“Agile project management: 10 mistakes to avoid” on The Enterprisers Project, October 11, 2019.
Not enough team planning
“A roadblock to implementing agile at the team level is underestimating the level of effort and planning needed to get an agile project off the ground. Too many organizations plan their agile strategy but miss the nitty-gritty tactical planning.
“First, it is important to field a cross-functional team with all of the skills needed to deliver something of value. Agile teams are expected to work independently, without the handoffs that cost time and quality on traditional projects.
“Second, the scrum master and product owner are critical roles and should be filled with experienced resources. A two-day class does not provide someone with the skills and experience to fill these roles. The scrum master needs the experience to help the team build and mature their practices. They also need the gravitas to influence leadership and resolved systemic blockers. The product owner should have the ability to build the vision, prioritize work to deliver on it, the political skills to defend it, along with a good working knowledge of the product.
“Finally, you must work through the logistics to help the team be successful from the beginning. Does the team have a good workspace? Does the infrastructure support the continuous delivery of value every two weeks? Without this essential planning, agile teams will fall short.” – Alan Zucker, founding principal of Project Management Essentials