What is Agile Project Management?

The Agile Project Management methodology (APM) is a framework that breaks projects down into several dynamic and iterative phases during their life cycles. In doing so, it offers greater flexibility and adaptability to adjust work as the project progresses, while improving customer focus, collaboration, and speed of delivery compared to traditional project management methods.

The value of this cannot be understated in today’s competitive environments, where every little advantage counts.

Once used almost exclusively in software development projects, APM methodologies have been adopted more widely in recent times across other sectors, too.

But what is Agile Project Management exactly? How does it differ from traditional methods? Why are more organizations adopting the methodology? What do Agile teams look like? And how can you introduce it effectively into your organization?

Read on for answers to these and other questions about the Agile methodology for project management…

Why Is Agile Project Management Needed?

Organizations that adopt the Agile Project Management methodology do so mainly because:

• APM helps teams align and focus on what matters in a project.
• It allows teams to change course rapidly rather than stick to a rigid, linear path that may not be working (increased flexibility).
• APM increases the ability to deliver value collaboratively, based on continuous feedback.
• It boosts predictability and helps to lower or control project risk.
• It increases the speed of delivery and results for projects.

Agile Project Management methodology is designed to enhance how projects are managed and, ultimately, to produce better results.

Traditionally used mainly in IT-based and software development teams, Agile Project Management methodology is increasingly implemented across entire programs in operations, marketing, HR, business development, and finance departments in the following sectors:

• Software and IT: Large corporations like Microsoft and Spotify have used APM to improve team productivity, innovation, and time to market, with its promise of continuous delivery, fast feedback loops, and adaptability to changing user needs.
• Finance and banking: Large banks have implemented Agile teams to respond faster to regulatory changes and evolving customer expectations with digital banking, often significantly reducing project delivery times.
• Healthcare: Cross-functional collaboration and iterative improvements in patient care systems have helped healthcare companies develop medical devices more quickly, improve regulatory compliance, and even improve the rollout of national health IT systems (e.g., the NHS in the UK).
• Marketing and Advertising: With Agile Project Management, marketing and ad teams can adjust campaigns rapidly based on analytics and feedback—resulting in around 35 percent of marketing teams going “fully Agile”.
• Manufacturing & Product Development: With customer feedback integrated early in product design and lean production, companies like Bosch and John Deere have implemented Agile to reduce prototype cycles by up to 50 percent and to streamline new product introductions.
• Education and Nonprofits: Using Agile methodology, teams in education and community work can adapt curricula, programs, and initiatives to changing learner and community needs, as seen in universities like Arizona State University and nonprofits like UNICEF.

Learn more about Project Management Methodologies

Agile vs. Traditional (Waterfall) Project Management

Traditional project management methodology is known as the “Waterfall” approach, where a clearly defined sequence of execution is planned and project phases advance only after each phase receives final approval.

This is a highly rigid, linear, and sequential system with “blocks of time” allocated to phases of the project. Returning to previous stages can be awkward and costly.

With project management Agile methodology, the sequences may be similar but smaller stages are incorporated, featuring regular feedback loops and allowing teams to adjust according to the project needs.

The following table outlines the main pros and cons of the waterfall methodology compared to the Agile methodology:

In summary, traditional project management methods require extensive upfront planning to define a target and a series of linear steps to get there, all focused on the final target. The Agile methodology in project management defines a vision and outlines a broad direction that teams can adapt as they head towards the vision. Hybrid approaches combining Agile and Waterfall methodologies are also possible.

Kanbanchi supports Agile workflows natively for Google Workspace users, reducing the technical tools and know-how needed to switch to an Agile Project Management methodology.

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The Core Principles of Agile Project Management

The Agile Manifesto was developed by 17 software developers who met at a ski lodge in Utah in 2001. It includes four main tenets and 12 core principles that form the basis of the methodology, and which we look at below.

The Four Tenets of Agile Methodology

1.       Individuals and interactions are valued over processes and tools.
2.       Working software is valued over comprehensive documentation.
3.       Customer collaboration is valued over contract negotiation.
4.       Responding to change is valued more than following a plan.

The 12 Principles of the Agile Manifesto:

The principles of Agile methodology project management outlined in the manifesto shape the mindset and workflow of Agile teams. They speak for themselves:

1.       Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
2.       Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
3.       Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference for the shorter timescale.
4.       Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
5.       Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
6.       The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
7.       Working software is the primary measure of progress.
8.       Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
9.       Continuous attention to technical detail and good design enhances agility.
10.   Simplicity–the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential.
11.   The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
12.   At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviors accordingly.

As you can see, the cornerstones of Agile Project Management methodology—flexibility, customer collaboration, and continuous improvement—are all there.

Popular Agile Frameworks and Methodologies

When we refer to “Agile” frameworks and methodologies, there are several popular methods to choose from, as well as some lesser-known ones…

So, what is the Agile Project Management methodology best suited to your organization? Let’s find out…

Scrum

Scrum is a popular Agile methodology for small teams, led by a “Scrum Master” whose main role is to clear obstacles for other team members who execute the day-to-day work. 

In Scrum (and Agile Project Management in general), the Product Owner also plays a central role, acting as the voice of the customer and the bridge between stakeholders and the development team.

The Scrum methodology involves short, time-boxed periods (usually 1-4 weeks) during which a specific set of work is planned, developed, tested, and reviewed. These are known as “sprints”  and are the heartbeat of Scrum-based Agile Project Management methodology.

Each sprint is started during a “Sprint Planning” event, which outlines everything to be delivered during the block of time. Sprints aim to deliver small, usable increments of the product regularly—enabling feedback, adaptation, and continuous improvement.

During a short daily meeting (“Standup”) lasting around 15 minutes, team members synchronize progress, discuss active tasks and challenges, and adjust plans as required.

After the work has been completed, the team presents the completed product increment to stakeholders for feedback during a Sprint Review. Following the review, a Sprint Retrospective discusses what went well, what didn’t, and how to improve the next sprint.

Kanban

The Kanban method is a more visual approach to Agile Project Management than Scrum. Traditionally used mainly in the manufacturing sector, it is now widely used across industries using online tools like Kanbanchi, Trello, and other popular project management software.

The Kanban methodology adopts a series of Boards, Columns, and Cards to present workflows visually to teams, with tasks moved from the To Do column to Doing and, finally, Done as each stage of the development process is completed.

Using the Kanban methodology, teams can:

• Visualize the work: Usually on a Kanban board with columns like To Do → In Progress → Done.
• Limit Work in Progress (WIP): Set caps to prevent multitasking and overload.
• Manage flow: Focus on keeping work moving smoothly through the process.
• Make process policies explicit: So that everyone understands how work is done.
•  Implement feedback loops: Hold regular reviews to inspect and improve flow.
• Continuously improve: Evolve the process over time using data and feedback.

It’s easy to see from this how Kanban fits into the principles of the Agile methodology for project management.

Other Agile Methodologies

A few other methodologies may be used in project management for various types of teams:

• Extreme Programming (XP): This method outlines values that will allow a team to work together more effectively: communication, simplicity, feedback, courage, and respect. XP is a highly technical approach sometimes used in software development, allowing quick release for teams to respond to customer requests and solve problems.
• Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM): This Agile method focuses on a full project lifecycle, with a more rigorous structure and foundation than most other Agile methods. The four phases of DSDM are: Feasibility and business study, Functional mode or prototype iteration, Design and build iteration, and Implementation.
• Feature Driven Development (FDD): This method is a combination of several Agile best practices, focusing on the precise software features of the product being developed—with a heavy emphasis on customer input at every step. Projects can easily be updated and bugs fixed during the iterative process.
• Scrumban: Scrumban is a hybrid Agile methodology that combines the structure of Scrum with the flexibility and flow of Kanban. With Scrumban, the benefits of the iterative framework (sprints, roles, and planning) are merged with Kanban’s continuous flow and visualization tools to create an adaptable process.

Whichever project management Agile methodology you choose for your organization, it can be combined with other methods to suit the project goals.

Roles and Responsibilities in Agile Teams

We’ve already touched on some of the roles and responsibilities of Agile team members. Here’s a fuller breakdown:

Example of an Agile Team

An Agile team in a small startup or marketing agency should be lean, flexible, and cross-functional—with overlapping roles and rapid feedback loops to deliver value fast and stay creative.

Team size may be around 5–9 people (small and highly collaborative), with sprints held every 1–2 weeks to maintain momentum and responsiveness. Meetings should be short and informal, with daily stand-ups, weekly reviews, and quick retrospectives.

Here’s how the team structure may look:

An Agile team is usually small, cross-functional, and collaborative – with defined roles such as Product Owner, Scrum Master, and development team members working together in short cycles.

Tools and Techniques Used in Agile Project Management

Agile teams use a variety of tools, techniques, and metrics to manage projects effectively. The best tools for Agile Project Management methodology help teams collaborate efficiently and track progress in real-time. Here are a few examples:

Kanbanchi

Kanbanchi provides a visual Kanban board fully integrated with Google Workspace, enabling Agile teams to manage tasks, sprints, and workflows seamlessly

Kanbanchi is a popular Kanban-based project management tool built specifically for Google Workspace. It allows teams to manage backlogs, sprints, and tasks visually and cost-effectively—both online and offline, and with custom reporting to measure progress.

The Kanbanchi tools are fully integrated with Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets. Tasks and boards can be shared via Google Chat and Calendar. The platform features real-time collaboration and file attachment from Google Workspace.

With flexible pricing options, Kanbanchi is used widely by many types of Kanban-based agile teams in Google environments, from freelancers and small teams up to the enterprise level.

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Asana

Asana supports Agile project management with sprints, backlogs, and task dependencies, offering flexibility for both technical and creative teams

Asana is another flexible project management tool suitable for both technical and creative Agile teams. It is feature-rich and supports sprints, backlogs, and task dependencies but is a little more expensive for larger teams than Kanbanchi.

Jira

Jira is a robust Agile project management tool widely used for software development, supporting Scrum, Kanban, and hybrid workflows with advanced reporting and integrations

Jira is another robust Agile project management platform often used for software development, actively supporting Scrum, Kanban, and hybrid workflows. This tool is highly configurable for custom issue types, offers excellent reporting with real-time insights, is scalable and secure, and offers a massive integration ecosystem.

Agile techniques

If you’re still wondering what is Agile methodology in project management—in terms of the specific techniques used—the following overview should help (we’ve covered some of these already but this is a useful summary of techniques):

Main Metrics Used in Agile Project Management Methodology

Like with all project management methods, Agile teams must be able to accurately track progress and make adjustments as necessary. Teams using APM do this using a few main metrics:

Velocity

Velocity measures the number of story points completed in a sprint and helps forecast team capacity and delivery pace.

Burndown Chart

A burndown chart is a visual representation of remaining work over time. Its main purpose is to track and visualize sprint progress and identify pacing issues.

Cycle Time

The Cycle Time is the time taken for a task to move from start to completion, highlighting efficiency and process bottlenecks.

Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD)

The CFD tracks the number of work items in each workflow stage. This is useful because it measures stability and helps identify bottlenecks.

Benefits and Challenges of Agile Project Management

It’s time to summarize the benefits and challenges of the Agile Project Management methodology.

Main benefits of APM

• More flexible than traditional project management methods.
• Identifies problems earlier in the project life cycle (lowers risk).
• Encourages continuous improvement from teams.
• Continuous user/customer feedback informs development (greater customer satisfaction).
• Encourages cross-functional collaboration (fewer specialist hires required).
• Faster time to market.
• Greater engagement, accountability, and collaboration between team members.

Main challenges of APM

• May require cultural change and training to implement (resistance to change is possible).
• Needs to align the needs and preferences of multiple stakeholders.
• Regular input from stakeholders can be challenging.
• Scaling can be difficult for growing organizations.
• Every team member must understand their different roles.

In the next section, we consider some of the best practices for implementing the Agile methodology so that organizations can overcome the main challenges and start enjoying the benefits outlined above.

How to Get Started with Agile Project Management

Agile implementation in an organization requires strong leadership and training in the benefits, methodology, and roles associated with Agile Project Management. Those looking to get beginners started should go through a step-by-step process, such as this:

• Understand the Agile Mindset

Educate leadership and teams on the Agile Manifesto and its values and principles, emphasizing flexibility, customer focus, and continuous improvement.

• Select an Agile Framework

Choose the framework that best fits your organization’s work style. This could be Scrum, Kanban or Scrumban, etc.

• Form Cross-Functional Teams with Key Roles Defined

Agile requires small, self-organizing teams that include all necessary skills (e.g., product, design, development, testing). Within these teams, you’ll need to define the key roles of Product Owner, Scrum Master, etc.

• Define the Product Vision and Backlog

Clarify what you’re building and why, and create a prioritized list of features, tasks, and improvements (Product Backlog).

• Plan and Run the First Sprint or Iteration

You’ll need to break the project into short cycles of 1-4 weeks. Then, choose which backlog items to complete in the first sprint and hold a Sprint Planning meeting to set clear goals.

• Use Agile Tools

Implement digital tools like Kanbanchi or Jira to track tasks and progress. Kanban boards or Scrum boards can help you visualize workflow.

• Hold Regular Stand-Up and Review/Reflect Meetings

Conduct daily stand-ups to discuss progress, challenges, and next steps. A Sprint Review should showcase completed work and gather feedback after each sprint. Also, run a Retrospective to discuss what worked well and what to improve next time.

• Measure Progress and Adjust

Track Agile metrics like velocity, burndown charts, and cycle time. Combined with feedback, these will help you refine processes and increase efficiency.

• Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Encourage experimentation, transparency, and learning among your Agile team and expand practices to other teams in the organization if necessary.

Conclusion

Now you know what Agile Project Management is, its pros and cons, and how to implement it from the ground up in your organization, it’s time to decide if it’s right for you.

The Agile methodology in project management brings greater flexibility, customer focus, and a mindset of continuous improvement— as well as practical benefits, such as a faster time to market for products. This can help teams solve many of the typical issues faced when confronting projects…

If your teams are deeply embedded in Google Workspace environments, implementing the Agile Project Management methodology is much easier using Kanbanchi’s advanced tools.