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Dilbert cartoons are funny but they always make us stop and think. “How true?”
Writing on LiquidPlanner, “7 Project Management Trends for 2015”, Will Kelly predicted, “More Agile, less Waterfall”. 2015 was going to bring even more Agile project management practices into small and large businesses. This theme is trending with bloggers and technology researchers alike. While (“More Agile, less Waterfall”) is not a new phenomenon it is gathering pace.
Vara Prasad Rongala, writing for Business Insider India, referred to the PwC’s 2012 report titled Insights and Trends: Current Portfolio, Programme, and Project Management Practices. It surveyed more than 1,500 respondents across 38 countries. Of those that responded, around 97% stated that project management is critical to business performance and the success of the organization. 94% agreed that project management facilitates business growth. 59% of most organizations that employed agile project management credited it for project success.
While the train has left the station, we need to ask, how ready are we? In 2015’s Trends in Business Analysis and Project Management, Elizabeth Larson cautions “as the Agile bandwagon continues to grow, some organisations, previously reluctant to jump aboard, are running to catch up. Sometimes, though, Agile is implemented without much thought to unintended consequences of not having enough organisational commitment when adopting Agile.”
“as the Agile bandwagon continues to grow, some organisations, previously reluctant to jump aboard, are running to catch up. Sometimes, though, Agile is implemented without much thought to unintended consequences of not having enough organisational commitment when adopting Agile.”
Staying on top of trends and predictions will position you to plan strategically and take advantage of the coming changes. Positioning is one thing, planning for success quite another.
The PMI’s Pulse of the Profession “Capturing the Value of Project Management”, published in February 2015, predicted the continued rise of Agile. It “suggests” it is “time for organisations to revisit the fundamentals of project management and, essentially, go back to basics.”
These basics include understanding the value of project management, having actively engaged executive sponsors. Aligning projects to strategy Developing and maintaining project management talent. Establishing a well-aligned and effective PMO, and using standardised project management practices throughout the organisation.
So Agile is everywhere? That’s what’s trending. If nothing else trends are fun to read. “Agile is in vogue.” Matthew D-Feu wrote in TechRadar. Trends and fashions aside there is one certainty. To deliver success you need Talent, Process, Product and Knowledge Sharing of course but at the root of every success is People.
Really though when it comes down to it, Dilbert cartoons are just funny!