Addison wesley the software project managers bridge to agility may 2008 ISBN 0321502752

TheSoftwareProjectManager'sBridgeto
Agility
byMicheleSliger;StaciaBroderick
Publisher:AddisonWesleyProfessional
PubDate:May21,2008
PrintISBN-10:0-321-50275-2
PrintISBN-13:978-0-321-50275-9
eTextISBN-10:0-321-57278-5
eTextISBN-13:978-0-321-57278-3
Pages:384
TableofContents|Index

Overview
Whensoftwaredevelopmentteamsmovetoagilemethods,
experiencedprojectmanagersoftenstruggle–doubtfulabout
thenewapproachanduncertainabouttheirnewrolesand
responsibilities.Inthisbook,twolong-timecertifiedProject
ManagementProfessionals(PMPRs)andScrumtrainershave
builtabridgetothisdynamicnewparadigm.Theyshow
experiencedprojectmanagershowtosuccessfullytransitionto
agilebyrefocusingonfacilitationandcollaboration,not
"commandandcontrol."
Theauthorsbeginbyexplaininghowagileworks:howitdiffers
fromtraditional"plan-driven"methodologies,thebenefitsit
promises,andthereal-worldresultsitdelivers.Next,they
systematicallymaptheProjectManagementInstitute'sclassic,
methodology-independenttechniquesandterminologytoagile
practices.Theycoverbothprocessandprojectlifecyclesand
carefullyaddressvitalissuesrangingfromscopeandtimeto
costmanagementandstakeholdercommunication.Finally,
drawingontheirownextensivepersonalexperience,theyputa

humanfaceonyourpersonaltransitiontoagile--coveringthe
emotionalchallenges,personalvalues,andkeyleadershiptraits


you'llneedtosucceed.
Coverageincludes
RelatingthePMBOKRGuideidealstoagilepractices:
similarities,overlaps,anddifferences
Understandingtheroleandvalueofagiletechniquessuch
asiteration/releaseplanningandretrospectives
Usingagiletechniquestosystematicallyandcontinually
reducerisk
Implementingqualityassurance(QA)whereitbelongs:in
analysis,design,defectprevention,andcontinuous
improvement
Learningtotrustyourteamsandlistenfortheirdiscoveries
Procuring,purchasing,andcontractingforsoftwareinagile,
collaborativeenvironments
Avoidingthecommonmistakessoftwareteamsmakein
transitioningtoagile
Coordinatingwithprojectmanagementofficesandnonagileteams
"Selling"agilewithinyourteamsandthroughoutyour
organization
Foreveryprojectmanagerwhowantstobecomemoreagile.
PartIAnAgileOverview7
Chapter1Whatis"Agile"?9
Chapter2MappingfromthePMBOKRGuidetoAgile25
Chapter3TheAgileProjectLifecycleinDetail37
PartIITheBridge:RelatingPMBOKRGuidePracticesto

AgilePractices49
Chapter4IntegrationManagement51
Chapter5ScopeManagement67
Chapter6TimeManagement83
Chapter7CostManagement111
Chapter8QualityManagement129
Chapter9HumanResourcesManagement143
Chapter10CommunicationsManagement159
Chapter11RiskManagement177
Chapter12ProcurementManagement197
PartIIICrossingtheBridgetoAgile215
Chapter13HowWillMyResponsibilitiesChange?217
Chapter14HowWillIWorkwithOtherTeamsWhoAren't
Agile?233
Chapter15HowCanaProjectManagementOfficeSupport
Agile?249
Chapter16SellingtheBenefitsofAgile265
Chapter17CommonMistakes285
AppendixAAgileMethodologies295
AppendixBAgileArtifacts301
Glossary321
Bibliography327
Index333


TheSoftwareProjectManager'sBridgeto
Agility
byMicheleSliger;StaciaBroderick
Publisher:AddisonWesleyProfessional

PubDate:May21,2008
PrintISBN-10:0-321-50275-2
PrintISBN-13:978-0-321-50275-9
eTextISBN-10:0-321-57278-5
eTextISBN-13:978-0-321-57278-3
Pages:384
TableofContents|Index

Copyright
TheAgileSoftwareDevelopmentSeries
Preface
Acknowledgments
AbouttheAuthors
Introduction:HowOneProjectManagerCrossedtheBridge
PartI:AnAgileOverview
Chapter1.WhatIs"Agile"?
WhatAretheOriginsofAgile?
WhatIstheAgileManifesto?
WhatAretheAgilePrinciplesThatGuideTeams?
Summary
Endnotes
Chapter2.MappingfromthePMBOK®GuidetoAgile
TheProjectManagementInstituteandthePMBOK®
Guide
ProjectLifecycle
ProjectManagementProcesses
Summary
Endnotes

Chapter3.TheAgileProjectLifecycleinDetail
WhatDoesanAgileProjectLifecycleLookLike?
AgileProject
AgileRelease
AgileIteration
DailyWork
HowIsAgileDifferentfromaPlan-DrivenApproach?
Summary
Endnotes
PartII:TheBridge:RelatingPMBOK®GuidePracticestoAgile
Practices
Chapter4.IntegrationManagement
DeveloptheProjectCharterandPreliminaryScope
Statement
DevelopProjectManagementPlan
DirectandManageProjectExecutionandMonitorand
ControlProjectWork
IntegratedChangeControl
CloseProject
Summary
Endnotes
Chapter5.ScopeManagement
ScopePlanning
Summary
Endnotes
Chapter6.TimeManagement
StrategicVersusTacticalPlanning
ReleasePlanning:DevelopingtheScheduleatthe
StrategicLevel
IterationPlanning:DevelopingtheScheduleatthe

TacticalLevel
Summary


Endnotes
Chapter7.CostManagement
CostEstimating
CostBudgeting
CostControl
Summary
Endnotes
Chapter8.QualityManagement
QualityPlanning
QualityAssurance
Summary
Endnotes
Chapter9.HumanResourcesManagement
HumanResourcePlanning
AcquiringaProjectTeam
DeveloptheProjectTeam
ManagetheProjectTeam
Summary
Endnotes
Chapter10.CommunicationsManagement
CommunicationsPlanning
CommunicatingBasicProjectInformation—TheWho,
What,When,Where,andHow
InformationDistribution
PerformanceReporting
ManageStakeholders

Summary
Endnotes
Chapter11.RiskManagement
OrganicRiskManagementinAgile
RiskManagementPlanning
RiskIdentification


RiskAnalysis
RiskResponsePlanning
RiskMonitoringandControlling
Summary
Endnotes
Chapter12.ProcurementManagement
PlanPurchasesandAcquisitions
PlanContracting
RequestSellerResponses
SelectSellers
ContractAdministration
ContractClosure
Summary
Endnotes
PartIII:CrossingtheBridgetoAgile
Chapter13.HowWillMyResponsibilitiesChange?
AllowsTeamstoSelf-ManageandAdaptTheirProcess
Empirically
AssumesDifferentLeadershipStylesforDifferentStages
ofTeamFormation
LeadsbyServing
PossessesSelf-Awareness

PartnerswithManagersfortheGoodoftheTeam
RelinquishestheInnerTaskmaster
FacilitatesCollaboration
RemovesImpediments
Summary
Endnotes
Chapter14.HowWillIWorkwithOtherTeamsWhoAren't
Agile?
WorkingasanAgileTeaminaWaterfallEnterprise
WorkingasPartofaMultiteamProjectwhereYourTeam


IsAgileandOthersAren't
ClearingtheHurdlesinaWaterfallEnterprise
Summary
Endnotes
Chapter15.HowCanaProjectManagementOfficeSupport
Agile?
AnExtensionofProductManagement
ProjectInitiation
AreWeCompliant?
Resourcing
BacklogControlVersusChangeControl
ProjectMetrics
ThePMOasEducatorandCoach
KeepersoftheRetrospective
WhoIstheAgilePMO?
DoYouReallyNeedanAgilePMO?
Summary
Endnotes

Chapter16.SellingtheBenefitsofAgile
SomeGeneralIdeasaboutSelling
SellingtotheTeam
SellingtoManagement
SellingtoCustomers/ProductOwners
SellingtoOtherDepartmentsintheOrganization
OtherWaystoSellAgile
Summary
Endnotes
Chapter17.CommonMistakes
ThinkingThatAgileMeans"NoDocumentation"and
"CowboyCoding"
ThinkingThatYouCanPiecemealAgilePracticesandGain


AlltheBenefits
ThinkingThatAgileStopsattheEngineeringTeamsand
Won'tAffecttheRestoftheOrganization
NotHavingaChampion
HavingtheWrongPeopleLeadtheEffortand/orthe
Teams
HangingOntotheDeathMarchasaSolution
AllowingtheTeamtoSay,"You'llGetItwhenYouGetIt.
We'reAgileNowandOnlyPlanOneIterationataTime."
AllowingtheAgileTeamLeadertoSay,"You'reSelfOrganizing—YouFigureItOut."
LackofParticipationbytheBusiness
NotBotheringwiththeRetrospective
AValuesMismatch
Summary
AppendixA.AgileMethodologies

Scrum
XP
DSDM
CrystalMethods
LeanSoftwareDevelopment
Feature-DrivenDevelopment
AdaptiveSystemsManagement
AgileUnifiedProcess
Endnotes
AppendixB.AgileArtifacts
ProjectInitiation
WorkingintheIteration
TheEndoftheIteration
Summary
Glossary
Bibliography


Index


Copyright
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Sliger,Michele,1964Thesoftwareprojectmanager'sbridgetoagility/MicheleSliger,StaciaBr
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN0-321-50275-2(pbk.:alk.paper)1.Computersoftware
—Development—Management.


2.Agilesoftwaredevelopment.I.Broderick,Stacia,1974-II.Title.
QA76.76.D47S5632008
005.1068—dc22
2008008524
Copyright©2008PearsonEducation,Inc.
Allrightsreserved.PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.This

publicationisprotectedbycopyright,andpermissionmustbe
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reproduction,storageinaretrievalsystem,ortransmissionin
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Dedication
ForJesse,whowouldhavebeenproud.
—Michele
ToMike,forhispatienceandsupport.
—Stacia


TheAgileSoftwareDevelopmentSeries
AlistairCockburnandJimHighsmith,
SeriesEditors
Agilesoftwaredevelopmentcentersonfourvaluesidentifiedin
theAgileAlliance'sManifesto:
Individualsandinteractionsoverprocessesandtools
Workingsoftwareovercomprehensivedocumentation
Customercollaborationovercontractnegotiation
Respondingtochangeoverfollowingaplan
ThedevelopmentofAgilesoftwarerequiresinnovationand
responsiveness,basedongeneratingandsharingknowledge
withinadevelopmentteamandwiththecustomer.Agile
softwaredevelopersdrawonthestrengthsofcustomers,users,
anddevelopers,findingjustenoughprocesstobalancequality

andagility.
ThebooksinTheAgileSoftwareDevelopmentSeriesfocuson
sharingtheexperiencesofsuchAgiledevelopers.Individual
booksaddressindividualtechniques(suchasUseCases),group
techniques(suchascollaborativedecisionmaking),andproven
solutionstodifferentproblemsfromavarietyoforganizational
cultures.TheresultisacoreofAgilebestpracticesthatwill
enrichyourexperienceandimproveyourwork.
TitlesintheSeries:
SteveAdolph,PaulBramble,AlistairCockburn,andAndy
Pols;PatternsforEffectiveUseCases;0201721848
AlistairCockburn;AgileSoftwareDevelopment,Second
Edition;0321482751
AlistairCockburn;CrystalClear;0201699478


AlistairCockburn;SurvivingObject-OrientedProjects;
0201498340
AlistairCockburn;WritingEffectiveUseCases;0201702258
AnneMetteJonassenHass;ConfigurationManagement
PrinciplesandPractice;0321117662
JimHighsmith;AgileSoftwareDevelopmentEcosystems;
0201760436
JimHighsmith;AgileProjectManagement;0321219775
CraigLarman;AgileandIterativeDevelopment;
0131111558
DeanLeffingwell;ScalingSoftwareAgility;0321458192
MaryPoppendieckandTomPoppendieck;LeanSoftware
Development;0321150783
JeanTabaka;CollaborationExplained;0321268776

KevinTate;SustainableSoftwareDevelopment;
0321286081
Formoreinformationvisitinformit.com/agileseries


Preface
Wearededicatedtotheuseofagilepracticesinsoftware
development(a.k.a.agilists),butwedidn'tstartoutthatway.
WebeganasProjectManagementProfessionals(PMP®)[1]who
usedmoretraditionalmethodsinthedevelopmentofsoftware.

WhyWeWroteThisBook
WefollowedtheapproachesoutlinedintheProjectManagement
Institute'sAGuidetotheProjectManagementBodyof
Knowledge—ThirdEdition(PMBOK®Guide)formuchofour
careers,andinmovingtoagileapproacheswebecamemore
awareofthemisconceptionsouttheresurroundingthesubject
matterofthisbook—incorrectideasthatweoncebelievedas
well.Nowasagileconsultants,wecontinuetohearourclients
saythattheybelieve(incorrectly)thatiftheyaretokeeptheir
PMPcertificationandfollowthepracticesoutlinedinthe
PMBOK®Guidethattheymustuseawaterfall-likemethodology.
Wealsohearthemistakenbeliefthatagileapproacheslack
disciplineandrigor.Andweseethefearanddismayofthose
whobelievethattheirinvestmentintheProjectManagement
Institute(PMI)maybefornaughtiftheyfollowthepathto
agility.
Itisourgoaltodispelthesemythsinourbookandshowthat
theThirdEditionofthePMBOK®Guidedoesinfactsupport
agilesoftwaredevelopmentmethodsandthattheinvestment

thatprojectmanagershavemadeinthePMIandinthe
practicesoutlinedinthePMBOK®Guidearestillsolidand
appropriatetopursue.ItiscleartousthatthePMBOK®Guide
ismethodology-neutralandsupportsgoodprojectmanagement
practicesregardlessoftheapproachchosen.Althoughmanyare
alreadyawareofthisfact,wefindthattherearestillmanywho
arenot.AsPMPswhoarenowagileenthusiasts,wefeelitis
importanttoalsodispelthemistakennotionintheagile
communitythatPMPscannotbegoodagileprojectmanagers.


Wewouldliketobuildabridgebetweenthetwo—thustheneed
forthisbook.

StructureandContentoftheBook
Accordingly,we'veputmuchofthedetailconcerningthis
bridginginPartII,wherewemapthePMBOK®Guide's
practicestoagilepractices.Itisourintenttoshowproject
managersthatinmovingtoanagilemethodology,theydonot
moveawayfromimplementingPMI-recommendedpractices—
theysimplyimplementthepracticesinadifferentway,making
surethattheintentbehindthesepracticesremainstrue.In
somechaptersyou'llfindaclearmapping,whereasinothers
themappingismoreimprecise.Thisbookisintendedtobea
guide,awaytotakethelexiconyouarealreadyfamiliarwith
andrelateittoanewwayofdevelopingsoftware.Thisbookwill
notreplaceanyofthemorespecificagilepracticebooksinthe
markettoday,andweencourageyoutosupplementthis
readingwithotherbooksonparticularagilemethods(Scrum,
XP,Lean,Crystal,andsoon).

Thenextseveralsectionsprovideaquickpreviewofthebook.

PartI:AnAgileOverview
PartIintroducesyoutothebasictermsandconceptsofagile
softwaredevelopment.Webegininthefirstchapter("WhatIs
Agile?")withalookbackattheemergenceofagileideasinthe
historyofsoftwaredevelopment.Youmaybesurprisedtolearn
thatevenWinstonRoyce'spaperonthewaterfallapproach
recommendedaniterativecycleandtheinvolvementoftheend
userinthewholeoftheproject!Fromthishistorywemove
forwardandreviewtheconceptsbehindtheAgileManifestoand
itsassociatedprinciples,whicharethebasisofallagile
softwaredevelopmentframeworks.
InChapter2,"MappingfromthePMBOK®GuidetoAgile,"we
lookatthehistoryofthePMIanditsmostfamouscontribution
tothepracticeofprojectmanagement,thePMBOK®Guide.


We'llexaminehowthePMBOK®Guideprojectlifecyclephases
andprojectmanagementprocessgroupscanberelatedtothe
AgileFractal.Andwe'llreiterateagainthatyoucanbeagileand
beinkeepingwiththerecommendationsoutlinedinthe
PMBOK®Guide.
Chapter3,"TheAgileProjectLifecycleinDetail,"describesthe
agileprojectlifecycle—fromreleaseplanningtoiteration
planningtodailyplanning—andhowdemos,reviews,and
retrospectivesattheendofeachiterationallowtheteamto
continuallyimprove.Thischapterbeginstheuseofterminology
andconceptsthatweexpandonthroughouttherestofthe
book.

PartII:TheBridge:RelatingPMBOK®Guide
PracticestoAgilePractices
Thisisthepartofthebookwherewerevieweachofthe
PMBOK®Guideknowledgeareasanddiscusswhatyouusedto
doasatraditionalprojectmanager,andwhatyoushould
considerdoinginsteadasanagileprojectmanager.Asthetitle
implies,wearetryingtobuildanexplicitbridgebetweenthe
traditionalandtheagile,andprovideyouwithguidanceon
whattasksandactivitiesyoushouldsubstitute—orkeep.
AsitisinthePMBOK®Guide,theknowledgeareasarenotin
anytypeofchronologicalorder.Inbothtraditionalandagile
projectmanagementsettings,youwillfindyourselfdoingmost
oftheseactivitiesinparallel.
Becausethereissomeoverlapintheknowledgeareas,youmay
findsomeideasandconceptsrepeated.Wedidthis
intentionally,becauseweexpectmanyofyoutousethispartof
thebookasareferenceguide,andmaythereforestartwithany
ofthesechaptersinanyorder.However,tokeeptherepetition
toaminimum,wedousereferencestootherchaptersrather
thanrewritelargesections.


ThechaptersinPartIIincludethefollowing:
Chapter4:"IntegrationManagement"
Chapter5:"ScopeManagement"
Chapter6:"TimeManagement"
Chapter7:"CostManagement"
Chapter8:"QualityManagement"
Chapter9:"HumanResourcesManagement"

Chapter10:"CommunicationsManagement"
Chapter11:"RiskManagement"
Chapter12:"ProcurementManagement"

PartIII:CrossingtheBridgetoAgile
WhereasPartIIcoversthespecificpracticalactivitychanges,
PartIIIcoversthesofterskillsofbeinganagentofchangeand
whatthischangemeansforyoupersonallyandprofessionally.
Havingansweredmuchofthe"what"youneedtodoinPartII,
weturnourfocusto"how"tomakethesechangesinPartIII.
Fromhowyourrolechanges,tohowyou'llworkwithothers
whoaren'tagile,towhattowatchoutfor,werespondtothe
commonlyaskedquestionsofthosewhoareabouttocrossthe
bridge.ThechaptersinPartIIIcompletethemainbodyofthe
book:
Chapter13:"HowWillMyResponsibilitiesChange?"
Chapter14:"HowWillIWorkwithOtherTeamsWhoAren't
Agile?"
Chapter15:"HowCanaProjectManagementOffice
SupportAgile?"
Chapter16:"SellingtheBenefitsofAgile"


Chapter17:"CommonMistakes"

Appendixes
We'veincludedtwoappendixeswehopeyouwillfinduseful.
AppendixA,"AgileMethodologies,"runsdownanumberofthe
softwaredevelopmentmethodologiesthatfallundertheagile
umbrella.AppendixB,"AgileArtifacts,"includesalookatthe

typicalagileproject"artifacts."

WhoThisBookIsFor
Althoughthisbookistargetedatsoftwareprojectmanagers
whoaremembersofthePMI,anyonewhoisdoingtraditional
softwareprojectmanagementwillbenefitfromseeingagility
presentedinterminologytowhichtheyareaccustomed.Wewill
refertotheselong-establishedmethodologiesas"waterfall,"
"plan-driven,"or"traditional,"allofwhichrefertosequential,
phased,noniterativeapproachestosoftwaredevelopment.

FinalThoughts
WeshouldalsomakeitclearthatwearenotsanctionedbyPMI
oranyofitsrepresentatives.Thisbookistheresultofour
research,interpretation,andexperience.Althoughweusedthe
ThirdEditionofthePMBOK®Guideinourstudies,weexpect
thatasthePMBOK®Guidegoesthroughfurtherrevisions,you
willstillfindtheconceptspresentedheretoberelevant.

Endnote
1. "PMP,""PMI,"and"PMBOKGuide"areregistered
marksofProjectManagementInstitute,Inc.


Acknowledgments
Theauthorswouldliketojointlyexpresstheirappreciationto
thefollowingindividualswhohelpedtomakethisbooka
reality:
TheeditorsatBetterSoftwaremagazineand
StickyMinds.com,particularlyLeeCopelandandFrancesca

Matteu.Thisbookoriginallystartedoutasawhitepaper
thatwonanawardatthe2005BetterSoftwareconference
inSanFrancisco,andledtoaseriesofsupportingarticles
onStickyMinds.com.Lee,Francesca,andalltheeditorsat
theirorganizationhavehelpedustobecomebetterwriters.
MikeCohn,whoencouragedusthroughouttheprocessand
provideduswithearlyfeedbackonourchapters.
DennisBolles,TedBoccuzzi,GregGithens,KentMcDonald,
andBobTarne,ourreviewerswhospentagreatdealof
timeandeffortinhelpingustofigureouthowtobetter
communicateourthoughtsandideas.
Theagilecoachesandtrainerswhobegantoreferenceour
bookevenbeforeitwaspublished.
Thenumerousteamswhohaveprovideduswithsomany
learningexperiencesandwhohaveallowedustoshareour
experienceswiththem.
MicheleSligerwouldliketothank:
JeanTabaka,whotaughtmetheimportanceof
collaborationandfacilitation.
ThefolksatRallySoftware,whopushedmetogrow,excel,
inspect,andadapt.
MyagilementorMikeCohnandmyScrumbuddyAlicia
Yanik.Nomatterhowcrazymyquestion,theyarealways
kindenoughtorespond.


ShellyWilbanks,mydearestfriend,forherunending
encouragementandsupport—andfreelegaladviceforlife
(there,it'sinwriting!).
ThekidsatJudi'sHouse—theyremindmeofwhat'sreally

importantandfillmewithendlesswonderatthepowerof
self-organizingteamsandtheagilityofthehumansoul.
Stacia,forwritingthehardchapters!
StaciaBroderickwouldliketothank:
MikeBroderick,myhusbandandrock,andBodieBroderick,
whoalwaysworeasmileandawaggingtail.
KenSchwaber,whomentoredmethroughthevalleyof
despair.
BobSchatz,whotaughtmehowtobecomealeader.
Myfamily,whoputupwithmyabsenceatfamilyevents
andgatherings.Itwillbenicetogetbacktothosethings.
MyNikes,forhelpingmesortmythoughtsandclearmy
head.
Michele,forwritingthehardchapters!


AbouttheAuthors
MicheleSligerhasextensiveexperienceinagilesoftware
development,havingtransitionedtoScrumandXPpracticesin
2000afterstartinghercareerfollowingthetraditionalwaterfall
approach.Aself-described"bridgebuilder,"herpassionliesin
helpingthoseintraditionalsoftwaredevelopmentenvironments
crossthebridgetoagility.MicheleistheownerofSliger
ConsultingInc.,wheresheconsultswithbusinessesranging
fromsmallstartupstoFortune500companies,helpingteams
withtheiragileadoption,andhelpingorganizationspreparefor
thechangesthatagileadoptionbrings.Afrequentconference
speakerandregularcontributortosoftwareindustry
publications,Micheleisastrongadvocateofagileprinciplesand
value-drivendevelopmentpractices.SheisacertifiedProject

ManagementProfessional(PMP®)andaCertifiedScrumTrainer
(CST).ShehasanundergraduateMISdegreeandanMBA.
Whennotworking,Michelevolunteersasagrieffacilitatorfor
teensatJudi'sHouse,anonprofitdedicatedtohelpingchildren
learnhowtocopewiththelossofalovedone.
StaciaBroderickhasworkedasaprojectmanagerforfifteen
years,thelasteightinsoftwaredevelopment.Shewas
fortunatetobehelpedacrossthebridgeunderthementorship
ofKenSchwaberwhileworkingforPrimaveraSystemsin2003
andeversincehashelpedhundredsofteamstheworldover
embracetheprinciplesofandtransitiontoanagilewayof
creatingproducts.Staciafoundedhercompany,AgileEvolution,
Inc.,in2006basedonthebeliefthatagilepracticespresenta
humane,logicalwayforteamsandcompaniestodeliver
products.StaciaisaCertifiedScrumTraineraswellasaPMP®,
amixthatprovesvaluablewhenassistingorganizations'
transitionfromtraditionaltomodernpractices.Staciaenjoys
running,playingclassicalviolin,andspendingtimewithher
family.


Introduction:HowOneProjectManager
CrossedtheBridge
I'mStaciaBroderick,andIwanttoconveyadeeplypersonal
storyofchangeinhopesofhelpingyourecognizethe
importanceoflisteningtoyourselfandlearninghowtogrow,
evenwhenitisquiteuncomfortableandscary.
Ihavebeenaprojectmanagersince1993,agilesince2003.I
amalsoaPMP,formallytrainedinthelexiconofthethousands
ofcertifiedProjectManagementProfessionalswhowentbefore

me.WhenIstartedmanagingprojects,Itookcertainpridein
myabilitiestoplanaproject,learnedhowtoenterdataintoa
projectmanagementtool,heldstatusmeetings,negotiatedwith
contractorsandthird-partysourcingforresourcesand
materials,mitigatedrisksintheprojectand,ofcourse,
controlledscope.Icouldperformforward-andbackward-pass
calculationsinmysleep.
Projectmanagementwasaperfectfitforme,who,asathirdgrader,resource-loadedmytwosistersandIintoweekly
rotatingchoreschedules.Ievendesignedaprocessfor
reducingthenumberofdishwashingloadsbyonlyemptyingthe
dishwasherbasedonapull-and-batchsystem(pulladishonly
whenneeded,andnomorefrequently;gatheralldirtydishesin
thesinkuntiltimetoreloaddishwasher;reloadallatonce),but
myfatherdidnotsupportthisnewapproach.Forme—aselfadmittedcontrolfreak—projectmanagementwasaperfectfit.
MyconflictwithScrum,oneoftheagileapproachestosoftware
development,beganin2003.Iwasvehementlyopposedtothis
new,lightweight,not-sponsored-by-any-formal-governing-body
methodology(orsoIhadthought).Mylifewasturnedupside
downwhenKenSchwabercametotrainandmentorourteam
ofmanagersandsoftwaredevelopers.AsadevoutPMP,or
perhapsasaresultofstillbeingrelativelynewtosoftware
development,IwasabitleeryofKen'sinitialteachingsabout
self-managedteamsanditerativedevelopment.AsIdriftedin


andoutofthetwodaysofScrumMastertraining,thelinethat
caughtmostofmyattentionwas,"Youhavenopower."Ken
meantitinthesensethattheproductowneranddeliveryteam
roleswouldbecollaborativeinnature,andthataproject
managerwasn'tthedecision-makerinScrum.Likeamantra,I

repeatedthislinetoseeifIcouldgetusedtoit.Ikeptthinking,
"Howcouldyoupossiblymanageaprojectorpeoplewithout
power?Wasn'titaprerequisitethatyouhadtomuscleyour
waythroughaprojectanddemandthatpeopleworkovertime
andweekends(butpromisetofeedthemfreepizza)?Asthe
projectteamgrewfatterandphysicallyslower,didn'tthismean
youcouldmoreeasilybeatthemintosubmission?"(Ikid,I
kid.)
WhenmybossfailedtoshowuptoScrumMastertraining,Iwas
automaticallythrowntothelionsasmy(nowex)-boss's
replacement.Congratulationstome:Iwasthenewlyminted
ScrumMasterofthreeprojectteams.
Wow.SonowIhadtoleadpeople.Ihadneverleadpeople
before.Ihadcertainlymanagedthem,andcollectedthestatus
oftheirtasks,andquizzedthemonhowmuchtimewas
remainingonthosetasks.And,ofcourse,Iquestionedtheir
estimates.(Everyoneknowsthatdevelopersarehorrible
estimators!)Isometimesevengavemyhelpfulopinionon
whethercertaintechnicaltaskswereeasyordifficult,muchto
thedevelopers'delight,Iamsure.
Ofcourse,whatIdidn'trealizeatthetimewasthatIreallyhad
nopowertobeginwith.Yousee,Ihadalwaysmanagedagroup
ofknowledgeworkers—folkswhogrewupcrunchingnumbers,
writingcomplexcode,creativelybangingoutproductsthatat
theirrootsconsistedofonly1sand0s.Itrulybelievethatup
untillearningtolead,theseknowledgeworkersmerely
toleratedme.Ihadneverreallymanagedthem.Theymanaged
mebydecidingtomakemehappybyfillingouttheir
timesheets.TheyhumoredmewhenIaskedtobewalked
throughthetestingphaseoftheprojectplan,again.They