clients an opportunity to be actively involved in the project though iteration planning as well as review sessions. The approach ensures that the client understands every bit of the project thus enhancing transparency.
Opinion on the approaches raised in question two
The agile approach adopted in managing projects has its advantages and disadvantage and thus should be used in certain circumstances. In this regard, the agile approach has advantages that range from the use of few resources, flexibility, early detection of problems, less bureaucracy, possibility of immediate feedback, and it is cost effective. On the other hand, the disadvantages of the approach include the documentation are sidetracked, difficulty in measuring progress, the approach demands for a lot of time and the project do not have a clear end. Considering the advantages and disadvantages the approach needs to be employed in specific circumstances such as when one can make estimates of time and other requirements when one can measure the market needs, when one has unlimited access to customers, when there are few or nor bureaucracy and when the client lack schedule and budget.
Ways of solving problems using agile methodology
Coach Masters and project teams employ various ways and strategies in solving various problems (Chin, 2004). In this case, the different parties work on based on a predictable schedule and costs. The parties to the project work with the fixed schedule and the estimates thus ensuring that the project is completed with the expedition. Moreover, the teams involved in various projects collaborate, cooperate and get actively involved in the project such that they enjoy working on the project. This fact that the teams enjoy engaging in the project makes it easy to solve the arising problems. Additionally, upon considering all the available frameworks, Scrum approach is effective in the management and coordination of a project. The Scrum framework is used in controlling and managing iterative projects that are completed by cross-functional teams. In this case, the framework ensures that every team is actively involved in accomplishing their tasks that are vital in the operation of the entire project (Spundak, 2014). The agile approach has various business benefits as compared to traditional project management. In this case, businesses benefit more while using the Agile approach as compared to when using traditional project managers. The benefits that accrue to a business that adopts agile approach include increased business transparency, enhancement of the improvement process, and standardization of technology and reduction of cost as well as iterative developments receive.
Agile coach role
The agile coach is actively involved in the projects by giving feedback and advice to the agile project teams (Davis and Sedley, 2009). Therefore, the coach monitors the project and gives advice on the issues arising to ensure that the goals and objectives of the project are attained. Moreover, the roles of the Agile coach indicate that the coach presence is vital to the success of the project. The roles of the coach that determine the project success include coaching and monitoring, working from outside the organization, giving objective guidance, experience in project implementation and they are agile experts.
In conclusion, the agile framework has resulted in high success levels in the implementation of projects due to the values and principles that guide the framework. In this regard, the Agile framework ensures that projects are done with expedition while at the same time maintaining the schedule, cost and time parameters. Moreover, organizations give priority to agile framework due to various reasons such as flexibility, prioritization on the software operation and they give priority to individuals and interactions as opposed to tools and processes involved in implementation. More so, the project managers employ the agile framework in projects to avoid problems such as miscommunication, inherent problems, and lack of transparency. Additionally, Agile framework has a lot of business advantages that traditional frameworks and thus they need to be incorporated in businesses. Finally, Agile framework has advantages and disadvantages and it should be employed in cases that it capitalizes on the advantages and minimizes on the disadvantages.
References
Chin, G. (2004). Agile project management: how to succeed in the face of changing project requirements. AMACOM/American Management Association.
Špundak, M. (2014). Mixed agile/traditional project management methodology–reality or illusion?. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 119, 939-948.
Davies, R., & Sedley, L. (2009). Agile coaching. Pragmatic Bookshelf.
Paasivaara, M., & Lassenius, C. (2006, October). Could global software development benefit from agile methods?. In 2006 IEEE International Conference on Global Software Engineering (ICGSE’06) (pp. 109-113). IEEE.
Bjarnason, E., Wnuk, K., & Regnell, B. (2011, July). A case study on the benefits and side-effects of agile practices in large-scale requirements engineering. In Proceedings of the 1st Workshop on Agile Requirements Engineering (p. 3). ACM.
