{"id":27208,"date":"2022-04-12T09:00:48","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T14:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/resources\/index.php?p=27208"},"modified":"2025-08-08T13:55:31","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T18:55:31","slug":"agile-project-management-in-3-minutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/training\/agile-project-management-in-3-minutes","title":{"rendered":"Agile Project Management: Principles, Meetings, Values & Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"

What Is Agile Project Management?<\/h2>\n

Agile project management is an iterative approach that consists of delivering a project through short time cycles called sprints where agile teams plan<\/a> and execute project tasks. These sprints allow agile project management to pivot and respond to change, hence the name agile. Agile project management is highly adaptable and allows you to adjust the project plan as you go rather than following a linear, traditional project plan.<\/p>\n

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Get your free<\/p>\n

Agile Sprint Plan Template<\/h3>\n

\n\tUse this free Agile Sprint Plan Template to manage your projects better.<\/p>\n\tGet the Template<\/a>\n<\/div> \n\n

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Managing agile projects requires the right tools. But what happens if management is using waterfall tools while their teams are executing work in an agile environment? You need an agile project management software<\/a> that\u2019s compatible with waterfall and other methodologies.<\/p>\n

ProjectManager<\/a> is cloud-based work and project management software that has multiple project views that allow anyone to work how they want. Managers can plan with Gantt charts while teams can manage backlogs and plan sprints on kanban boards. All project views are updated in real time so you\u2019re always working with one source of truth. Get started with ProjectManager for free today.<\/p>\n

\"ProjectManager's<\/a>
ProjectManager\u2019s kanban boards give agile teams the flexibility they want. Learn more.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

History of Agile<\/h2>\n

Agile project management came about as development teams worked towards getting products to market faster. The waterfall methodology<\/a>, which identifies a problem and plans a solution, forces teams to stick to the scope of work that was defined at the beginning of the project. But when executing a project, things change.<\/p>\n

Frustrated developers started to introduce new methods, such as Scrum<\/a>, rapid application development, extreme programming, DSMD, features-driven development and pragmatic programming, all of which were more flexible and required less overhead planning. This led to agile project management, which was codified in the spring of 2000.<\/p>\n

At that time, 17 software developers started what would become agile project management, and a year later, a manifesto was drafted. The Manifesto for Agile Software Development, or Agile Manifesto<\/a> for short, laid out four key values and 12 agile principles. Since then, agile has spread. Once only used in software development, now agile project management has found a foothold in marketing\/advertising, construction, event planning, product development<\/a> and finance-related companies.<\/p>\n

Agile Core Values<\/h2>\n

As noted, agile project management has four core values that were developed when the Agile Manifesto was written:<\/p>\n

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  1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools<\/li>\n
  2. Working software over comprehensive documentation<\/li>\n
  3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation<\/li>\n
  4. Responding to change over following a plan<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    It\u2019s clear to see the changes that agile project management implemented over the traditional project management methodologies<\/a>. First, the individual is more important than the process. Second, while documentation is important, delivering working software means giving developers what they need. Third, the customer must be involved throughout the project in order to meet their needs, and fourth, value is the driver and if that means changing plans, so be it.<\/p>\n

    The 12 Agile Principles<\/h2>\n

    Also codified during the writing of the Agile Manifesto were the 12 agile principles<\/a>. These in tandem with the four core values provide a roadmap that every agile project management team follows.<\/p>\n

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    1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery<\/a> of valuable software (or whatever else you deliver).<\/li>\n
    2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer\u2019s competitive advantage, unlike waterfall<\/a>.<\/li>\n
    3. Deliver projects frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference for the shorter timescale.<\/li>\n
    4. Coordinating team members must work<\/a> together daily throughout the project.<\/li>\n
    5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need and trust them to get the job done<\/a>.<\/li>\n
    6. Face-to-face conversation is the most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within different teams.<\/li>\n
    7. The final product is the primary measure of progress.<\/li>\n
    8. Agile processes promote sustainable development,. All stakeholders should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.<\/li>\n
    9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.<\/li>\n
    10. Simplicity\u2014the art of maximizing the amount of work not done\u2014is essential.<\/li>\n
    11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.<\/li>\n
    12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      While agile project management is iterative and adopts change, it always follows the above four core values and 12 guiding principles. These are not rules but instead a framework<\/a> that holds an agile project together.<\/p>\n

      Key Elements of Agile Project Management<\/h2>\n

      Just because agile project management is about change and getting your product to market faster doesn\u2019t mean there aren\u2019t specific components that every agile project shares. The following are all part of an agile approach to project management.<\/p>\n

      User Stories<\/h3>\n

      A user story<\/a> is the description of a task or work request. It has just enough information for the team to accurately estimate how much effort is required to complete it. This description is written from the user\u2019s point of view, explaining their goals.<\/p>\n

      Sprints<\/h3>\n

      A sprint<\/a> is a short iteration that lasts usually 1-3 weeks. Teams work on the tasks that they decided on during the sprint planning meeting. When the sprint is over, the product is reviewed and necessary adjustments are made in further sprints.<\/p>\n

      Daily Standup Meetings<\/h3>\n

      The standup meeting is a daily occurrence in agile project management. It\u2019s a short meeting, often referred to as a daily scrum meeting<\/a>, in which everyone on the team makes sure they\u2019re on the same page. It\u2019s called a standup meeting as everyone is standing, which helps keep the meetings brief.<\/p>\n

      Agile Board<\/h3>\n

      An agile board is also referred to as a kanban board or scrum board<\/a> and is used to track the project. It can be a whiteboard or a kanban board software, which is part of most project management software solutions. This shows where tasks are in the production cycle.<\/p>\n

      Sprint Planning<\/h3>\n

      Sprint planning<\/a> is that part of the scrum that kicks off a sprint. It’s during the sprint plan that the team meets to discuss what can be delivered in the upcoming sprint and how that work will be executed. It\u2019s a collaborative process that involves the entire scrum team.<\/p>\n

      Sprint Review<\/h3>\n

      The sprint review occurs at the end of the sprint. The scrum team<\/a> meets to review the work they completed during the scrum and decide what additional changes are necessary. These changes are then incorporated into future sprints.<\/p>\n

      Sprint Retrospective<\/h3>\n

      A sprint retrospective<\/a> is the last thing done in a sprint, usually after the sprint review. It includes the entire scrum team and the product owner. The team will look over the sprint and identify what worked and what didn\u2019t, providing solutions to improve the process.<\/p>\n

      Backlog Grooming<\/h3>\n

      Backlog grooming<\/a> is a meeting in which the backlog of work is reviewed by the scrum team, product managers and product owners. This is when they prioritize the work to make sure that everything is updated and ready for upcoming sprints.<\/p>\n

      Burndown Chart<\/h3>\n

      Burndown charts<\/a> help agile project management teams keep track of the tasks that have been done and the time they have left to execute the remaining work. While a burndown chart is traditionally a visual tool, it can also be used to list tasks and their percent complete.<\/p>\n

      Burnup Chart<\/h3>\n

      A burndown chart and a burnup chart<\/a> are almost identical, but there’s one key difference. Burndown chart keeps track of the remaining work by removing user stories from the vertical axis as they\u2019re completed while the burnup chart adds user stories to the vertical axis as they get done.<\/p>\n

      ProjectManager for Agile Project Management<\/h2>\n

      ProjectManager<\/a> is work and project management software that connects hybrid teams on a collaborative platform. Whether you\u2019re working strictly in an agile environment or a hybrid model, our tool has multiple product views and a single source of truth so no matter where or how you work, we keep you connected.<\/p>\n\"ProjectManager's<\/a>\n

      Agile teams prefer the kanban board<\/a> to manage their backlog and plan sprints, but other departments can also collaborate on task lists, calendar views and more. Executives could work in a waterfall methodology and can use our Gantt or sheet view to see the project through a more familiar lens. Everyone can use the agile product roadmap to get an overview of the entire project as it pivots from sprint to sprint.<\/p>\n\"ProjectManager\u2019s<\/a>\n

      Scrum teams are self-directed but that doesn\u2019t mean the product owner isn\u2019t monitoring progress. Our real-time dashboard<\/a> automatically gathers data from the sprint and displays it across six metrics in easy-to-read graphs and charts. There\u2019s no setup required as with other lightweight tools, allowing you to get a status report at your fingertips without getting in the way of your team.<\/p>\n\"ProjectManager's<\/a>\n

      If you want to go deeper into the data, our one-click reports<\/a> on everything from time to costs and more can be created quickly and easily. They can also be filtered to show only the data you want and shared with stakeholders to keep them updated.<\/p>\n

      Agile Project Management Training Video<\/h3>\n

      Agile is a good approach to use for many projects. Many marketing teams, for example, are using agile in their production planning. In this video, Devin Deen gives you an overview of agile project management in just 3 minutes\u2014after, he offers up the history of the agile approach.<\/p>\n