Archive for October, 2011

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PMI-ACP Learning is Fun

By
Derek Huether
– October 21, 2011Posted in: Agile, Project Management

This week I debuted my PMI-ACP class to the Washington DC/Baltimore area.  Being this was the first time I was offering this class, I had a little trepidation.  Would my students take to my teaching methods?  As I walked into the training center, I passed another classroom.  It was a 5-day PMP exam prep class.  It was a 5-day PMP exam boot camp. Knowing how boot camps are presented, I knew I did not want the same for my class.

I was looking to do more that teach people how to pass a test.  I really wanted them to walk away with an understanding of concepts like self-organization, adaptive planning, continuous improvement, or delivering value.  I was looking to spend a lot less time lecturing and a lot more time engaging my students with discussions, simulations, and games.

Over the course of the next three days, we held lengthy discussions on real-world topics.  I would introduce a concept and ask questions like now that I’ve talked about Concept A, how could you apply it at your organization?  The class would then compare and contrast different scenarios from each of their respective perspectives.  But, I have to admit, some of the best moments of the class came when we played games.  Activities ranged from building paper airplanes, to playing the “ball point” game and building a town out of Lego’s.  I can’t express the satisfaction I got, when I saw “lightbulb” moments for each of the students.

One of the attendees just wrote me an email, saying:

The class was excellent!  This has been the most valuable class I have had relative to understanding Agile and applying it to my organization.

We had 6 early-adopters at the first class and I got some excellent feedback.  I know the next class will be even better.  Anyone have some Lego’s for sale?

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When PMI Introduced the Elephant – Part 3

By
Derek Huether
– October 18, 2011Posted in: Agile, Project Management, Video

This post concludes my 3 part series about when PMI Introduced the Elephant in the Room.  It’s the basis of my talk at AgileDC on October 26. The elephant I am referring to is the mainstream adoption of Agile.  In part one of my series, I introduced the idea that Agile was about to cross the chasm.  The chasm I’m referring to is based on the “Technology Life Cycle Adoption Curve” concept from Geoffrey Moore’s 1992 book Crossing the Chasm. I see parallels between a technology life cycle adoption curve and a methodology life cycle adoption curve.  Though waterfall may be at the far right, with the laggards and skeptics, I see Agile as being embraced by the innovators and visionaries for the last 10 years.  But within the last view years, the earliest adopters and visionaries started to get traction.  It took real leadership to follow a few “lone nuts” and brave ridicule.

There comes a time within the adoption curve that the tipping point occurs.   If the original Agile leaders were the flint, the first followers were the spark that made the fire.  With PMI creating the PMI-ACP certification, there is going to be a lot of fuel on the fire.  After teaching my first PMI-ACP class over the last few days, I asked my students why they were pursuing this certification.  What made it different?  Their answers were both enlightening and similar.  The common answer was that their organizations see the PMI endorsement of Agile methods as the legitimizing of Agile.  Until PMI got involved, Agile practices were “undisciplined ideas from those on the fringe”.  Even with the certification being in the pilot stage, it has rapidly become a viable alternative to other processes that just aren’t working.  Though Agile isn’t for everyone, I find it amazing that so many have not adopted it, merely because it wasn’t supported by the status quo.

I’m actually not sure where we are on the adoption curve.  But, from listening to my students, the fear of ridicule is being stripped away.  I do believe we are crossing the chasm.

Watch this 3 minute video.  If you are a version of the shirtless (Agile) dancing guy at your organization, all alone, remember the importance of nurturing your first few followers as equals, making everything clearly about the movement, not you.

Be public. Be easy to follow!

There is no movement without the first follower.

(Link to Video on YouTube)

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When PMI Introduced the Elephant – Part 2

By
Derek Huether
– October 15, 2011Posted in: Agile, Project Management

In just a few weeks, I will be speaking at an upcoming (sold out) Agile conference here in Washington D.C.  It’s unfortunate that I had to decide between going to the PMI North American Congress and speaking at the AgileDC event.  The events are happening the same week.  I had to decide if I wanted to speak or if I wanted to just attend.

The title of my talk at AgileDC is “When PMI introduced the elephant in the room”.  Let’s define that.  We’re talking about an important and obvious topic, which everyone present is aware of, but which isn’t discussed, as such discussion is considered to be uncomfortable.  That elephant, of course, is the mainstream adoption of Agile.  Many of us saw the momentum of agile practices growing.  And I think just as many out there have tried to ignore it, misrepresent it, or dismiss it.  Though it took 10 years, I see PMI’s move to formally embrace Agile, with its own Agile certification, as a sign we’re about to cross the chasm.  The PMI wouldn’t do this if they didn’t see market trends supporting it.  With the PMI endorsement, Agile will be more widely used, more openly adopted…and yes, abused.

But I’m not here to rain on PMI’s parade.  I take my hat off to the PMI leadership, the PMI Agile Community of Practice leadership, and the informal Agile luminaries we all know in the industry.  I know there are people who are not very happy with the idea of PMI being the organization to release a comprehensive Agile exam.  Like it not, someone has to do it!  Agile needs something that will motivate people to accept it as a legitimate alternative (or primary choice) and leverage it.  Though not every project environment appears to be conducive to what the Agile Alliance or the Scrum Alliance offer, they seem to be more receptive when the PMI offers it.  In the U.S. market, the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification has reached a point in the adoption curve whereby if you are a Project Manager and don’t have it, you are at a disadvantage.  It has reached such a fever pitch that even people who are not Project Managers (by trade) are finding ways to get the certification.  People are believing certifications will make them more marketable and better managers or leaders.  PMI is merely capitalizing on that belief, with the introduction of the Agile Certified Practitioner certification.  A certification that is not easy to get, immediately has a perception of value.

When you think of PMI, what do you think of?

Processes and tools?
Comprehensive documentation?
Contract negotiation?
Following a plan?

PMI is the world’s largest project management member association, representing more than half a million practitioners in more than 185 countries. As a global thought leader and knowledge resource, PMI advances the profession through its global standards and credentials, collaborative chapters and virtual communities and academic research.

When you think of Agile, what do you think of?

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 authors of the Agile Manifesto wrote “We are uncovering better ways of developing
software by doing it and helping others do it.”

So, is this a contradiction?

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When PMI Introduced the Elephant – Part 1

By
Derek Huether
– October 13, 2011Posted in: Agile, Project Management

Last October I entered the Gaylord National with a little trepidation.  The PMI North American Congress was taking place and I found out that several people I admire in the Agile space were going to be attending and speaking.  Leading up to the major PMI event, I was hearing a lot of chatter about these “heretics” who were going to be presenting.  In Washington DC, the PMP was king and few in the Federal space wanted to hear anything about adaptive planning, continuous elaboration, or focusing on delivering value to the customer.  Project Managers were expected to predict the future, define process and then make damn sure you followed it, regardless if anything ever got delivered.  So, I was very much surprised as I walked through the Gaylord and noticed poster after poster, display after display.  “Are you Agile?”

Crossing The ChasmEvery Agile session I attended, PMI Vice President of Information Technology, Frank Schettini introduced the speaker and told the audience that he leads the team that is responsible for delivering value to PMI’s members, volunteer leaders, certification holders and staff through innovative and reliable technology solutions. He said that he was a strong supporter of the Agile Community and so was PMI.

Though the audience at one of the first Agile sessions was almost hostile towards the presenters, by the time Michele Sliger gave the final session on the final day, there was buzz in the halls of the Gaylord about how “this Agile thing” had taken the conference by storm.

While I was there at the conference, I was privately asked if I would be willing to assist PMI with the creation of an Agile certification.  I was very apprehensive, at first.  I didn’t want PMI “hijacking” Agile.  I was assured that was not the case.  I discovered those I respected most in the industry were already hard at work, making sure it was done right.

Agile was about to cross the chasm and PMI was going to make sure we made it to the other side.

But first, introductions were in order.

 

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