Steve Wille, PMP, CSM and Mike Wille, CSM, PMP

Successful projects are complicated.  Best practices should not dominate project methodology, instead we adapt to the current business environment.  The Manifesto for Agile Software Development clearly states, “People and interactions over process and tools.”  It also values, “Responding to change over following a plan.”

Project managers are paid to get the job done and we measure success by meeting the triple constraints of time, cost, and scope.  Traditionally, the project comes first and people a distant second.   Effective scrum masters see themselves as servant-leaders of self-organizing teams.  We will explore the fundamental differences in these approaches and see that we need a little bit of each approach on every project.  From the process side we will explore the distinctly different project management methodologies of agile, waterfall, and lean.  While each approach is valid in the right situation and inappropriate in some other situations, many of the tools and processes are interchangeable.

Take Away

Process: Assess the situation before selecting the methodology.  One size does not fit all.

People: Adapt your leadership style to the needs of the people on your team.

Business environment: Look at the big picture and pick your overall strategy.

Steve Wille is the author of Colorful Leadership.  His has worked in software development and executive management in several corporations, including Great West-Insurance and Annuity, Diners Club/Citigroup, Cahners Publishing, and Guaranty National Insurance.   He currently writes and teaches project management, business analysis, and agile workshops for Systemation.   Steve’s BSBA degree is from the University of Denver and his MBA from Regis University.

Mike Wille represents the Colorado startup mentality.  He was a scrum master before earning the PMP certification.  He was a professional musician traveling internationally and was freelancing software engineer before moving into corporate leadership roles.  He has worked in management roles for First Foundry, MapQuest, Cartasite, and Pacific Metrics.  His BS Business CIS degree is from Colorado State University. Not one to abandon music, he has led the Denver Broncos Stampede Brass for the past 10 years.