This is a guest post by Tevis Holzer, P.E.
As the quantity and complexity of projects continue to rise across the industry, improving the efficiency for engineering teams is critical to meet demand. When current project demands already over-utilize staff, embracing the growth mindset required to provide career opportunities to staff can also be difficult. Efficiency gains relieve the pressure from current demands and open the doors to new markets and clients, which then provide career growth opportunities. Engineering teams have several buckets of resources to dip into to create efficiency, including People, Processes, and Tools.
A blend of these three resources is likely required to adapt and evolve with the industry. And as engineers, we are attracted to solving problems with Processes and Tools. Processes aid in streamlining tasks for similar projects but require significant effort to establish and maintain. Tools (e.g., innovative technology and software) often allow us to perform tasks faster but also require specialized staff and training. At first glance, we think of filling the People bucket by hiring more people. However, a trickling workforce pipeline and time-consuming onboarding for new hires can make this option unrealistic. This article series will focus on an often-overlooked portion of the People resource bucket: Team Collaboration. More specifically, this series explores how an approach to project management using Scrum techniques can create efficiencies and even reduce workplace stress.
Before digging into Scrum techniques of project management and how they promote collaboration, let’s establish some keys to fostering a collaborative environment. These keys seem obvious, but the consequences of their absence are detrimental. Like the three legs of a stool, these three keys are interdependent: collaboration will not occur without each of them.
1. Team
[Read more…] about Adaptive Project Management with Scrum Techniques (Part 1)