Agile teams and the concept of project management
Agilists may be skeptical when the concept of project management comes up in an agile environment. The focus is on the self-organization of agile teams and the responsibility for decisions about procedures lies in the hands of the team members. The Product Owner directs the content and priorities of the product, while the implementation team decides how the requirements will be implemented.
The challenge of complex realities
So self-organization is seemingly simple and effective. But the reality is often more demanding, especially when it comes to complex interdependencies, because the tasks of a project manager do not simply disappear in an agile context
Coordinating risks, interacting with different stakeholders, cross-team decision-making, developing a long-term vision, and using resources efficiently – all of these remain relevant in an agile context.
Integration of project management into agile processes
It is undoubtedly possible to integrate the tasks of the project manager into the agile and self-organized roles, so that a dedicated role of the project manager becomes superfluous. However, my experience has shown that especially in larger, overarching and more complex agile projects, the overarching coordination and merging of these aspects was often inadequate. The use of a project manager who coordinates these topics comprehensively could be helpful here.
Result
Therefore, in agile projects, it could make sense to involve a project manager who supports the agile team in the project management tasks and ensures seamless coordination. It is important to define this role together and to differentiate the responsibility from the existing agile roles. This allows the product owner to devote himself entirely to the content aspect of his product. We are happy to offer supportive advice for integrating this role into the agile framework.