Agile Project Management Foundation (Agile PM®)

Agile Project Management Foundation (Agile PM®) Course Overview

Agile Project Management offers a holistic approach to overseeing the planning and execution of engineering and information technology initiatives. This introductory 3-day course is accredited by APMG and outlines how the Agile method is used to manage the deliverables in each delivery cycle (iteration) in small portions.

This comprehensive course delves into various aspects of Agile Project Management, covering principles, processes, and best practices applicable across all sectors of an organisation. Accredited by APMG International, the course encompasses both theoretical learning and practical examinations.

Upon completion, participants will not only acquire the skills necessary to excel in the exam but also gain insights into Agile project preparation and management. Graduates can further deepen their understanding by progressing to the intermediate level in 'Agile Project Management Practitioner'.

Learning Outcomes 

• After completing this course, learners will:
• Have in-depth knowledge of Agile Project Management
• Have knowledge on how to choose the suitable Agile approach for success
• Gain the skills to prepare for an Agile project
• Have the skills to manage an Agile project

Prerequisites of the Agile Project Management Foundation (Agile PM®) Course

There are no formal prerequisites for attending this Agile Project Management (Agile PM®) Course.;

Who should attend this Agile Project Management Foundation (Agile PM®) Course?

This course is particularly aimed at Agile Project Managers who wish to gain further knowledge of Agile methodologies. Business Analysts, Product Owners, and individuals responsible for project requirements and stakeholder communication can also benefit from the course.

Course Structure

This 3-day course will be divided into a two-part structure.;

• The first 2 days will cover the essential materials needed to understand Agile Project Management
• The last day will cover the essential materials needed to take the Agile Project Management Foundation exam;

AgilePM® v3 Foundation Course Outline

Module 1: Key Concepts (KC)

• Definition of Business Agility

• Meaning Of VUCA

• Agile Manifesto and Its Enhancement for The Agile Project Context

• Scope of Product Development

• Scope of Project Management

• Why Agility Is Needed in Project Delivery

• How Agility Helps Deal With VUCA

• Values in The Manifesto

• Significance of The Final Sentence in The Manifesto

• Manifesto Principles Enhanced for The Agile Project Context

• How Project Management Differs to Product Development?

• Characteristics of An Agile Approach for A Project

• Why is Agility in Project Management Always the Best Approach?

Module 2: Scrum Overview (SC)

• Definition of Scrum

• Scrum Values

• Scrum Team Roles and Purpose

• Name and Purpose of the 5 Scrum Events

• Scrum Artefacts and Commitments

• Scrum Theory (The Three Pillars of Empiricism)

• Scrum Events

• Scrum Artefacts and Commitments

Module 3: AgilePM Fundamentals (AF)

• AgilePM Philosophy

• Underlying Ethos of AgilePM

• How AgilePM Approaches The 4 Project Variables

• AgilePM's 8 Principles - Rules of Engagement

• AgilePM And Projects in the 'Real World'

• AgilePM's 8 Principles - Rules of Engagement

• In Combination with Scrum, What AgilePM Provides

Module 4: Individuals and Interactions (IN)

• 9 Principles of Agile Leadership

• Definition of a Stakeholder and the 3 Classes Identified:

• Project Leadership Roles

• Solution Development Roles

• External Stakeholders

• Names of The AgilePM V3 Roles:

o Leadership

o Team-Based

• Accountabilities of The Scrum Master

• What Is Agile Leadership

• How The 9 Principles of Agile Leadership Are Applied

• Interactions Between Stakeholders and What Influences These

• Project Leadership Roles and Responsibilities:

o Business Sponsor

o Business Visionary

o Solution Architect

o Project Manager

o Product Owner

• Product Owner's Relationship with the 4 Key Stakeholders:

o Business Visionary

o Solution Architect

o Project Manager

o Business and Technical Advisors

• Role of The Product Owner in An Agile Context

• How the Scrum Master Serves the Project Team

• Team-Based Delivery Roles and Responsibilities

• Key Project Manager's Relationships:

o Business Sponsor

o Business Visionary

o Solution Architect

o Product Owner

o Scrum Master

o Other Stakeholders

Module 5: Collaboration and Communication (CC)

• Collaboration

• Definition

• What It Involves?

• Characteristics of Individuals Working Collaboratively

• Communication

• Definition

• Poor Communication and Project Failure

• Communication Choices

• Jim Highsmith: "Documentation Is Not Understanding, Process Is Not Discipline, Formality Is Not Skill."

• Effective Collaboration in The Context of a Project:

o Benefits

o Building Competence

o Leading A Collaborative Team

• Effective Communication in The Context of a Project:

o Skills, Language and Technology

o Communication Planning

o Communication Choices

o Transparency of Process and Progress

Module 6: Project Lifecycle Framework (PR)

• Defining and Distinguishing Between Types of Increment

• Project Lifecycle

• Purpose, Work and Potential Work-Products for Each Lifecycle Phase:

o Pre-Project

o Feasibility

o Foundations

o Development

o Deployment

o Post-Deployment

Module 7: Requirements, Estimating and Prioritisation (ES)

• Key Concepts and Hierarchy of Requirements, Goals, Backlogs, Solutions, Products and Increments

• Definition of A Requirement and The Different Types

• User Stories

• Format (As A, I Want, So That)

• Composition (4 Cs)

• INVEST (Acronym Labels and Description)

• MoSCoW Rules

• Definition Of M, S, C And W

• Guidance In %ages Of Effort for M And C

• Requirements:

o Identifying Requirements

o Writing User Stories

o Working with Requirements Throughout the Project Lifecycle

• Estimating in An Agile Environment:

o Coping With VUCA

o Styles of Estimating

o Estimating Cycle

o Estimating Throughout the Project Lifecycle

• Application of MoSCoW:

o Contingency Built into The Scope of Features

o MoSCoW Relating to Specific Timeframes

• Using MoSCoW to:

o Ensure Effective Prioritisation

o Manage Business Expectations

o Understand the Minimum Usable Subset

o MoSCoW And the Business Case

Module 8: Planning and Control (PC)

• 3 AgilePM Planning Concepts

• 4 Agile PM Tracking and Control Concepts

• Project Planning Event

• Inputs and Their Sources (Consolidation Scrum)

• Outputs and Their Application (Backlog Refinement and Sprint Planning Event)

• How The 3 AgilePM Planning Concepts Are Applied

• Planning Throughout the Project Lifecycle:

• During Each Phase

• Between Increments

• How and When Priorities Will Work?

• Tracking Progress and Responding to Change:

o Outcome Based Measurement

o Transparency of Process and Progress

o Responding to Change

o Management by Exception

• Special Considerations When Integrating AgilePM And Scrum:

o Incremental Delivery and The Structure of a Sprint

o Project Planning Event

o How to Demonstrate Control Over Development Using Scrum:

o Stories, Tasks, Progress and The Daily Scrum

o Connecting Lean Thinking with User Stories, Backlogs, Sprints and Increments

Module 9: Risk Management and The Project Approach (RK)

• Generalised Definition of Risk, Its Sources, And Impacts

• Risk Management Integrated Within the AgilePM Approach

• Risk Linked to Agility Effectiveness, Managed Through the AgilePM Configuration

• Risk as A Consequence Of VUCA, Embedded in Daily AgilePM Management

• Agility in Practice Enhances Risk Management Capability

• Project Approach Questionnaire Identifies and Mitigates Approach-Based Risks

Module 10: Governance, Compliance and The AgilePM Products (GV)

• Definition Of:

o Governance

o Empiricism

• Cone of Uncertainty (Barry Boehm Diagram) – Estimate Accuracy for Each Phase

• Work Products Related to Financial Governance

• Product Associated with Each Phase and Its Purpose

• How Traditional Governance Differs to Agile Governance - And How This Keys to The Manifesto Values

• How to Assure Regulatory Compliance in An Agile Project

• Financial Governance in An Agile World