Bottom-Line-Up-Front: If your organizations isn’t taking an Agile approach for technology adoption you are at risk.
Situations change in a split second and you expect your operational teams to be able to rapidly adjust to newly discovered (or understood) intelligence, changing situations, and to be effective while they do this.
So why do so many IT projects (and contracts) use out-dated, non-responsive, rigidly-defined, and ineffective approaches to solve your hard problems?
Why wouldn’t you expect your Technical Team to be as Agile as your operational teams?
We’re working away on the next issue of our Technology In OPS magazine. The focus/theme this issue is about Being Agile inside our First Responder, Emergency Manager, and Security Professional realm – for your technology projects.
The Technology In OPS framework recommends using Agile as your delivery approach to use as it is that important for your success. What you get with Agile is pretty simple:
Agile projects give you the ability to respond to the changing conditions while attaining your mission objective.
So what is Agile?
- Agile is a way to GET THINGS DONE.
- Using MINIMAL RESOURCES, in a SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME, with BETTER RESULTS.
- Agile handles AMBIGUITY and CHANGING REQUIREMENTS.
- Agile involves a SMALL TEAM (of high calibre members).
Senior Leaders:[callout]Senior Leaders – If your contracting folk tell you that you can’t use Agile for some reason you need to push back – HARD. [/callout]
Contracting Says No Agile?
If your contracting organization tells you that Agile isn’t accepted, push back – hard. Agile isn’t new. It has been around a long time but it has been more formalized in recent years. There used to be many different names that competed, and that worked. Now those names are “flavours” of Agile and there are deep and formal (and certified) training just like other high-value areas. The Project Management Institute has a fully formalized certification (PMP Agile Certification Program) for it as well.
If you haven’t already got the Technology In OPS Magazine – here are links to grab it (it is free):
Any questions, concerns, or ideas? Leave them below in the comments. I will personally respond.
– Darrell