Project Management Best Practices using Agile and Scrum from Coursera

This course now features Coursera Coach!

A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course.

Master Agile and Scrum methodologies to drive successful IT project management. This course equips you with the best practices to enhance efficiency, collaboration, and adaptability in dynamic project environments. You'll explore the reasons behind IT project failures and learn how Agile principles can help overcome these challenges.

Your journey begins with an introduction to Agile and Scrum, covering their philosophies, frameworks, and principles. You'll analyze real-world case studies like the Phoenix Project and CRM Project to understand common pitfalls in IT project management. Next, you'll dive into change management strategies, learning step-by-step techniques for Agile adoption, overcoming resistance, and fostering a collaborative team culture.

The course then explores key Agile principles, including iterative development, communication, time management, and teamwork. You'll also address common challenges in Agile adoption, from leadership resistance to inadequate training, and discover modern leadership styles that align with Agile methodologies. Finally, you'll develop practical skills through exercises on team collaboration, project estimation, and Agile retrospectives.

Designed for project managers, team leads, and professionals looking to improve their Agile expertise, this course requires a basic understanding of project management. Whether you're new to Agile or looking to refine your approach, you'll gain valuable insights to enhance your projects and leadership skills.

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction

In this module, we will introduce the key themes of the course, meet your instructors, and explore why IT projects often fail. You'll also analyze your past projects to gain insights that will help you apply Agile and Scrum more effectively.

Career center

Learners who complete Project Management Best Practices using Agile and Scrum will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Scrum Master

A Scrum Master is a crucial facilitator for an Agile development team, guiding them through the Scrum framework and removing impediments to progress. This course is exceptionally well-suited for aspiring Scrum Masters, offering a deep dive into Agile's philosophy, principles, and practical Scrum implementation. You'll gain a clear understanding of how to foster flexibility and efficiency, learn step-by-step techniques for Agile adoption, and develop skills in team collaboration, project estimation, and conducting Agile retrospectives. By analyzing IT project failures and understanding modern leadership styles, you will be prepared to guide teams to transform project outcomes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Scrum Master

IT Project Manager

An IT Project Manager plans, executes, and closes technology-focused projects, ensuring they meet objectives within scope, time, and budget. This course is explicitly designed to equip an IT Project Manager with the best practices of Agile and Scrum methodologies. You will master techniques to enhance efficiency, collaboration, and adaptability, directly addressing the common pitfalls leading to IT project failures, as highlighted by case studies like the Phoenix and CRM Projects. The curriculum offers a 10-step blueprint for Agile adoption and explores modern leadership styles, empowering you to drive successful project outcomes and navigate challenges effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Project Manager

Agile Transformation Consultant

An Agile Transformation Consultant advises organizations on adopting and scaling Agile methodologies, assessing current practices, and coaching leaders through significant cultural and operational shifts. This role typically requires an advanced degree or extensive experience. This course is invaluable for an Agile Transformation Consultant, offering a comprehensive understanding of Agile and Scrum philosophies, principles, and implementation strategies. You'll gain expertise in overcoming resistance to Agile adoption, explore a structured 10-step blueprint, and analyze leadership transformations required for success, making you exceptionally well-equipped to guide organizations through their Agile journey.

See salaries and explore the career path for Agile Transformation Consultant

Agile Project Manager

An Agile Project Manager leads projects using iterative and flexible methodologies, prioritizing collaboration and adaptability to achieve successful outcomes. This course directly equips you with the best practices to enhance efficiency and cultivate successful IT project management. You'll delve into the reasons behind IT project failures, like the Phoenix and CRM Projects, and learn how Agile principles provide solutions. The curriculum extensively covers change management strategies, overcoming resistance, fostering collaborative cultures, and modern leadership styles, all essential for an Agile Project Manager to drive project success in dynamic environments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Agile Project Manager

Agile Coach

An Agile Coach mentors and guides individuals, teams, and organizations in adopting and refining Agile principles and practices. This role often requires an advanced degree or significant experience. This course provides a robust foundation for an aspiring Agile Coach by explicitly covering leadership transformations required for Agile success, including servant leadership and Agile coaching. You will explore a structured 10-step blueprint for Agile adoption, learn effective strategies to drive change, and navigate resistance from both senior management and teams, enabling you to foster a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.

See salaries and explore the career path for Agile Coach

Organizational Change Manager

An Organizational Change Manager plans and implements strategies to guide organizations through significant transitions, focusing on cultural and behavioral shifts. This course is highly relevant for an Organizational Change Manager, as it dedicates modules to "Navigating Resistance to Change from Above and Below" and "Exploring Change Management Strategies." You will learn a structured 10-step blueprint for Agile adoption, covering leadership buy-in, team empowerment, and integrating Agile into company culture. These insights will empower you to effectively drive change, overcome resistance, and foster a collaborative environment during organizational transformations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Organizational Change Manager

Delivery Manager

A Delivery Manager ensures the successful and timely delivery of products and services, often overseeing multiple project teams and optimizing their processes. This course is highly relevant for a Delivery Manager, providing a deep dive into Agile and Scrum methodologies. You will learn best practices to enhance efficiency, collaboration, and adaptability in dynamic project environments. The curriculum includes practical skills through exercises on team collaboration, project estimation, and Agile retrospectives, which are directly applicable to monitoring progress and optimizing team workflows for consistent and successful project delivery.

See salaries and explore the career path for Delivery Manager

Product Owner

A Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the development team, by clearly defining and prioritizing the product backlog. This course helps build essential skills for a successful Product Owner by emphasizing iterative development, effective communication, and teamwork strategies that drive project success. By analyzing real-world IT project failures, you will gain insights crucial for informed decision-making regarding product features and priorities, ensuring alignment with user needs and business goals. The focus on overcoming challenges in Agile adoption further strengthens your ability to guide product development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Owner

Software Development Team Lead

A Software Development Team Lead guides and mentors a team of developers, ensuring high-quality code delivery and fostering a productive working environment. This course offers substantial value for a Software Development Team Lead by focusing on building and developing high-performing Agile teams. You will explore strategies for team formation, growth, and continuous learning, alongside practical exercises on team collaboration, task estimation, and refining Agile workflows through sprint retrospectives. These skills are crucial for managing dynamic development processes, overcoming challenges, and driving successful, adaptable team outcomes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Development Team Lead

Agile Business Analyst

An Agile Business Analyst bridges the gap between business stakeholders and development teams, translating business needs into clear, actionable requirements and user stories within an Agile framework. This course helps an Agile Business Analyst by emphasizing effective communication, understanding iterative development cycles, and fostering collaborative teamwork strategies. By dissecting real-world project failures, you will gain a deeper appreciation for identifying root causes and defining solutions that align with Agile principles, ensuring more successful project outcomes and enhancing your ability to contribute to dynamic Scrum teams.

See salaries and explore the career path for Agile Business Analyst

Program Manager

A Program Manager oversees a portfolio of interrelated projects, ensuring their alignment with strategic organizational goals and often coordinating multiple teams. This course enhances the capabilities of a Program Manager, particularly in managing initiatives that involve Agile teams. You will explore enterprise-level change management strategies, including navigating resistance to Agile adoption from senior management, and analyze leadership transformations crucial for Agile success. The insights into overcoming common roadblocks and fostering collaborative cultures across various project teams will be significantly helpful in driving successful program outcomes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Release Train Engineer

A Release Train Engineer facilitates program-level processes and execution in large-scale Agile frameworks, orchestrating value delivery through multiple Agile teams. This course may be useful for a Release Train Engineer by providing a comprehensive understanding of Agile and Scrum methodologies. You will explore a structured blueprint for Agile adoption, strategies for overcoming resistance, and the importance of fostering a collaborative team culture. The emphasis on effective communication, time optimization, and teamwork strategies will directly support your ability to align and guide multiple teams towards successful, synchronized project outcomes within a dynamic environment.

See salaries and explore the career path for Release Train Engineer

Technical Lead

A Technical Lead guides a software development team, providing technical direction, mentoring team members, and ensuring the quality and integrity of the codebase. This course may be useful for a Technical Lead seeking to enhance their leadership within an Agile context. You will gain insights into fostering collaborative team cultures, effective communication, and teamwork strategies. The practical exercises on task estimation, exploring collaboration tools, and refining Agile workflows through sprint retrospectives will help you better support and integrate with Agile processes, ultimately improving team performance and project outcomes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Lead

DevOps Engineer

A DevOps Engineer focuses on automating and streamlining development and operations workflows to achieve continuous integration, delivery, and deployment of software. This course may be useful for a DevOps Engineer by providing a foundational understanding of the broader Agile context that underpins modern software delivery. You will gain insights into iterative development, effective communication, and teamwork strategies crucial for seamless integration between development and operations. Understanding Agile principles will help you optimize delivery pipelines, improve collaboration within engineering teams, and further enhance efficiency and adaptability in your specialized role.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Operations Manager

An Operations Manager oversees the daily functioning of an organization or department, optimizing processes, managing resources, and ensuring efficiency and productivity. This course may be useful for an Operations Manager looking to apply modern management principles to improve operational effectiveness. You will explore concepts like time optimization, fostering a collaborative team culture, and identifying common roadblocks. While not specific to operations, the course's emphasis on enhancing efficiency and adaptability, learning from project failures, and adopting modern leadership styles can help an Operations Manager drive continuous improvement in their own domain.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager