Training Session at Riphah University IEEE Conference

Hello to the learners, in March 2022, I was invited by Riphah University Islamabad at their IEEE annual event. So I planned to conduct an activity-based training session on “Scrum with Jira”. It was a 1-day training session, I held this activity about Agility.

Agile is a project management approach that emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and customer satisfaction. It originated in the software development industry, but its principles and practices have since been adopted by other fields. Agile allows teams to quickly respond to changing requirements and to continuously deliver valuable products or services.

The Agile Manifesto is a foundational document for Agile project management. It was created in 2001 by a group of software developers who were frustrated with the traditional approach to project management. The Manifesto consists of four values and twelve principles that guide Agile teams.

The four values of the Agile Manifesto are:

  • Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
  • Working software over comprehensive documentation
  • Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
  • Responding to change over following a plan

The first value emphasizes the importance of people and their interactions in project management. It recognizes that no matter how well-defined the processes or tools are, the success of a project ultimately depends on the people involved. This value encourages Agile teams to focus on communication, collaboration, and teamwork.

The second value prioritizes the delivery of working software over extensive documentation. Agile teams aim to create functional software quickly and continuously improve it through user feedback. The goal is to deliver value to the customer as soon as possible and avoid spending too much time on documentation that may not be useful.

The third value highlights the importance of customer collaboration. Agile teams work closely with customers to understand their needs and requirements. This approach enables teams to develop products that align with customer needs and can be continuously improved based on their feedback.

The fourth value recognizes the need to be flexible and responsive to changes. Agile teams embrace change and adjust their approach as needed. They recognize that changes are inevitable and that they must be able to adapt to them quickly to succeed.

The twelve principles of the Agile Manifesto are:

  • Satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
  • Welcome changing requirements, even late in the project.
  • Deliver working software frequently, with a preference for shorter timescales.
  • Business and development teams must work together daily throughout the project.
  • Build projects around motivated individuals and give them the support and trust they need to get the job done.
  • Face-to-face communication is the most effective form of communication.
  • Working software is the primary measure of progress.
  • Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
  • Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
  • Simplicity is essential.
  • Self-organizing teams produce the best architecture, requirements, and designs.
  • Regularly reflect on how to become more effective and adjust behavior accordingly.

These principles guide Agile teams in their approach to project management. They encourage collaboration, communication, and continuous improvement. Agile teams work closely with customers to deliver working software frequently, incorporate feedback, and adjust their approach as needed.

To implement Agile principles in project management, teams should adopt Agile methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, or Lean. These methodologies provide a framework for Agile teams to work within and help ensure that Agile principles are being followed.

Scrum is a popular Agile methodology that emphasizes teamwork, communication, and frequent delivery of working software. It consists of short iterations, called sprints, during which teams work on specific tasks and then review and adjust their approach based on feedback. Kanban is another Agile methodology that focuses on visualizing work, limiting work in progress, and continuously delivering small batches of work. Lean is an Agile methodology that focuses on reducing waste, improving quality, and continuously improving processes.

In conclusion, Agile is a project management approach that emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and customer satisfaction. The Agile Manifesto consists of four values and twelve principles that guide Agile teams.

Jira Atlassian based activities organized for better understanding of agile and scrum.