This tutorial covers AKA area #7 of the International Software Process Improvement Certification (ISPIC) requirements.

Agility is not a fancy word for hacking. It is a disciplined approach to iterative and incremental development. In this course, we will explore all of the disciplines of Agility, and look at how to make an Agile approach one of the options in your Organizational Set of Standard Processes (OSSP).

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss the philosophical underpinnings of Agility
• Compare and contrast Agility with other approaches
• Describe the practices that comprise the Agile approach
• Judge the suitability of Agility for your organization

• The values, principles and philosophies that underpin Agility
  • The Agile Manifesto
  • The 12 Agile Principles
  • The Essence of Agility
• Contrasting Agility with other software development methods
  • Agile vs. waterfall
  • Agile vs. RUP
  • Agile vs. Spiral
  • Agile vs. traditional incremental approaches
• The iterative and incremental lifecycle
  • The Agile lifecycle model
  • The nature of an Iterative process
  • The purpose and value of Incremental development
• Progressive requirements elaboration
  • Writing Agile “Stories”
  • The role of Ambiguity in Requirements
  • Elaborating Requirements detail as needed
• Iterative planning and adaptation
  • The five levels of Agile Planning
  • High-Level Agile Planning
  • The role of Ambiguity in Plans
  • Elaborating Plan detail as needed
• Incremental product delivery
  • The focus on Customer value
  • Rapid Feedback
  • Incremental Customer Acceptance
• Coaching self-directed teams
  • The nature of self-directed teams
  • Team ownership of plans
  • Individual and collective Commitment and Accountability
  • Collaborative Leadership (vs. Command-and-Control Leadership)
• Agile project monitoring
  • Delivered Software as the primary measure of Progress
  • Daily statusing
  • Translating team status for other stakeholders
• Welcoming project change
  • Adapting to changing requirements
  • Adapting to changing priorities
  • Adapting to technical surprises
  • Adapting to reality in the face of planning errors
• Interpreting Agile practices relative to reference models
  • CMMI
  • PMBOK
• Criticism
  • Suitability of Agile methods in various contexts
  • Limitations of Agile methods
  • Adapting Agile methods to organizational realities

Alan S. Koch, PMP/ SCM guides organizations as they learn about and adopt the most effective processes. He consults, trains, speaks and writes on effective Project Management methods, both traditional and Agile. For over nine years, he has been President of ASK Process, Inc.

Mr. Koch is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a Certified ScrumMaster (SCM), and a published author ( Agile Software Development, Evaluating the Methods For Your Organization , Artech House Books, 2005)

Mr. Koch's 30+ years in software development include:

• 14 years designing, developing and maintaining software
• 5 years in Quality Assurance (including establishing & managing a QA department)
• 10+ years in Software Process Improvement
• 10+ years in Management.

Mr. Koch holds the ITIL Foundations Certification and has trained many other individuals who have successfully achieved their ITIL Foundations Certifications.