In an adaptive environment, project managers use their skills and expertise to help the team adapt to changing circumstances and deliver to their stakeholders. While some agile practitioners may argue that the role of a project manager is not needed in self-organizing teams, pragmatic agile practitioners and organizations recognize that project managers can add benefit in many situations. The key difference is that their roles and responsibilities may look somewhat different in an adaptive environment.
What are some of the practices a project manager can bring to an adaptive environment?
A team retrospective was going well until the team lead introduced the "define the next experiment" topic; then the discussion became an argument. A new team member feels strongly that the approach used on their previous team would improve this team's efficiency and effectiveness. The team lead is adamant that they remain with the current approach and the discussion dissolves into a circular argument.
A product owner is responsible for a new product. The internal customer questions using an agile approach because they need a product that works without any bugs or missing features once it is launched.
What should the product owner do?
The initial roadmap and release dates for an agile project were set based on data from similar projects and some expert opinions. Halfway through the project, however, the team’s estimates are different. Based on the team’s velocity, two more iterations were necessary to accomplish the initial scope.
How should the agile lead explain the difference to the project sponsor?
A new product owner needs to manage the backlog of a high-visibility, fast-moving project that is consuming a considerable amount of time.
What should the product owner do?
What should the project leader suggest?
A new software development team has just been formed. 5 sprints have passed and the team is now familiar with their way of working. In the 6th sprint, the scrum master notices the team members arguing about the technical design of an upcoming new feature during a backlog refinement meeting. After the refinement meeting, the scrum master notices team members talking about the topic informally and taking sides. There is noticeable tension among the team.
How should the scrum master help the team to resolve the issue?
An agile facilitator is helping a team. The team is taking too long in each daily coordination meeting, and the facilitator is beginning to view the time as unproductive.
What should the agile facilitator do to help the team?
What should the agile project manager do?
Business partners are attending a daily standup meeting for a project. The business partners are asking questions about the sprint backlog and delivery timing.
How should the project manager explain why this is not the forum to ask these questions?
