Learn what are the most common mistakes to avoid when adopting agile or hybrid methodologies for program management and how to overcome them.

Planning and documentation are important when adopting agile or hybrid methodologies: 1. Planning - Agile emphasizes flexibility but it doesn't mean removing planning altogether. A well-defined plan is crucial for: a)Setting clear goals and objectives Identifying key milestones, deliverables and risks b)Prioritizing tasks and managing dependencies c)Estimating effort and allocating resources effectively 2. Documentation: a)Documentation is essential for capturing key project decisions b) Facilitating communication and enabling onboarding of new team members quickly c)Key Design, test, cutover and data documentation 3. Prioritize just-in-time documentation when needed, ensure running retrospectives and stakeholder involvement

What are the most common mistakes to avoid when adopting agile or hybrid methodologies?

Agile and hybrid methodologies are popular approaches to program management that aim to deliver value faster, adapt to changing requirements, and improve collaboration. However, adopting these methodologies is not a simple switch that guarantees success. There are some common mistakes that can derail your agile or hybrid program and cause frustration, confusion, and waste. In this article, you will learn what these mistakes are and how to avoid them.

Key takeaways from this article

Embrace the agile mindset:

Understanding agile principles and values is crucial. Model these values in your actions and communicate them clearly to foster team buy-in and reduce resistance.### *Tailor your approach:Assess your program's unique needs and customize the methodology accordingly. This helps you leverage the strengths of suitable methods while addressing specific challenges effectively.

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1 Mistake 1: Ignoring the agile mindset

Agile is not just a set of practices, tools, or frameworks. It is a mindset that values individuals and interactions, working software, customer feedback, and responding to change. If you adopt agile or hybrid methodologies without embracing the agile mindset, you will miss the benefits and face resistance from your team and stakeholders. To avoid this mistake, you need to understand the agile principles and values, communicate them clearly, and model them in your actions.

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Vaishali Kasturi

Technical Program Management Leader @ Google, Ex-AWS | Ex-Tala | Agile | CSM, PMP
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Agile isn't just a toolkit for product teams; it's a cultural shift demanding an organization-wide commitment to customer value. From leadership to support functions, everyone needs to understand how they contribute, fostering collaboration, empowerment, and transparency. This shared focus on continuous improvement unlocks faster time to market, happier customers, and a more dynamic and innovative organization.

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Anupam Kumar S.

Global Program Lead at Cisco | Certified PgMP®, PMP® | Driving Strategic Program Delivery Across Global Regions
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Agile isn't just about tools or routines—it's a whole mindset that treasures people, real collaboration, responsive software, and client input. But here's the kicker: if you dive into agile or hybrid methods without embracing this mindset, you'll miss the real perks and encounter pushback from your team and stakeholders. Avoid this pitfall by diving deep into agile values, articulating them clearly, and living them out in your day-to-day approach. It's not just a method; it's a way of thinking that can transform your project's success.

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2 Mistake 2: Imposing a one-size-fits-all method

There is no single best agile or hybrid method for every program. Different methods have different strengths, weaknesses, and suitability for different contexts. For example, Scrum is a popular agile method that works well for small, cross-functional teams that deliver increments of software in fixed timeboxes. However, Scrum may not be the best fit for large, complex programs that involve multiple teams, dependencies, and deliverables. To avoid this mistake, you need to assess your program's characteristics, goals, and constraints, and choose or customize a method that matches your needs.

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3 Mistake 3: Neglecting the role of program manager

Some people think that agile or hybrid methodologies make the role of program manager obsolete or redundant. They assume that self-organizing teams do not need any guidance, coordination, or support from a program manager. This is a misconception that can lead to chaos, conflict, and misalignment. Agile or hybrid programs still need program managers who can provide strategic direction, facilitate collaboration, manage risks and dependencies, and ensure alignment with the vision and goals. To avoid this mistake, you need to redefine your role as a program manager and focus on enabling and empowering your teams and stakeholders.

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4 Mistake 4: Skipping the planning and documentation

Another misconception about agile or hybrid methodologies is that they do not require any planning or documentation. Some people think that agile or hybrid programs are based on improvisation and experimentation, and that they can change direction at any time. This is not true. Agile or hybrid programs still need planning and documentation, but they do it differently. They use adaptive planning and iterative delivery, which means that they plan for the near term and adjust based on feedback and learning. They also use lean documentation, which means that they document only what is necessary and valuable, and use formats that are concise and easy to update. To avoid this mistake, you need to adopt a balance between planning and execution, and between documentation and communication.

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Mahesh Karnik, PMP, CSM

Digital Business Transformation | Program Management | Value Delivery I Business Process Optimization | ERP/SAP Transformation | Innovation | Automation | AI | Security | Product Management | Agility | Leadership
(edited)
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Planning and documentation are important when adopting agile or hybrid methodologies: 1. Planning - Agile emphasizes flexibility but it doesn't mean removing planning altogether. A well-defined plan is crucial for: a)Setting clear goals and objectives Identifying key milestones, deliverables and risks b)Prioritizing tasks and managing dependencies c)Estimating effort and allocating resources effectively 2. Documentation: a)Documentation is essential for capturing key project decisions b) Facilitating communication and enabling onboarding of new team members quickly c)Key Design, test, cutover and data documentation 3. Prioritize just-in-time documentation when needed, ensure running retrospectives and stakeholder involvement

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5 Mistake 5: Forgetting the customer and the value

The ultimate goal of any program is to deliver value to the customer and the organization. Agile or hybrid methodologies emphasize this goal by putting the customer at the center of the process and measuring the value of the deliverables. However, some programs lose sight of this goal and focus on the wrong things, such as the number of features, the speed of delivery, or the compliance with the method. To avoid this mistake, you need to involve the customer and the stakeholders throughout the program, validate your assumptions and hypotheses, and use metrics that reflect the value and the impact of your program.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Asha Shabanam

Technical Program Management| Software Development and Delivery |Software Quality assurance | Automation | DevOps enthusiast |Agility advocate| ML/AI Analyst- Gen AI, E-commerce, CPQ, Product Development| Mother
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When planning Agile transformation emphasis has to be given to training the entire development/QA/Scrum leads/managers/ Directors, Project/program managers, product owners, cross functional teams training together about the importance of Agile transformation, details about the Agile ceremonies team will be performing, details about the metrics team will be evaluating, future backlog prioritization expectation, prioritization on getting regular team feedback and action items done on those feedback is very important for successful Agile transformation. Complete Agile mindset to entire team members might take time, but eventually entire team members will start seeing the benefits.

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Kemal Atik
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Without having strong managemet buy-in agile transformation are doomed to fail as business does not care about agile methodology, that's why management has to be persuaded that agile will bring expected financial outcomes. For that reason focus on value the agile will bring to company instead of over emphasis on processes or inflexibility in agile roles. Backlog management and retrospectives are important should not be delegated to unexperienced hands in the business domain company runs. Also cross functional team building is not easy thing and takes time with correct resources thats why delegate but check-in is must.

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What are the most common mistakes to avoid when adopting agile or hybrid methodologies?

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1 Mistake 1: Ignoring the agile mindset

2 Mistake 2: Imposing a one-size-fits-all method

3 Mistake 3: Neglecting the role of program manager

4 Mistake 4: Skipping the planning and documentation

5 Mistake 5: Forgetting the customer and the value

6 Here’s what else to consider

Program Management

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What are the most common mistakes to avoid when adopting agile or hybrid methodologies?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Mistake 1: Ignoring the agile mindset

2 Mistake 2: Imposing a one-size-fits-all method

3 Mistake 3: Neglecting the role of program manager

4 Mistake 4: Skipping the planning and documentation

5 Mistake 5: Forgetting the customer and the value

6 Here’s what else to consider

Program Management

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