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PROJECT REPORT
Tasks for Course: DLBCSAPM01 – Agile Project
Management

CONTENT
1. Tasks ......................................................................................................................................... 2
1.1 Task 1: Plan-driven and agile project management in comparison ......................................................... 2
1.2 Task 2: Principles of agility used in modern software development ........................................................ 3
1.3 Task 3: Scrum for a customer software development project .................................................................. 4
2. Additional information for the evaluation of the written assignment .............................................. 5
3. Tutorial Support ......................................................................................................................... 5

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1. TASKS
You can choose from the following tasks for your project report. Please choose one of them to work on in your
project report. For each of the topics, introductory literature references are provided that can serve as a starting
point.
1.1 Task 1: Plan-driven and agile project management in comparison
Background: Projects and project management have found their way into many companies. By organizing
projects, cross-functional project teams can work on specific undertakings in a focused manner. For some time
now, agile project management has been gaining in popularity and acceptance over plan-driven approaches.
Task: You are a consultant for Agile Transformation and advise a software development company that develops
its software products across different locations. Your task is to identify and design new agile approaches for
software development for the company. Against this background, develop approaches to make the previously
plan-driven project management more agile using an exemplary project.
Work on the following aspects in your project:
1. First, analyze the status quo of plan-driven project management in the company. Demonstrate the procedure
with an exemplary project. Refer to the project management processes of the PMI Project Management Body
of Knowledge. In doing so, also address the organizational structure and how projects have been staffed in
the company to date.
2. Then explain how agile project management can be used in the exemplary project that has already been
introduced. Again, address the roles and team composition.
3. Finally, explain the practical differences between agile and plan-driven project management.

Literature:
Bibik, I. (2018). How to Kill the Scrum Monster : Quick Start to Agile Scrum Methodology and the Scrum Master Role.
Apress L. P. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/badhonnef/detail.action?docID=5428724
Harold Kerzner. (2009). Project Management : A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (10th
ed). Wiley.
http://search.ebscohost.com.pxz.iubh.de:8080/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=270802&lang=de&site=e
ds-live&scope=site
Maximini, D. (2015). The Scrum Culture. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-
11827-7.
McKenna, D. (2016). The Art of Scrum. Apress. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-2277-5
Project Management Institute. (2017). Agile Practice Guide. Project Management Institute.
http://search.ebscohost.com.pxz.iubh.de:8080/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsebk&AN=1595318&site=eds-
live&scope=site
Project Management Institute. (2013). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)–
Fifth Edition. ITPro: Fifth edition. Project Management Institute.
http://search.ebscohost.com.pxz.iubh.de:8080/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=565869&lang=de&site=e
ds-live&scope=site
Thesing, T., Feldmann, C. & Burchardt, M. (2021). Agile versus Waterfall Project Management: Decision Model for
Selecting the Appropriate Approach to a Project. Procedia Computer Science, 181, 746–756.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.01.227

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1.2 Task 2: Principles of agility used in modern software development

Background: Managing a project using an agile approach requires that the project team adopts an agile mindset.
This mindset is defined by the Agile Manifesto values, guided by the Agile Manifesto principles, and enabled by
various practices.
Task: You are a project manager in a software development agency. Until now, the management of projects was
plan-driven, but now an agile approach is to be introduced. Your task is to explain agile principles to the team in
a practical way in order to make clear how agility affects everyday work.
Work on the following aspects in your project:
1. Using an exemplary project, explain why an agile approach should be pursued in the company. In doing so,
consider the degree of complexity of the project and orient yourself on the Stacey Matrix. (cf. Project
Management Institute. (2017). Agile Practice Guide. Project Management Institute.
http://search.ebscohost.com.pxz.iubh.de:8080/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsebk&AN=1595318&site=eds-
live&scope=site , p. 13ff.).
2. Go into the values and principles of the Agile Manifesto. For this purpose, use the exemplary software
development project already introduced to show how the values and principles are reflected in agile practices
and how they can be used in everyday work.
3. Conclude with a critical comparison of principles in agile and plan-driven project management.

Literature:
Agile Practice Guide. Project Management Institute.
http://search.ebscohost.com.pxz.iubh.de:8080/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsebk&AN=1595318&site=eds-
live&scope=site , p. 13ff.
Beck, K., Beedle, M., van Bennekum, A., Cockburn, A., Cunningham, W., Fowler, M. & Grenning, J. (2001).
Manifesto for Agile Software Development. https://agilemanifesto.org/iso/en/manifesto.html
Bibik, I. (2018). How to Kill the Scrum Monster : Quick Start to Agile Scrum Methodology and the Scrum Master Role.
Apress L. P. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/badhonnef/detail.action?docID=5428724
Harold Kerzner. (2009). Project Management : A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (10th
ed). Wiley.
http://search.ebscohost.com.pxz.iubh.de:8080/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=270802&lang=de&site=e
ds-live&scope=site
Maximini, D. (2015). The Scrum Culture. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-
11827-7, p. 72ff.
McKenna, D. (2016). The Art of Scrum. Apress. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-2277-5

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1.3 Task 3: Scrum for a customer software development project

Background: Various approaches to agile project management are presented in the literature. In practice, Scrum
has become the most widely used framework. The ScrumGuide defines the basics of the approach and various
publications further specify the application of this approach.
Task: You are a project manager in a company that develops software for customers. For an upcoming customer
project, you create a plan how the project can be organized with Scrum. The customer is not yet familiar with
Scrum. Therefore, it is important to make the advantages clear and to show what an agile approach means for the
collaboration.
Work on the following aspects in your project:
1. First describe the project with all relevant key elements. Then define the Scrum team, the events and artifacts
of your project.
2. Based on this, detail at least one sprint and describe all relevant activities on the example project.
3. Finally, the agile approach should be reflected against a plan-driven approach: What advantages can be
expected that an agile approach offers over a plan-driven approach? Are there aspects that could be
disadvantageous? What does the agile approach mean for the collaboration with the customer?

Literature:
Agile Practice Guide. Project Management Institute.
http://search.ebscohost.com.pxz.iubh.de:8080/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsebk&AN=1595318&site=eds-
live&scope=site.
Bibik, I. (2018). How to Kill the Scrum Monster : Quick Start to Agile Scrum Methodology and the Scrum Master Role.
Apress L. P. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/badhonnef/detail.action?docID=5428724
Maximini, D. (2015). The Scrum Culture. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-
11827-7, p. 72ff.)
McKenna, D. (2016). The Art of Scrum. Apress. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-2277-5
Schwaber, K. & Sutherland, J. (2020). The Scrum Guide. https://www.scrumguides.org/index.html

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2. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE WRITTEN

ASSIGNMENT
When conceptualizing and writing the written assignment, the evaluation criteria and explanations given in the
writing guidelines should be considered.
Transfer: Describe how you chose and applied an agile project management approach/method. You may have
solidified or modified certain steps. You should describe and explain this.
Documentation: Make sure, for example, that the development history of the result is complete and
understandable.
Resources: Make sure that in the sample projects, resources such as time, budget and people are used efficiently.
Process: Document your process in detail and reflect on it continuously, but at the latest in the final chapter.
Creativity: How creatively did you respond to the individual circumstances? What innovation comes from the
solution?
Quality: Does the result achieve the intended goal?

3. TUTORIAL SUPPORT
In this written assignment task, several support channels are open; as the student, it is your responsibility to select
your preferred support channel. The tutor is available for technical consultations and for formal and general
questions regarding the procedure for processing the research essay. However, the tutor is not required to
approve outlines or parts of texts and drafts. Independent preparation is part of the examination work and is
included in the overall evaluation. However, general editing tips and instructions are given in order to help you
get started with the written assignment.

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