Agile: An Executive Guide - Real results from IT budgets

Description

Learn how to use Agile methodologies to generate high business-value returns

All too often, IT solutions are plagued by budget overruns, missed deadlines, low-quality outputs and dissatisfied users. Agile methodologies are common-sense methods of increasing the relevance, flexibility and business value of software solutions.

 

Agile methodologies can bring huge benefits to your software solutions.

 

Agile methodologies, such as Scrum, DSDM, FDD, Lean, XP and Kanban, are all approaches for applying the finite resources of an organisation to deliver high business-value software solutions.

These methodologies protect organisations from wasting money on inappropriate software solutions, and they replace upfront investment with incremental investment. They encourage ongoing communication within the organisation, empower staff to deliver value, and ensure that software solutions are responsive to change.

 

Read this guide and

    Understand the core benefits of Agile methodologies.

    Agile can deliver high business-value software solutions through better risk management and control of budget expenditure, better alignments with business requirements and substantially higher quality outputs.

    Learn whether Agile methodologies are right for your organisation.

    Assess your organisational culture to decide whether Agile is suitable for you. Can it support a self-organising team management model? Can you trust the team to succeed without tight management control? Can you eliminate the 'business as usual' mindset?

    Assess the business value proposition of Agile.

    This pocket guide describes Agile methodologies in clear business language specifically written for business professionals. It includes step-by-step guidelines, interactive tools and targeted questionnaires for readers to apply these methodologies within their own organisations.

This guide will help you make realistic decisions on whether Agile methodologies are appropriate for your organisation; it also suggests ways of introducing, incorporating and leveraging these methodologies.

 

It is especially relevant to organisations looking to reduce their IT overheads, and is full of practical advice, including detailed guidelines which will help you to choose the most appropriate Agile methodology for your organisation. You will learn how to choose the right kick-off point and how to avoid common traps, as well as learning ways of monitoring your investment and broadening the use of Agile methodologies into other areas of your organisation following their successful introduction.