Managing Agile Projects: Principles, Tools, and Artefacts

This article discusses the principles, tools, and artefacts of Agile & Scrum adopted by Your Homes Newcastle and how these aspects improve management of project specifically. It also sheds light on why Your Homes Newcastle(YHN) decides to adopt the agile approach for delivering its projects, what is required by the organization to use agile and discussing how ready is the organization to adopt the agile approach.

MANAGING AGILE
PROJECTS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
1- What is it, what are the principles of agile and how is success measured...............................3
2- Identifying which practices, tools and artefacts of Agile & Scrum adopted by Your Homes
Newcastle and how these aspects improve management of project specifically.........................6
3. Discussing why Your Homes Newcastle(YHN) decides to adopt the agile approach for
delivering its projects, what is required by the organization to use agile and discussing how
ready is the organization to adopt the agile approach..................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
The process of managing agile projects is quite lengthy, but beneficial too as it
encompasses different types of approaches, practices and efforts that in turn provide desire
outcomes of project manager. The current assignment will be based on specific organization case
study and that is Your Homes Newcastle, which falls under the category of leading property
management companies in the United Kingdom. Recently, it attempts to manage more than
27,000 homes in line with governmental decent home standards. The study will explain what is
agile and principles related to this term. It will also specify how is success measures, which
tools, activities and artefacts of Scrum & Agile company adopted. Furthermore, the report will
also clarify how each artefact or aspect improve management of project especially in a
stakeholder, team, communication management and delivering. Lastly, it will shed highlights on
reason behind adopting an agile approach by the chosen firm for delivering projects.
TASK
1- What is it, what are the principles of agile and how is success measured.
Agile is defined as interactive approach that has been undertaken by a project manager in
order to manage any crucial project in appropriate manner. This technique is used by expert for
multiple reasons such as software development that aid a team to deliver value to its target
audience in effective manner (Malik, Sarwar and Orr, 2021). It may drive the attention of
management toward conducting continuous incremental improvement and managing activities
through frequent and small release. Agile as strategic approach usually associated with software
development that contribute to enhance organizational performance and allow administration to
take pleasure of increasing productivity.
This approach provides unpredictable benefits to user as when they may follow the key
principles of Agile accessible in the corporate world and applied by the varied companies in
appropriate manner. These principles are;
Principle 1- Customer satisfaction
The most important and essential thing about agile approach is that it may prioritize
customers satisfaction and according to that, drive the attention of user toward conducting those
practices that aid to provide appropriate satisfaction to target market.
Principle 2- Changing requirements

According to the second principles of agile, it is essential for any company or venture to
welcome changing needs even late in development or improvement process related to operations,
etc.
Principle 3- Deliver working software frequently
The current principle may state that delivering working software quickly from a couple of
weeks to a fewer months with a clear preference to short time duration is essential (How the 12
principles in the Agile Manifesto work in real life, 2022). The main objective of this term is to
eliminate batch sizes that individual utilizes to proceed work.
Principle 4- Business works with developers daily
This rule may drive the attention of individual candidate toward conducting collaborative
practice that may help them to delivery work on time in effective manner, without taking too
much stress about that. For example, this principle may specify with the help of chosen example
by referring to case study as team members can experience themselves that chosen approach
work even better more than simply being told it to do that.
Principle 5- Build projects around motivated candidates.
The main motive behind this principle is that by eliminating micro management and
empowering skilled and motivated team members, management may complete projects in
effective and rapid manner with better quality of work (Heimicke and et.al., 2021).
Principle 6- Face to face conversation
The best way to delivery quality work and well-accomplished projects, is face to face
communication, that play significant role in success and growth of any company who may take
initiative to utilize agile approach.
Principle 7- Working software matters
The current term may specify the significance of delivering products in the market that in
turn contribute to increase sales, profitability and productivity level, even better than last few
weeks or months. According to, Lukas and et.al., (2021), specifies that success is not all about
the percentage of productiveness or work that individual candidate may have complete or how
better they are sticking to a project.
Principle 8- Constant pace

The best strategy of this principle is that agile procedure may promote sustainable
development and the developers, sponsors or users are able to maintain a constant pace
effectively.
Principle 9- High quality code is faster
The 9th principles of agile is applicable in the context of each sector that in return support
to enhance or improve agility that play important role in the context of organizational growth and
success in the competitive business environment. Niculescu, Suciu and Bufnea, (2021) stated
that following and considering 9th principle, management may permit team to effectively create
not just work software.
Principle 10- Maximize work not done
According to 10th principle of agile the simplicity of work is an act of increasing amount
of work. When a candidate may do something in easy way, they may do not prefer to chose
complex tasks that affect their performance and provide negative outcomes. It is important for
them to focus on making work simpler than complicated.
Principle 11- Self-organizing team delivery quality
It is one of those principles related to agile approach that may specify self organized and
managed group of employees may generate most value, that allow an organization to delivery the
same value in term of quality product or service (Is the Agile Manifesto still a thing, 2022). It is
fact that self-motivated team may always take initiative to obtain desire outcomes and achieve
set aims, whether they are short, medium or long term.
Principle 12- Feedback loops used to improve
In the view of, Sjödin and et.al., (2021) the best way to succeed in the market and make a
company successful is current rule that a management may attempt to follow effectively. They
may take initiative to consider the feedback and then make plan to make essential modification
within existing practice of venture that aid to improve or enhance their performance level even
better than last few weeks or months.
There are several techniques accessible in the world of business that organizations utilize
for purpose of measuring success, which is quite essential for them to do so. The number of
project delivery, may enable administration to determine the success of their venture and plan as
well as utilization of agile approach.

2- Identifying which practices, tools and artefacts of Agile & Scrum adopted by Your Homes
Newcastle and how these aspects improve management of project specifically.
For purpose of managing venture and stakeholders performance, an organization is
accountable to utilize different types of approaches, techniques and tools that enable them to gain
benefit of achieving strategic goals. In case of Your Homes Newcastle, in order to manage
business practices and improve its performance, management take initiative to utilize MoSCoW
prioritisation tool. This method is utilized in term of prioritisation technique in effective
manner, which play crucial role in success of company. It adopted this tool for purpose of
managing current activities in appropriate way. Moscow's method utilized especially in the
context of business analysis, software and project management that help to reach better
understanding with key stakeholder on significance that they place on delivery of each project
and all the requirements. By adopting and using this technique, organization take pleasure of
increasing its ability to assign some percentage of essential and useful resources to each
category.
The current tool encompasses four different types of categories such as must have, should
have, could and won't have. All these categories are quite essential for company to take into its
consideration which enable it to manage everything related to stakeholders, communication and
team. Kanban approach is another tool or technique of agile concept, that may apply or adopt
in YHN for purpose of managing small change and implementing the same in effective and
useful manner. The aim of this approach is to make continuous improvement, provide flexibility
in task management and enhance workflow, that is important for management to do so in
appropriate way.
Practices and artefacts of agile and scrum-
It can be said that the agile practices are considered as foundation of business success as
each practice may enable management to focus on delivery satisfactory services to each
customer, who tend to purchase a house for their family as well as own-self. Cultural
transformation is the best practice that manager in chosen company may conduct more than
having or using agile which is important for continuous business success in the overall industry
(7 Agile best practices you should know, 2019). It is fact that cultural transformation in the
workplace is beneficial because of varied reasons such as it may aid to boost team performance
and give them reason to stay with brand who may in turn provide multiple benefits to each

candidate. Another practice of Agile, organization may adopt is continuous or daily stand-up
meeting that make stress free environment in the work areas that put positive impact on
employees' performance. As this practice may give them chance to share their experience and
other information that they may experience while taking initiative to complete a project (5 Agile
Scrum Board Best Practices for Every Project, 2022). They may get opportunity to specify issue
that they are facing.
Product backlog-
The current artefact of agile and scrum may cover list of new features, bug fixes,
enhancements and work requirements. Each term is require in the organization to build a quality
product such as home or property that people chosen to live their life. The product backlog is
comply from input sources like target market support, market demands, competitor analysis and
business analysis (Agile scrum artifacts, 2022). It can be said that customer analysis may enable
firm to determine target market needs, which enable them to offer services and provide products
accordingly in term of creating great places for individual person where they may prefer to live
or stay.
Sprint planning meeting-
Another artefact related to both terms also affect project management operation of
company. It is defined as an event in scrum technique that kicks off sprint, as the main motive of
this artefact is to define what might be delivered and how that work or task may achieve in
appropriate manner. This procedure is done in collaboration and with communication that scrum
team utilize to grow and achieve set goals appropriately, which is quite essential for them to do
so (Buana, Atrinawati and Putra, 2021). In agile and scrum approaches, sprint planing refer to set
of duration where work might be done.
Sprint backlog-
This artefact is combination of product backlogs task that may promote to be developed
during further product increment. Your Homes Newcastle may adopt this artefact that is created
in term of effective planning, by the development of group for purpose of planning deliverables
in the future increment. The current artefact is created in term of choosing a task or project such
as home building from product backlog and then break it into smaller parts, which enable team to
manage everything appropriately. With this element, management may take pleasure of
overcoming challenges that they may face because of unreliable delivery rates offered by IT.

Sprint review and retrospective-
The current artefact may enable company to grow in competitive manner in term of
reviewing current practices and efforts and them making plan to improve business performance.
It can be said that during sprint review phase, team or group of member may revisit burn down
chart to consider where they may miss or meet stakeholders expectations that is important for
them to do that in effective manner. This process may enable firm to better and effectively refine
its estimate during initial stage of project development and accomplishment.
Finished work-
By reviewing and making possible modification, organization may take initiative to
deliver the quality work such as furnish homes where individual stay for longer or in short term
period as it is up to their perspectives. By delivering satisfaction properties, they may grow and
succeed in the market, which is essential for competitive progress of company. By finishing
work on time, firm may build strong brand image in the market, which is not that easy to
complete for any other organization in the market that offer same product and services to target
audience.
Sprint-
The current artefact along with above also provide varied advantages to company, in term
of completing task in appropriate manner with better result that help to reach unpredictable
benefits among each each benefit may contribute to improve orgnizational performance and
deliver satisfactory outcomes.
Aspects improve management of project in case of stakeholder, team and communication
management as well as delivery-
The implication of Moscow as agile tool may provide a lot of benefits to Your Homes
Newcastle as it is effective because of having efficiency and key features as it may need
organizational wide, interdepartmental contract on project prioritized that help to manage
stakeholders performance and practices. It can be said that my making vision more apparent or
transparent, management may specify the role and other activities to stakeholders that they may
consider and work accordingly, which is essential and beneficial for organizational success in the
business world.
It may enable manager to make communication effective in term of defining roles and
responsibilities of each team member related to a project that they may effort to fulfil

appropriately and successfully. Communication management is defined as procedure of sharing
essential information in the workplace about specific task or important project in appropriate
manner, which is possible to Yours Homes Newcastle to grow rapidly. The best thing about
chosen tool is that it may intuitive and quite easy to comprehend, even for inexperienced people.
It may usually utilize when manager may take initiative to communicate with each stakeholder
who affect the current venture performance. Moscow tool is useful in the context of reaching a
consensus and for effective communication purpose.
The best thing about all the agile practices is that it may aid to create more transparency
between management and employees which make their work quite easier to accomplish. As it
may also help to increase communication among group members that in turn lead to increase
productivity and performance level even better than last few days or weeks. With the help of
creating transparency and collaborative practices, organization may take pleasure of achieving
common, but essential aims and also take benefit of managing team performance.
Moscow tool implementation in the Yours Homes Newcastle may drive the concentration
of project manager toward delivering quality products such as properties and excellent services
to each customer, according to their need and expectation. The adoption of Kanban approach
along with Moscow may also provide varied benefits to firm in term of improving workflow, by
analysing current procedures, prioritizing project based on significance and implement
appropriate training.
3. Discussing why Your Homes Newcastle(YHN) decides to adopt the agile approach for
delivering its projects, what is required by the organization to use agile and discussing how
ready is the organization to adopt the agile approach
The organization adopted the agile approach due to the high number of concurrent
projects in the IT division of YHN which made it difficult for the company to set priorities and
involvement of the management was important. The IT department of the company suffered its
reputation and the colleagues felt that the organization offered unreliable delivery rates and the
teams felt that the business was unable to explain their needs clearly. Head of the IT department,
Geof Ellingham was clear that the organization cannot carry on with the existing way things are
being done in the business (Bass and Haxby, 2019). The organization adopted the agile approach
to digitally transform the system to do things quickly to keep up with the work. In the joint work

of Newcastle City Council (NCC), the team came to believe that agile techniques may offer more
robust and efficient way of going forward.
The agile is required to improve the efficiency of the organization to develop the business
environment in order to deliver quality. It decided to adopt the approach in order to increase the
market share and expand the business efficiently in the industry. Agile can help the organization
to provide people with customer satisfaction and stay consistent in the competitive market. By
the help of agile, YHN are able to develop their software faster and cheaper than its competitors.
To use agile successfully the organization required the support from the stakeholders and
senior executives. The support was crucial for YHN as the superiors are a major part of the
decision making process and their support would enhance the delivery system of company. It is
needed to increase the productivity and profitability of the company to give better results in the
competitive market (Gunasekaran and et.al., 2019). The stakeholders have a prominent role in
organizing the structure of a company and managing the significant changes which will arise by
shifting to the agile approach. The organization required engaging a cultural transformation, by
restructuring the IT organization in a flatter way to empower to effect delivery by the self-
organized teams. This has been beneficial for the organization to build a proper system and
improve its resources to deliver the best possible result to the customers. It is needed due to the
complexities in the traditional methods and techniques used by the organization to manage its
services.
In April 2015, the company implemented agile delivery with a challenge to convert the
council from the traditional cash council tax payments to a completely digitalized payment
system. Agile made a real difference in the system as the transformation was supposed to be
completed in achieved within nine months but it was completed in six months only (Conboy and
Carroll, 2019). It was beneficial for the company to develop the new system in order to simplify
the delivery system and remove the barriers from the process. It facilitated the organization and
provided with an option to improve its productivity and deliver better results than its
competitors.
By the August 2016, the IT division in Your Homes Newcastle become truly agile with
expectations that the improvement will continue to evolve. The company has a big team to
retrospect and analyse what was going in and against the favour of the organization. Geof shifted
back to the process on rapid-turnaround changes and used a Kanban approach for small change

and AgilePM whole lifecycle approach for projects which are more than four weeks. The
organizational structure and processes at YHN evolved and met the needs of the fast paced
environment where changes are constant and new challenges are required to be met (Hoda,
Salleh and Grundy, 2018). The nature of agile is simple which is helpful for the organization to
adopt the framework effectively and make the required changes in order to deliver better results.
The initial knowledge of Agile was limited for the company and it was not much
prepared to adopt the approach instantly. It took time for the YHN to understand the whole
framework and it required a lot of people through the Agile Project Management Practitioner
qualification course to get knowledge about the system (Dingsøyr, Falessi and Power, 2019).
Agile awareness sessions for management teams and senior executives also ran to improve the
understanding of people. The organization faced challenges in order to adopt the approach and
had to make cultural transformation in the IT department to empower the self organized teams.
Geof affirmed that agile helped YHN to achieve far more productivity from the available
resources. It had increased flexibility for the organization to understand that certain tasks could
be delayed or not done in order to focus upon other tasks effectively. The IT department enjoyed
a better working culture with faster results where people are working together in new directorate
groups (Malik, Sarwar and Orr, 2021). It has been helpful to improve the primitive culture of
blaming others when goals are not efficiently reached.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above discussion, it has been concluded that utilization agile approach,
tool and practice play significant role in the context of growth and success of company. As it
enabled organization to gain competitive advantages, which is quite essential for its rapid success
in the corporate world. It has achieved strategic aims and objectives by using the best and most
effective agile tool such as MOSCOW prioritization. These tools and techniques have been
helpful in order to improve the management of various aspects like stakeholders &
communications, delivery and teams. It has been beneficial for the organization to achieve
success and enhance its structure to give better result than before. It has helped the company to
establish flexibility in its organizational framework and improve the traditional environment for
achieving success in aims and objectives of the organization. The company has evolved its
delivery system by using the agile tools and techniques which has resulted in the development of

the organizational success. Furthermore, the overall analysis, defined the effectiveness of using
and adopting Kaban and other agile approaches.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
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managing scale, distance, and governance. IEEE Software. 36(2). pp.58-63.
Buana, S. E. T., Atrinawati, L. H. and Putra, M. G. L., 2021. Penerapan Metode Agile Untuk
Membangun Sistem Informasi Monitoring Santri Pondok Modern Asy-Syifa
Balikpapan. Prosiding SISFOTEK. 5(1). pp.183-190.
Conboy, K. and Carroll, N., 2019. Implementing large-scale agile frameworks: challenges and
recommendations. IEEE Software. 36(2). pp.44-50.
Dingsøyr, T., Falessi, D. and Power, K., 2019. Agile development at scale: the next frontier.
IEEE Software. 36(2). pp.30-38.
Gunasekaran, A. and et.al., 2019. Agile manufacturing: an evolutionary review of practices.
International Journal of Production Research. 57(15-16). pp.5154-5174.
Heimicke, J and et.al., 2021. A systematic for realizing agile principles in the process of
mechatronic systems development through individual selection of suitable process
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Hoda, R., Salleh, N. and Grundy, J., 2018. The rise and evolution of agile software development.
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Lukas, A and et.al., 2021. Agile Powertrain Development: Considerations to Incorporate Agile
Principles. Designs. 5(4). p.60.
Malik, M., Sarwar, S. and Orr, S., 2021. Agile practices and performance: Examining the role of
psychological empowerment. International Journal of Project Management. 39(1).
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Malik, M., Sarwar, S. and Orr, S., 2021. Agile practices and performance: Examining the role of
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Niculescu, V., Suciu, D. and Bufnea, D., 2021, August. Agile principles applied in learning
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Sjödin, D and et.al., 2021. How AI capabilities enable business model innovation: Scaling AI
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