Managing Agile

This book examines agile approaches from a management perspective by focusing on matters of strategy, implementation, organization and people. It examines the turbulence of the marketplace and business environment in order to identify what role agile management has to play in coping with such change and uncertainty. Based on observations, personal experience and extensive research, it clearly identifies the fabric of the agile organization, helping managers to become agile leaders in an uncertain world.

The book opens with a broad survey of agile strategies, comparing and contrasting some of the major methodologies selected on the basis of where they lie on a continuum of ceremony and formality, ranging from the minimalist technique-driven and software engineering focused XP, to the pragmatic product-project paradigm that is Scrum and its scaled counterpart SAFe®, to the comparatively project-centric DSDM. Subsequently, the core of the book focuses on DSDM, owing to the method’s comprehensive elaboration of program and project management practices.

This work will chiefly be of interest to all those with decision-making authority within their organizations (e.g., senior managers, line managers, program, project and risk managers) and for whom topics such as strategy, finance, quality, governance and risk management constitute a daily aspect of their work. It will, however, also be of interest to those readers in advanced management or business administration courses (e.g., MBA, MSc), who wish to engage in the management of agile organizations and thus need to adapt their skills and knowledge accordingly.

• DSDM
• Scrum
• XP
• agile development
• lean development
• project management
• software engineering

“This serious book from a serious author is intended for managers and technical leaders seriously interested in improving, maturing, and scaling the practice of agile methodologies in their enterprises. … This book lives up to its title. It provides solid management strategies and guidance for organizations to create more value by moving from little ‘a’ agile to big ‘A’ agile (agile across the enterprise).” (Ernest Hughes, Computing Reviews, July, 2015)

"This book demonstrates that Agile has the strength and maturity to work effectively in complex corporate environments whilst still maintaining and supporting all the Agile principles." Barbara Roberts, Director, DSDM Consortium

"Alan Moran has given us a splendid book that strikes the right balance between theory and practice. It offers insight into how agile can be effectively managed to promote a culture of collaboration, learning, and high-performance within organizations." Prof. Sridhar Nerur, University of Texas at Arlington

"Managing Agile is a comprehensive tome covering everything from the early foundations of Agile methods to a complete glossary of terms across all Agile methods and processes. A deep dive into Agile country for the novice and expert discussing all relevant management aspects." Michael Nir, President of Sapir Consulting

• Zurich, Switzerland

  Alan Moran

Alan Moran is an experienced agilist with considerable experience in IT management and the development and delivery of services and products. His career has spanned both public and private sectors (incl. Finance, Education, Public Administration) throughout which he has maintained a keen interest in establishing and optimising agile processes along with a passion for embedding agile principles into management practice. He is the holder of several certifications and awards and is a regular public speaker on matters concerning agile and related topics.

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