The document discusses the challenges of applying agile methodologies to fixed date and scope projects, emphasizing that agile is designed for changing requirements. It highlights the importance of having a proactive and adaptive mindset, suggesting that while planning is essential in agile, scope should be flexible to accommodate project complexities. The key takeaway is that while agile cannot solve the triple constraint problem, it can help reduce project risks by fixing resources and time while varying scope.

1. Agile with Fixed Date
and/or Scope
Matt Wheal

2. linkedin.com/in/mattwheal/

3. “I can’t commit to a date
because I’m doing agile.”
“I don’t know when that feature
will be ready.”
“We’re taking a value stream
approach where we don’t need to
plan, we just work through tickets
in value order until we complete
the backlog.”
“Agile can’t be used for fixed date
projects”
“Agile is about changing
requirements - there’s no point
being Agile if the scope is fixed”
“We can’t plan in agile because
software development is complex
with lots of unknown risks”

4. Agile Mindset
1. The complexity belief
2. The people belief
3. The proactive belief
4
Business
Agility
Inter-team
Processes
Value
Streams
Culture
Agile
Leadership
Strategy,
Investment,
Funding
Mission,
Vision,
Intent
EBM
Employee
Experience
Performance
Management
Business
Structure
Team Agility
Cross-
functional
teams
Single-function
teams
Working
Groups
Empowered
Autonomous,
Self-Organising
Individual
Agility
Individual
Mind-set
Values
T-skills Continuous
Learning

5. Agile Mindset
5
Business
Agility
Team Agility
Individual
Agility
Manifesto for
Agile Software
Development

6. Scope / Quality
Time
(Delivery Date)
Resources
(People)
Cost

7. Time
Scope
Resources

8. Time
Scope
Resources

9. Time
Scope
Resources

10. Scope: 1 bridge
Cost: £1 million
Time: 1 year

12. Scope / Quality
Time
(Delivery Date)
Resources
(People)
Cost

13. So how does Agile solve the
triple constraint problem?

14. It doesn’t.

15. Scope / Quality
Time
(Delivery Date)
Resources
(People)
Cost

16. Fixed Date, Fixed Resources
Outline requirements, estimate, prioritise, deliver early and often

17. Scope / Quality
Time
(Delivery Date)
Resources
(People)
Cost

18. Backlog
…

19. Backlog
+
+
+

20. But isn’t detailed scope up
front ‘Not Agile’?

21. Scope / Quality
Time
(Delivery Date)
Resources
(People)
Cost

22. Scope / Quality
Time
(Delivery Date)
Resources

23. Scope / Quality
Time
(Delivery Date)
Resources
(People)
Cost

24. Business Scope Technical Scope

25. Scope / Quality
Time
(Delivery Date)
Resources
(People)

26. Planning and Forecasting in Agile

27. Backlog
…

28. time
delivered
stories
Fixed scope
Variable time

29. time
delivered
stories
Fixed
time
Variable
scope

30. time
delivered
stories

32. Summary
1. Software projects are complex adaptive
problems
2. Agile Mindset useful for all types of project
3. Aim to fix resources and time, vary scope
4. Reduce project risks
5. Planning in agile is crucial

33. Links
● Agile Resources - modernmanagement.co.uk/agile-resources
● LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/mattwheal/
Thank You