Critical Path Mapping: A Basis for Agile Project Management

As certified project management professionals, we are intimately familiar with the processes necessary to define the critical path of a project.  How does that apply when managing an Agile project?  One of the best approaches I have seen is a two phased approach to critical path definition.  Phase 1 – Define the High Level Critical Path for the overall project.  Phase 2 – Define the critical paths within each sprint as you initiate each sprint.  This approach allows you to define the steps necessary to complete the overall project as well as have more control over each sprint by defining the critical path within each sprint.  Whether you define a single overall PERT chart for the project, or separate PERT charts for each sprint is your choice.  Let’s take a look at a simplistic example:

Project Goal:  To build an information management system that will allow the user to communicate with other users, schedule events, manage registration for events and post comments related to the events.

Overall Project Tasks: 

Task ID	Task Name
1	Construct Test Environment (Architecture)
2	Construct Production Environment (Architecture)
3	Construct Test Environment (Software)
3a	Construct Registration Module
3b	Construct Scheduling Module
3c	Construct Communications Module
3d	Test Registration Module
3e	Test Scheduling Module
3f	Test Communications Module
4	Migrate to Production
5	Announce Launch

Project PERT Network Chart: 

This network diagram demonstrates the project as 13 weeks in length. Tasks 2, 3 and 5 create the critical path.

Sprint 1 – PERT Network Chart:

This network diagram demonstrates this sprint as 4 weeks in length. Tasks 3b and 3e are the critical path.

Sprint 2 – PERT Network Chart:

This network diagram demonstrates this sprint as 4 weeks in length. Tasks 3a and 4 are the critical path.

This simple example helps demonstrate how the scrum master can define the critical path of the overall project as well as for each sprint.  By defining each sprints critical path, the scrum master can ensure that the appropriate resources are working each task.  Focusing on those critical path tasks allows the scrum master to prioritize impediment management, scope changes, issues and risks impacting critical path tasks on a sprint by sprint basis.

Conclusion:  If a project has many tasks with dependencies on other tasks, understanding the critical path affords the scrum master the ability to focus resources on those tasks that will impact the schedule this most and therefore improve each sprints success which leads to improved overall project success.

Free PMP Exam Sample Question

The following PMP® exam sample question is taken from http://www.free-pm-exam-questions.com - The answer is at the very bottom: 

PMBOK Section: Estimate Costs                              

Process Group:     Planning Process Group                                        

Question Type:     Calculation                                   

Knowledge Area: Cost Management                                    

Difficulty Level:   Easy                                                                                                         

Question: You are managing an amusement park development project. You have received the following estimates for site excavation and area development activity that is critical to the success of your project. The most likely estimate is $100,000, the optimistic estimate is $90,000, and the pessimistic estimate is $120,000. What is the expected activity cost?                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                   

            A. $101666                                                                                                         

            B. $100000                                                                                                         

            C. $120000                                                                                                         

            D. $90000                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                   

Hint:    Use the PERT formula.   


Reference: PMBOK4 - pg:173

The Great Divide - Project Management vs. Systems Development

The Project Management Life Cycle addresses specific project related activities such as Project Initiation, Planning, Schedule and Scope Management, Risk/Issue/Change Management, etc…  This life cycle can be applied to several disparate project goals whether building a house or a software application.  The same principles and disciplines apply.

The System Development Life Cycle addresses specific product related activities such as discovery, analysis, architectural design, development, testing, etc….  This life cycle can be applied to several disparate product goals whether building a server farm or planning a new system. These same engineering type principles and disciplines apply.

The clear delineation of these life cycles becomes critical when an organization is thinking about maturity certifications such as CMMI. When considering maturity certification the organization is focusing on repeatability and continuous improvement in order to improve quality.   Providing the Project Management professionals within an enterprise the chance to focus on project activities, artifacts and project process improvement, you afford them the opportunity to develop processes and procedures that best provide the results for the project.  Alternatively, providing the engineering professionals within the enterprise the ability to focus on product development activities affords them the ability to refine engineering aspects for the product so they produce processes that support repeatability, process improvements and a higher quality product.

Additionally, this separation of duties provides increased ability for education, mentor-ship and personal growth.  In turn, resources can focus their talents, passions and ultimately their career on the path they desire to travel.  This leads to an increase in specialty and productivity the project team and enterprise will benefit from.

Here is an example of how you can demonstrate "The Great Divide".

The Great Divide - Project Management Life Cycle vs. Systems Development Life Cycle