Agile Project Management
A comparison of agile and traditional project management in the swiss public sector.
Project management in the public sector faces the challenge of implementing efficient and successful projects that meet the needs of citizens and administration simultaneously. In recent years, agile project management has established itself as an alternative approach to traditional, waterfall-based methods. This professional article examines the advantages of agile project management methods compared to classical approaches and specifically considers their application in the public sector in Switzerland.
Differences
Traditional and agile project management differ from each other at different stages of project planning and execution. The following section highlights the differences between the methods, organized by topics.
Use in swiss public sector
The application of agile methods in the public sector organizational environment requires special consideration of the legal and regulatory frameworks of Switzerland as well as the specific needs of citizens and the administration. The flexibility and adaptability of agile methods make it possible to address these challenges while simultaneously leveraging the benefits of agility. It should be noted that not all projects in the Swiss public sector are equally suitable for agile implementation. Projects with clear requirements, limited changes, and fixed budgets may still be better managed using traditional project management methods. A careful assessment of the projects and a weighing of the pros and cons are crucial for project success. The rather traditionally shaped values in the project environment of public organizations still need to be further broken down to make the beneficial application of agility possible. In particular, firmly established silo constructs within the organization need to be made more permeable, and overcoming hierarchies and formal chains of command is also necessary.
Conclusion
Ultimately, before any project, the feasibility and appropriateness of using the respective methods must be clarified. It is important to mention that choosing a project management method is not a binary decision. A project does not have to be managed exclusively in a traditional or agile way. It is also possible to introduce a certain degree of agility into traditional projects to improve and complement them, for example, by incorporating Kanban boards or other tools to enhance collaboration within project teams.
References
Grillitsch, W., Sagmeister, M. (2021). Besonderheiten des agilen Projektmanagements. In: Projektmanagement in Organisationen der Sozialwirtschaft. Basiswissen Sozialwirtschaft und Sozialmanagement. Springer VS, Wiesbaden.
Hillberg, K. (2020). Agiles Projektmanagement. In: Projektmanagement im Einkauf. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden.
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