Agile Project Management and a SIEBEL PM Job

A rather thought provoking article I came across on Agile Project Management.

Agile teams: Focus on the people rather than the process

Rick Freedman believes the agile PM’s most important roles are to create a collaborative environment that enables teams to achieve creative results and to encourage contributors to focus on group goals and agendas rather than the individual.

The NBA Finals are over, and LA Lakers coach Phil Jackson has broken the record of the legendary Red Auerbach by leading his team to the NBA championship for the 10^th time. Jackson’s ability to coach superstar players Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and to get superstar results from role players Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher, illustrates that leadership matters, and that a group of skilled, confident, and occasionally arrogant individuals can be guided to success and can coalesce as a team.

While other coaches struggle with players who are more interested in individual statistics and personal highlight reels than in getting team results, Jackson has been able to channel the ambitions and skills of his players, both in Chicago and Los Angeles, towards team achievement. Shaquille O’Neal and Scottie Pippen make winning championships a bit easier, but, despite all the outstanding players in the NBA, no other coach demonstrates Jackson’s ability to inspire teams to great outcomes.

What does the NBA have to do with agile PM?

Like Jackson, agile project managers often have teams composed of supremely skilled and confident contributors. Like Jackson, many agile project managers often struggle to get arrogant or immature team members to subsume their personal ambitions and instead focus on team results. And, like Jackson, agile project managers must develop a leadership style that inspires and enables team members to achieve.

The coaching metaphor is, in my view, an appropriate analogy to illustrate the type of project leadership that agile methods require. Great agile project managers are coaches, with the critical understanding that, whether it’s shooting hoops or developing software, only the player can make the right decision under the pressure of the moment. Creating the environment that enables the experts to do what they do and setting the strategy while allowing the players to create are attributes of a winning coach and an agile project leader.

SIEBEL CRM Senior Project Manager.

Our global multinational client in the french speaking part of Switzerland is now looking for a Senior Siebel Project Manager/Program Manager to join the project on a long term basis here in the French speaking part of Switzerland.

THE ROLE:
Senior PM for Siebel implementation with role evolving to Program Manager (multiple projects/more countries) as Siebel initiative is planned across next 3 years. You will be in charge of the overall Siebel global implementation.

YOU NEED:
At least 8 years CRM projects, Siebel experience (SFA/BI/Call Centre), global/large scale projects(multi-country deployment), strong project management skills (end-to-end project life cycle, good command of all project areas; technical, process, change, etc), process manufacturing experience, strong communications skills, experience of vendor management.

• University degree or equivalent. Good education is mandatory.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken)
• At least 10 years large complex international experience in delivery of IT/consulting services in the area of CRM with in-depth expertise in implementing CRM software such as Oracle CRM/Siebel
• Experience on business process re-engineering;
• Experience in international working environments; Experience of off-shore delivery model
• Management of project teams
• Advanced business consulting competencies

Nice to have:

• Deep understanding of leading and emerging IT solutions; experience of Siebel on-demand will be appreciated
• Selling skills on high added value services
• Good business acumen for marketing and sales in specific industry/process manufacturing/pharmaceutical/chemical are an advantage

Agile vs. Waterfall – More Thoughts

Ok…I have to do a follow-up to my article “Agile Software Development Project vs. Standard Software Development Project.”  It was only posted a week ago and has already generated 20 comments.  And many have been from Agile supporters who can’t even comprehend a scenario where a ‘standard’ or waterfall approach results in a successful project.

You would think I had just stated that Pete Maravich wasn’t the best ball handler in basketball (which he was) and that Cheap Trick wasn’t the greatest rock band in the world (which they are – and you can buy their new CD “The Latest” from Amazon here …sorry for the plug, I know those guys, I know their families and they are hard-working and still at it – so buy the CD already!).  Ok…where was I?

Oh yes, I was lightheartedly discussing reaction to my Agile vs. Waterfall article from 6/11/09.  I’ve been reading all comments and have responded to many of them.  However, based on the comments that have been coming through, I think I need to actually follow-up that article with this one to further clarify my thoughts, the question, and what I’ve learned so far.

My Agile/Iterative Process Background

Let’s start with the understanding that I’ve never worked in an organization that subscribed to Agile practices of software development or project management.  I was leading an enterprise software re-write project that was utilizing an iterative development process for a large customer in Las Vegas when the company I was working for abruptly shut down.  We were through requirements and ready for development so I was already seeing the benefits, but we weren’t able to complete the process.

My Standard/Waterfall Background

Let’s also acknowledge that I have worked very successfully as a Project Manager for 18 years now – all basically using the waterfall method for software development projects.  Yes, I’ve seen some failures – both in projects I’ve led and in projects colleagues have led.  Some have ended in a fiery death for the project and careers.  But many have been wildly successful – I wouldn’t be here today if that weren’t true.  I’ve led many small and many very large projects using standard waterfall methods that have ended with happy customers, on time deployment and on budget financial status (except, of course, for necessary change orders as a result of customer and project needs).

Being what I consider an intelligent individual as well as an experienced developer, project manager and IT professional, I can make the educated statement that any process that requires continual customer involvement, short sprints that test and rollout a solution every 2-4 weeks, and constant attention to evolving requirements is bound to have frequent success.  The main problem with any waterfall approach is the fact that the project is based on an understanding the requirements are in place correctly at the beginning.  That’s flawed – they are almost never correct or in enough detail when the project kick’s off.  They usually evolve over the course of the project – with more detail and more surprises extracted along the way…unfortunately.  Usually this requires re-work.  Often it requires change orders.  And sometimes it upsets the customer.  All of that is known by everyone and completely understood by this author.

The Scenario…Again

Finally, I’d like to restate my premise for all.  If a software project has well-defined requirements up front with no need for further definition (yes, rarely, if ever happens…I know), and if the customer is continually involved and everything goes smoothly and your project is well staff with the right skill set…then if you used each method to run the project I am assuming that the overall project costs for the waterfall method would be less than with agile.  This would primarily be  because of less testing, overhead, etc. 

I’m only asking for one hypothetical project, not the best way to run a project and not the best method across a portfolio of projects.  Just one perfect project.  Would it be cheaper to do waterfall than agile assuming no re-work, no re-starts, and no issues?  My guess is “yes.”  And that’s what I’m basically hearing in the comments.  Your thoughts?

Reputation is a Fragile Thing

To stay in the rock and roll theme, this time I’m borrowing a line from one of my favorite Cheap Trick songs.  You’re only as good as your last project…or at least your last few projects.  As the Project Manager you’re in charge, you’re the point person and everyone on both sides of the project is looking to you as the primary information flow. 

How you perform in this role and how you succeed in keeping everyone well organized and well informed not only speaks volumes about your ability to perform under pressure but also defines how key you are to your organization’s plans going forward.

The Disorganized PM

If you fall in the disorganized category, then you’re not likely to last very long as a PM anyway.  The disorganized PM has trouble with the following:

• Timely response to customer questions and issues
• On time delivery of status reports and project schedule updates
• Keeping the delivery team up to date on status, expectations and resource forecasts
• Leading regular project status meetings

These tasks are critical to success, critical to just about every facet of an engagement.  If not performed well and in a timely fashion, then the project will undoubtedly suffer and possibly fail.

The Organized PM

The reputation of the Project Manager truly is fragile.  Even if you do your job impeccably well, there’s always that chance that you just won’t ‘click’ with the customer and the customer may ask for someone else to perform in this role.  Difficult customers abound, and you never know when you’re going to run up against one.  Therefore, it’s important to always, always do the following:

• Keep your team informed
• Keep the customer informed
• Manage a well-defined project schedule
• Ensure that the customer has all weekly documents in a timely fashion
• Track all deliverables and help ensure as many milestones as possible are met
• Manage the budget well and keep everyone informed of budget status and potential problems
• Track all issues and risks and keep them constantly reviewed and in front of personnel on both sides of the project

The bottom line is – leadership is key.  Leadership, integrity, promises kept and delivered upon….all of these go into building and maintaining your reputation.  As the Project Manager, we don’t always have direct authority over our resources – they’re borrowed for the most part.  But we do have direct authority over what we do with the resources and responsibilities that we’ve been given.  When issues arise, communicate and reach out to resolve.  Ensure that everyone on both sides of the project know that you know you own it and are steering the ship.

Summary

The Project Manager can’t ensure that they’ll be loved by everyone – nor do they want to be.  They aspire to be well respected by the customer, but even that can’t always be guaranteed no matter how well they perform and manage the project.  But, the Project Manager can ensure that everything that is expected of them is being performed well and if that doesn’t always do it for the customer at least it should be noticed by the delivery organization.

Worry about the project and what you can do to help ensure it’s success and it will be well noticed.  Your reputation can’t be untarnished, but what you do and how you do it will help ensure that it stays relatively intact.