Adaptive Project Framework: Managing Complexity in the Face of Uncertainty (Adobe Reader)

A Breakthrough Framework for Adaptive Project Management from Project Management Guru Robert K. Wysocki   For an increasing number of critical projects, traditional project management models simply are not appropriate. In many cases, complete requirements and objectives cannot be specified up front, and significant changes cannot be avoided. What’s needed is an entirely new framework for project management: one that combines agile methods with the profession’s most enduring best practices. In this book, Robert K. Wysocki provides that framework—the Adaptive Project Framework (APF)—and shows how to apply it in any domain.   Wysocki, one of the world’s leading project management consultants, has spent decades helping large organizations succeed with complex projects. Drawing on everything he’s learned, he explains why a fundamentally new framework is needed and introduces all five phases of that framework. He covers artifacts, processes, and deliverables, and shows how to utilize each phase most effectively in your environment. Through four detailed case studies, you’ll discover how APF can help you adapt to unexpected events, encouraging creative responses based on open partnerships between clients and project teams.   Coverage includes Bringing greater flexibility and speed to any project, regardless of its goals or context Moving forward successfully with projects that have vague requirements Discovering what clients really want, not just what they say they want Managing ongoing scope changes throughout a project Customizing APF to your own environment Integrating APF with existing agile software development methods Using APF to overcome the obstacles to success Preparing for the future of project management This book is written for every project participant—project and program managers, software and product developers, process designers, and business analysts—who needs to deliver results in a world that won’t stand still.

Table of Contents:
Preface xv Acknowledgments xvii About the Author xix   Introduction 1 The Contemporary Project Landscape 2 Project Management Is Organized Common Sense 18 Why I Wrote This Book 20 How This Book Is Structured 21 Case Studies 21 Who Should Read This Book? 24 Putting It All Together 27   Chapter 1: Overview of the Adaptive Project Framework 29 The Fundamentals of the Adaptive Project Framework 30 Goal, Solution, Functions, and Features 34 Traditional Project Management (TPM) 37 Agile Project Management (APM) 43 Case Study: Try & Buy Department Stores–DSDM Approach 58 Adaptive Project Framework 58 Case Study: PDQ Prioritized Scope Triangle 85 Extreme Project Management 89 Emertxe Project Management 90 Putting It All Together 91 Discussion Questions 91   Chapter 2: How to Scope the APF Project 93 Overview of the APF Version Scope Phase 94 APF Version Scope Phase: The Defining Process 98 Case Studies 110 APF Version Scope: Planning Process 128 Version Scope Phase Kick-off Meeting 141 Team Formation 142 Putting It All Together 143 Discussion Questions 143   Chapter 3: How to Plan an APF Cycle 145 An Overview of the APF Cycle Planning Phase 146 APF Cycle Plan Deliverables 161 Cycle Scope Changes 176 Issue Tracking and Resolution 177 Micromanaging an APF Cycle 178 Case Study: Try & Buy Department Stores 180 Case Study: Pizza Delivered Quickly 182 Putting It All Together 188 Discussion Questions 188   Chapter 4: How to Build the APF Cycle 189 Overview of the Cycle Build Phase 190 Cycle Build Variations 212 Case Study: Kamikazi Software Systems 214 Putting It All Together 215 Discussion Questions 215   Chapter 5: How to Manage the Client Checkpoint 217 An Overview of the APF Client Checkpoint Phase 218 Client Checkpoint Questions 229 Major Inputs to the Next Cycle Planning Activity 234 Artifacts of the Client Checkpoint Phase 237 Next Cycle 245 Client Checkpoint Variations 246 Case Study: PDQ 246 Putting It All Together 251 Discussion Questions 252   Chapter 6: How to Conduct the Post-version Review 253 Overview of the APF Post-version Review Phase 255 Major Questions for the Post-version Review Phase 256 Lessons Learned 259 Improvement Opportunities 261 Post-version Final Report 264 Case Study: Snacks Fifth Avenue–Kiosk Design 265 Case Study: Kamikazi Software Systems–Systems Development Project Management Process Design 266 Case Study: Pizza Delivered Quickly–Order Entry and Home Delivery Process Design 267 Case Study: Try & Buy Department Stores–Curriculum Design, Development, and Delivery 268 Putting It All Together 269 Discussion Questions 269   Chapter 7: Adapting APF 271 APF Is Flexible and Adaptive 271 Variations 272 Putting It All Together 282 Discussion Questions 283   Chapter 8: APF in the Extreme 285 Defining an Extreme Project 286 Extreme Project Life Cycle 290 A Variation of an Extreme Project: The Emertxe Project 305 Comparing xPM and MPx PMLC Models 306 Putting It All Together 307 Discussion Questions 307   Chapter 9: APF Frequently Asked Questions 309 APF Is a Work in Process 309 You Mean I’m Going to Ask My Clients for $1M and One Year, and I Can’t Tell Them What They Will Get? 310 Can the Clients Increase the Budget or Deadline? 312 What if You Can’t Get the Client to Be Meaningfully Involved? 313 How Much Planning Do You Do Up Front for the Contents of the First Few Cycles? 316 What if the Team Is Resistant to APF? 317 Can a Distributed Team Use APF? How? 317 Can Part of a Project Use APF? How? 319 Do You Have to Worry about Micro-management? 319 How Do You Implement APF in an Organization Heavily Invested in TPM? 320 Putting It All Together 321   Chapter 10: Taking Stock 323 Organizational Environment 324 Making Choices 324 Prioritization Rules 325 Value of the Project Landscape Model 325 The Current State of APF 325 Implementing APF in Your Organization 330 Putting It All Together 334 Discussion Questions 334   Appendix: CareerAgent Overview 335 CareerAgent Functions 335 The Architecture of CareerAgent 336   Index 343