Traditional development processes often lead to team frustration and poor results. Agile offers a different approach to managing the complexity of software development. This course focuses on the day-to-day jobs of running a software development program and how leading agile methodologies (Scrum, XP, kanban) can help you do them better.
From transitioning a team to agile to running sprints to managing stakeholders, this course gives you the skills you need to manage an agile team in your specific operating environment.
We'll show you how to:
- Think through and focus on the most important aspects of your projects and sprints
- Facilitate your team’s initial and ongoing adoption of the specific agile practices that work for you
- Anchor your outcomes and success criteria in durable ideas about what makes for valuable products
- Support your team's transition from traditional approaches to agile
- Create an agile-friendly environment across functional disciplines
- Identify and manage outside stakeholder needs
As a Project Management Institute (PMI®) Registered Education Provider, the University of Virginia Darden School of Business has been approved by PMI to issue 20 professional development units (PDUs) for this course, which focuses on core competencies recognized by PMI. (Provider #2122)
This course is supported by the Batten Institute at UVA’s Darden School of Business. The Batten Institute’s mission is to improve the world through entrepreneurship and innovation: www.batteninstitute.org.
This course is part of the Agile Development Specialization
Managing an Agile Team
Offered By
About this Course
4.7
447 ratings
What you will learn
How to diagnose what's important to your team and pair it with relevant agile practice
How to facilitate your team’s retrospectives and adaptive practice of agile
How to support your team's transition from traditional approaches to agile
How to create an agile-friendly environment across functional disciplines
Skills you will gain
agile product managementAgile Software Developmentbacklog managementKanbanXP
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
12 hours to complete
The Agile Team
This week we’ll introduce the four major jobs of software development and help you think through where to focus on each of them for successful outcomes. Then we’ll step through the leading agile methodologies--Scrum, XP, and kanban. You’ll finish the week with a deeper understanding of how to pair your project’s most important facets with the best of what agile has to offer.
13 videos (Total 70 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
13 videos
Managing with Agile4m
The Business of Software5m
The Job of Software Development5m
David Bland on Agile & Lean Startup5m
Agile at Spotify: Part 16m
Agile at Spotify: Part 25m
Scrum Fundamentals: Roles3m
Scrum Fundamentals: Phases7m
Scrum Fundamentals: Burndown3m
XP Fundamentals: Learning and Deciding4m
XP Fundamentals: Building and Managing7m
Kanban Fundamentals7m
2 readings
Course Overview & Requirements10m
Make Discussion Forums Work for You10m
1 practice exercise
Week 1 Quiz: The Agile Team15m
Week
25 hours to complete
Learning and Deciding
One of the major promises of agile is to manage the complexities of software development for the best possible outcomes and working environments. Part and parcel of that is strong interdisciplinary collaboration paired with lightweight self-organizing management practices. This week, you’ll learn practical tactics from scrum and XP to promote faster learning and smarter decisions, and how you can use kanban to improve your workflow.
20 videos (Total 117 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes
20 videos
Good Inputs7m
Good Collaboration5m
David Chait on Learning What’s Valuable6m
Agile Methodologies and the Job of Learning4m
Skit: Grooming the Story Map4m
The Limits of Good Inputs5m
Bill Wake on Acceptance Testing11m
Valuable Decisions4m
Slicing the Lasagna6m
Managing Work in Progress: Part 15m
Managing Work in Progress: Part 27m
The Quagmire of Estimation, the Power of Flow8m
Demo: Using Trello for Agile2m
Bill Wake on Estimates and Prioritization3m
Greg Cohen on User Stories10m
Bill Wake on Burndown2m
Greg Cohen on Prioritization4m
Agile Methodologies and the Job of Deciding6m
Skit: Iteration Planning4m
1 reading
Sample Problem Scenario, Epic, Stories, and Kanban Board5m
1 practice exercise
Week 2 Quiz: Learning and Deciding15m
Week
33 hours to complete
Building, Managing, and Introducing
This week we’ll dive into the jobs of building software and the core management jobs in running an agile team. Agile--and XP in particular--offers a rich body of work on specific coding practices. We’ll step through a few of the most prominent and discuss key linkages with the other concepts and practices you’ve learned. On the job of managing, we’ll dive deeper into what that means and what works in an agile context. We’ll close with ideas and case studies for introducing (or reintroducing) agile to your organization.
24 videos (Total 147 min), 1 quiz
24 videos
XP on Writing Software: Part 19m
XP on Writing Software: Part 23m
Bill Wake on YAGNI6m
Bill Wake on Integrated QA3m
The Agile Manager6m
Creating an Agile-Friendly Environment6m
Skit: A Developer at Work3m
Bill Wake on Self-Organization3m
Bill Wake on Support Escalations4m
International and Distributed Teams9m
Skit: Retrospective #64m
Agile Teams Meet Waterfall Processes10m
Greg Cohen on Software Development10m
Agile Product Teams Meet Big Customer5m
Working with Big Customers: Keeping the Initiative5m
Working with Big Customers: Accommodating Customer Variations6m
Skit: Big Meeting with Marla2m
David Chait on Using Data with Clients7m
Getting Started6m
Yael Grushka-Cockayne on Transitioning from Traditional Project Management8m
Spotify: Scaling Agile3m
Salesforce: The Big Plunge8m
Yael Grushka-Cockayne on Project Managers and Agile6m
1 practice exercise
Week 3 Quiz: Building, Managing, and Introducing15m
Week
43 hours to complete
Planning an Iteration
Now that you’ve learned about the four jobs of software development, you’ll have a chance to think through how they relate to your work in this week’s peer-reviewed assignment. You’ll finish the course with a clear plan to accomplish the jobs of learning, deciding, building, and managing for your project.
1 video (Total 1 min), 1 quiz
1 video
4.7
95 Reviews57%
started a new career after completing these courses
31%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Top Reviews
I have learned new things about agile practices and it worth the time to take the course. Sometimes I had the impression that some subject are vague, but overall the course rised to the expectations
The course was challenging for me since I lacked the experience of working in an IT/Software Development, but I thought all the practical exercises forced me to develop some practical skills.
Instructor
Alex Cowan
Faculty & Batten FellowDarden School of Business
About University of Virginia
A premier institution of higher education, The University of Virginia offers outstanding academics, world-class faculty, and an inspiring, supportive environment. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University is guided by his vision of discovery, innovation, and development of the full potential of students from all walks of life. Through these courses, global learners have an opportunity to study with renowned scholars and thought leaders.
About the Agile Development Specialization
In this Specialization, you'll gain an understanding and appreciation of the principles and practice of agile management. You'll learn to coordinate all aspects of the agile development process, including running design sprints, managing teams, and fostering a culture of experimentation. In the final Capstone Project, you'll apply what you've learned to guide a real-world software development project to successful completion.
UVA Darden
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
How do I get PMI PDUs for this course?
To get Project Management Institute (PMI) professional development units (PDUs), log in to PMI to access your account and submit a report.
-- Check out the general tips in this article: http://www.pmi.org/help/ccrs_user/default.htm
-- Follow the steps in this article: http://www.pmi.org/help/ccrs_user/default.htm
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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