Adaptive project framework: managing complexity in the face of uncertainty

Description

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.