The Agile Edge Conference

Next week Valtech and VersionOne are co-sponsoring a one day conference called the Agile Edge. This will be an intense introduction to Agile designed to give attendees tools they can use to drive organizational transformation and breakthrough performance. David Anderson will be kicking off the event so it should prove to be a very informative and exciting day.

The conference will offer three tracks, each covering a different role on the project: product owners, developers, and project managers. I have the honor of doing the talks on the Agile Management track. We’ve prepared three presentations that are geared toward traditional project managers making the switch to agile.

Refactoring your PMPs
Successfully moving to Agile Project Management will hinge largely on how well we adopt new ways of thinking about project structure and control. Building on the principles of PMI and the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) we will explore how a PMP can adapt their knowledge and experience to become an effective Agile Project Manager.

The Agile Power Shift
Agile methods build high-performing project cultures and put a great deal of emphasis on trust, empowerment, and self-organization. Agile moves us away from command and control project structures and toward structures that help us tap into the passion, creativity, and enthusiasm of the team. This team centric approach can leave the traditional project manager wondering about their new role on an agile project. This talk will explain the essentials of agile team dynamics, how teams contribute to project success, and what we must learn to become effective agile project leaders.

Agile Project Management Explained
Agile represents a dramatic shift in thinking about project management. It also represents a pretty radical shift in what a project manager does. At some point project managers have to transition from thinking about Agile to actually making it happen. This talk will explain the mechanics of running an Agile project and how these techniques support the principles behind Agile methodologies.

For those that cannot make the talk next week in DC, we’ll be offering this conference in other cities around the country. Next up is New York on June 25th. Click here for more information and to register for the event. Looking forward to seeing everyone there!