Given the pace of change today it makes no sense executing strategy using the old traditional project management method of planning everything upfront, then executing over an extended period.
To invest so much time in medium and long-term Strategic Planning, only to see it wasted when things change.
What makes sense is to agree on strategic objectives, then execute the strategy using the Agile project management method.
Agile
Agile can be defined as incremental and flexible project management that typically involves a multi-disciplined team. It includes planning and executing work in short phases that last up to one month.
The Agile project management method has developed over the same period the planning cycle for Strategic Planning has shortened, defined by significant events such as:
- 1970 – Dr Winston Royce’s paper ‘Managing the Development of Large Software Systems’
- 1986 - Professors Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka’s HBR Article ‘The New New Product Development Game’
- 2001 – 17 leaders of software related companies authoring the ‘Manifesto for Agile Software Development’
Agile strategy execution
The complexity of work and the pace of change today has already forced organizations to adopt Agile to execute strategy. For when organizations agree their strategic objectives, then plan and execute their work in and around Board, Executive, Functional and Project meetings, as they do today, they’re being Agile.
They may not be doing it in a very disciplined way, but they are being Agile.
Alertise is a collaborative system that helps your organization use Agile more effectively and efficiently – by defining teams, agreeing objectives, assigning tasks and sharing information.