eGovernment projects: agile or classic, are both correct?
Experience report from two consultants from linkyard ag who hold various agile roles.
In public administration, there seem to be two project methods that appear to be diametrically opposed. The agile project methodologies/product organizations that have been emerging for some time and the historically developed classic project methodologies, such as HERMES. In the following blog post, Neil and Raji will present the two methods in the context of public administration, describe their experiences, weigh up the advantages and disadvantages from their point of view and point out the hybrid form as a possible compromise, just as HERMES 5 also tries to build a bridge between classic and agile.
The classic project method (also known as a waterfall model) is a sequential process model in which each phase of a project must be completed before continuing with the next. This method is well suited for projects with a known scope and a predefined approach. The agile project method has an iterative approach in which the project is developed in short iterations (also known as sprints). This method is well suited for projects with high uncertainty or rapidly changing requirements. The agile project method focuses on flexibility, adaptability and close collaboration between team members and stakeholders. The main goal is to generate tangible added value as quickly as possible. In summary, it can be said that the classic model follows a top-down approach, while the agile model is based on a bottom-up approach.
In public administration, the application of the agile project method is a challenge, as public administrations are often shaped by rules, regulations and political influence. Nevertheless, there are more and more efforts to introduce agile methods in public administration in order to generate results faster and reduce complexity. Agile methods can also help improve collaboration between different departments and stakeholders, which can lead to better acceptance and implementation.
However, it is important to note that agile methods are not suitable for all projects in public administration and a thorough evaluation is required to decide. It is also important to adapt agile frameworks to the specific needs and challenges of public administration in order to be successful.
As part of the organizational transformation in public administration, linkyard was able to be part of various agile plans and projects. Applied project methodologies they work with or have worked with included Nexus, SAFe, Scrum, Kanban, Scrumban, but also classic ones such as HERMES and hybrid project methodologies. In our mandates for public administration, we noticed the following challenges in particular when applying agile project methods:
- Regulations and regulations: There are often many regulations and regulations that require close planning and predictability. Agile methods that are designed for flexibility and adaptability can be difficult to adapt to these requirements.
- Culture and mindset: The advantage of traditional methods such as HERMES is precisely that it has been established for decades and has been known to countless organizations and employees. This general project methodology could also be specified for the respective field of activity of a federal office. This is no different in the private sector; a financial service provider has different requirements than an industrial group. The areas of responsibility of the various federal offices differ just as much as in the example mentioned above, meaning that the implementation of an agile transformation in the various areas of eGovernment is very complex. Introducing agile methods in a traditional environment can be a challenge for the existing organization and employees, as understanding agility requires a cultural change in the company. An additional challenge is the management culture of servant leadership, which relies on self-organization through facilitation and is not characterized by control. Hermes aims for clear approvals so that traceability can be increased as to when which decision was made by whom, but the documentation effort is very high for all participants.
- Communication and collaboration: Agile project management requires close collaboration between team members and stakeholders. In a public administration with many departments and interest groups, it can be difficult to unite all necessary parties on a common platform. External employees are also often not allowed to flexibly participate in other teams due to restrictive contract conditions (WTO's).
- Evaluation and measurement of resources used: In public administration, it is important to be able to measure the success of projects in order to achieve the best possible result. As a project method, HERMES was tailored precisely to the needs of public administration. Agile projects require other measurement tools. Processes must be developed so that stakeholders and higher-level managers can understand and determine the new measurability. In this way, you could also comprehensibly prove the resources used in agile projects for external auditors if the effort is not too high.
Despite these challenges, the application of agile project methods in public administration can result in better efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction if carefully planned and implemented. Public administration can show advantages with the agile project method, particularly in these areas:
- adaptability: Agile methods make it possible to react quickly to changes and challenges that may arise during the project.
- User Involvement: Agile projects rely on close collaboration and user feedback, which can lead to better results and higher user satisfaction.
- Transparency and communication: Agile processes promote open and transparent communication between all stakeholders, which improves collaboration and identifies problems at an early stage.
- Flexibility and scalability: Agile processes can be easily adapted to the needs of any project and provide a flexible structure that can adapt to the needs of the team and users.
In order for these benefits to be fully exploited, certain factors must be guaranteed:
- Corporate culture accepts and promotes agile principles: Employees can only be productive if the corporate culture fully adopts the agile principles and aligns its processes accordingly. Administrative processes that were part of eGovernment, such as audits and reports, should be designed to generate as little effort as possible for the teams.
- Management commitment: When management is invited to agile meetings to determine the objectives or to confirm the achievement of goals, they should actively participate. Servant leadership means that teams organize themselves how they achieve goals, but management must give clear guidelines as to what must be achieved and how to proceed if goals cannot be achieved. In this way, the teams support agile project management. For example, clear acceptance criteria by management for the approval of goals can ensure traceability and transparency as to whether goals are achieved.
- Training to support the agile mindset: Administrative staff must be trained and trained to understand and effectively apply agile methods. This is particularly important to ensure successful implementation.
Align methodology by project
These considerations lead us to the conclusion that there are advantages and disadvantages for both project methodologies and therefore the methodology should be based on the project plan. Depending on the project, a classic or agile implementation may make more sense. But a project doesn't necessarily just have to be carried out in a classic or agile way. Hybrid forms may also be considered. Classic for initialization, for example, and agile from concept phase to implementation. As HERMES, for example, also provides. The right methodology can have a significant impact on the success of the project.
The future of agile project methods in public administration is promising, but it remains to be seen how the application of agile methods in this area will continue to develop. Some experts predict that agile processes will be used even more frequently in public administration in the future, as they enable greater adaptability and flexibility and take better account of the needs of users and stakeholders. However, it is also expected that the challenges that public administration faces when applying agile methods will remain, particularly with regard to regulations, regulations and controlling. Overall, it can be said that the future of agile processes in public administration depends on the ability to overcome challenges and take advantage of the benefits to achieve better results. Or, depending on the project, to consider whether a project methodology or a hybrid form should be used. In order to be able to optimally decide which methodology should be used, you must be suitably well trained in the foundations of agile and classic frameworks. In order to stay up to date here, linkyard is constantly expanding its SAFe training capacities so that knowledge can be passed on directly to the customer through courses. With the introduction of a completely new project methodology and completely new roles with a new understanding of leadership, the need for adjustment is correspondingly high and is far from over. linkyard can support its customers in a variety of ways through the diverse experiences of its employees and training opportunities. Please contact us!
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