Learn how to choose and use the most effective agile methods for your information systems projects in deadline-driven environments.

The best way to manage deadlines in an agile environment requires all 6 points. It is also important to ensure that your interested parties understand what agile delivery means. I've seen examples of last minute barrage of changes being requested with an automatic assumption that the deadlines will still be met because "last minute changes or scope creep is what agile is all about".

What are the most effective agile methods for meeting fixed deadlines?

If you work in information systems, you know how challenging it can be to deliver projects on time and within budget. You also know that agile methods can help you adapt to changing requirements, collaborate with stakeholders, and deliver value incrementally. But how do you choose the most effective agile methods for meeting fixed deadlines? In this article, we will explore some of the key factors and practices that can help you succeed with agile in deadline-driven environments.

1 Factor 1: Scope

The first factor to consider is the scope of your project. How well-defined and stable are the requirements? How complex and risky are the features? How much flexibility do you have to adjust the scope based on feedback and priorities? Depending on your answers, you may want to use different agile methods to manage the scope. For example, if you have a clear and fixed scope, you may want to use Scrum, which is a framework that divides the project into fixed-length iterations called sprints, and delivers a potentially shippable product increment at the end of each sprint. If you have a vague and evolving scope, you may want to use Kanban, which is a method that visualizes the workflow, limits the work in progress, and enables continuous delivery and improvement.

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Vrushali Tole

Senior Manager of Engineering @ athenahealth | MS in Computer Science
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Effective long-term planning is pivotal for a company's success, particularly when preparing for upcoming releases. Initiating meticulous planning well in advance sets the stage for success. Defining the scope early on allows for focused efforts on grooming tasks for each sprint. Subsequently, decomposing Epics into individual Stories and meticulously organizing these Stories play a crucial role in uncovering any knowledge gaps. Early involvement of product managers and design teams in this process proves highly effective. Conducting technical discussions post-grooming sessions with the team, coupled with allocating time-bound research tasks, approach fosters efficient collaboration to deliver within established timeframes.

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2 Factor 2: Team

The second factor to consider is the team that will work on your project. How large and distributed is your team? How experienced and skilled are they in agile methods? How autonomous and collaborative are they? Depending on your answers, you may want to use different agile methods to facilitate the team work. For example, if you have a small and co-located team, you may want to use XP (Extreme Programming), which is a method that emphasizes technical practices such as test-driven development, pair programming, and refactoring, and promotes frequent communication and feedback among the team members. If you have a large and dispersed team, you may want to use SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), which is a framework that aligns multiple agile teams around a common vision, strategy, and roadmap, and coordinates their delivery and dependencies.

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3 Factor 3: Stakeholders

The third factor to consider is the stakeholders that are involved in your project. Who are the customers, users, sponsors, and other interested parties? How engaged and available are they for collaboration and feedback? How satisfied and supportive are they with the project outcomes and benefits? Depending on your answers, you may want to use different agile methods to engage the stakeholders. For example, if you have a close and frequent interaction with the stakeholders, you may want to use Scrum or XP, which both involve the stakeholders in defining the requirements, prioritizing the features, reviewing the deliverables, and providing feedback. If you have a distant and sporadic interaction with the stakeholders, you may want to use Lean Startup, which is a method that validates the assumptions and hypotheses about the customers and the market, and builds, measures, and learns from the minimum viable products.

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4 Practice 1: Planning

One of the key practices that can help you meet fixed deadlines with agile methods is planning. Planning is not a one-time activity, but a continuous and iterative process that helps you align your vision, goals, and expectations with the reality, risks, and opportunities of your project. Planning involves defining the scope, schedule, and budget of your project, as well as the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of the team and the stakeholders. Planning also involves breaking down the project into manageable and measurable units of work, such as epics, features, user stories, tasks, and tests. Planning also involves estimating the effort, duration, and value of each unit of work, and prioritizing them based on their importance, urgency, and dependencies.

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Mateusz Partyka

IT Project Manager | Tech | AI | Data
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Planning has to be done right. It’s not to delivery managers to estimate durations - it’s team and only team to do this. Only Devs, QAs, BAs etc. can have indication on the effort required to get job done. Voting how confident team is to deliver against agreed plan is a great practice as well! Second thing are dependencies. Possibly should be identified in advance. I’ve seen in the past number of cases when delivery was delayed because of last minute blockers. So to increase probability to deliver on time, better to have dependencies nailed down. You can use JIRA to map them easily.

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5 Practice 2: Execution

Another key practice that can help you meet fixed deadlines with agile methods is execution. Execution is not a linear and sequential process, but a cyclical and parallel process that helps you deliver value incrementally and iteratively. Execution involves implementing the units of work according to the quality standards and technical practices of your project, such as coding, testing, integrating, and deploying. Execution also involves monitoring the progress and performance of your project, such as the velocity, throughput, cycle time, and defect rate. Execution also involves controlling the changes and variations of your project, such as the scope creep, schedule slip, and budget overrun.

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Vrushali Tole

Senior Manager of Engineering @ athenahealth | MS in Computer Science
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Developing clear guidelines for efficient code review, utilizing estimation techniques like Planning Poker, and establishing robust Quality Assurance standards—particularly defining expected test coverages—has been among the most impactful practices I've implemented in my role as a Scrum Master. These initiatives have significantly enhanced the team's performance and output.

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6 Practice 3: Review

A third key practice that can help you meet fixed deadlines with agile methods is review. Review is not a final and formal process, but a frequent and informal process that helps you inspect and adapt your project. Review involves verifying the quality and functionality of your deliverables, such as the product increments, prototypes, and demos. Review also involves validating the satisfaction and feedback of your stakeholders, such as the customers, users, sponsors, and other interested parties. Review also involves identifying the lessons and improvements of your project, such as the best practices, challenges, and opportunities.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Waseem Ahmed

Vice President | Global Technology & Transformation Programmes | Technology, Product and Data Strategy | Multiple sector Exposure | Customer strategy and experience expertise.
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The best way to manage deadlines in an agile environment requires all 6 points. It is also important to ensure that your interested parties understand what agile delivery means. I've seen examples of last minute barrage of changes being requested with an automatic assumption that the deadlines will still be met because "last minute changes or scope creep is what agile is all about".

Like

What are the most effective agile methods for meeting fixed deadlines?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Factor 1: Scope

2 Factor 2: Team

3 Factor 3: Stakeholders

4 Practice 1: Planning

5 Practice 2: Execution

6 Practice 3: Review

7 Here’s what else to consider

Information Systems

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What are the most effective agile methods for meeting fixed deadlines?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Factor 1: Scope

2 Factor 2: Team

3 Factor 3: Stakeholders

4 Practice 1: Planning

5 Practice 2: Execution

6 Practice 3: Review

7 Here’s what else to consider

Information Systems

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