If you want to do better work, it helps to learn from different disciplines. You may have heard about agile project management. This isn’t about what agile is, rather, it’s about getting to the specific tactics agile project managers employ that you can immediately apply to your work tomorrow.
Agile means shipping early
Have you ever written up a report, developed a presentation, or created a business case but weren’t exactly sure whether it was on the right track? Rather than trying to figure out what else to add or what’s missing, why not get a draft out to the people who are expecting it. If you’re on the wrong track, they will speak up and you’ll have time to get back on track. And if you’re on the right track, they’ll provide helpful feedback to help you get something better to them.
Pro tip: set expectations early on. Ask your boss if it’s okay to get a rough draft to them early so you can get some initial feedback.
Agile means seeking out feedback and improving on it
It’s possible you’re already seeking feedback in some way. But in agile project management, it’s a specific event that you MUST have (called a retrospective). The aim of the retrospective is not to assign blame or to point out the faults of your teammates, but rather to identify opportunities to improve. And the retrospectives are done regularly after shipping features or functionality.
Pro tip: don’t ask “do you have any feedback for me” because the default answer, and people generally don’t want to hurt your feelings, is no. Instead, ask “what feedback do you have for me?” because it assumes the other person has feedback they want to give.
Agile means being okay with changes and adjusting based on updated information
When you do agile projects, you have an idea of what you want to accomplish, but know that things (markets, strategy, boss’ opinion) change. Rather than realize at the end that things have changed and what you are delivering is not a priority, you constantly seek input from the project leader and shift priorities.
Pro tip: Do you have regular check-ins with your boss? If you haven’t already, near the end of the session, ask them if there’s anything you need to consider or learn to help them with THEIR desired goals or outcomes.
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