Does agile work? - A quantitative analysis of agile project success
Article highlight
This article looks at the benefits, or not, of applying an agile (i.e. flexible) method of project management, as opposed to more traditional methods. The article concludes that agile methods have a positive impact on a project’s success. More research is needed to look at what impact continuous planning and the structure of that planning has on the success of a project.
Read more agile material in the agile project management section
What does the paper cover?
Methods of project management often fail to take into account changes outside the project that can be beneficial or harmful to its success.
Projects that achieve the goals set at the beginning can still fail if, for example, it has ignored new technology that has been developed during its course. By remaining open to new ideas and changes throughout the course of a project, agile methods of project management appear to contribute to a more successful end product.
The focus of agile methods:
- People (rather than processes or tools);
- Technology that works well (rather than lots of documentation);
- Working with customers (rather than for them);
- Adapting to change (rather than always sticking to the initial plan).
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