Agile development is a philosophy that consists of constant iteration, rapid flexibility, and the opportunity for a team to learn as it goes. Because of this, a traditional communications plan may not be doable for an agile team. If it’s difficult to determine where a team may be on any given day, it may be difficult to plan out a consistent calendar or go for a document heavy approach to issuing communications. However, this does not mean that an agile development team should throw out a communications plan altogether. It is extremely important that a development team communicates with each other, and for there to be a communications plan. However, different considerations must be made.
It’s extremely important in any agile project that effective communication is fostered between team members. An agile manager must endeavor to ensure that all team members understand their roles and responsibilities, understand which tasks they need to complete, and are aligned with the project’s goals. By avoiding misunderstandings and miscommunication, a team can reduce the level of wasted work and put resources towards only the features that are actually needed at that point in time, reduce the level of overlapping work, and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
A communications plan should emphasize simplicity when it comes to documentation and frequently adjust its approach accordingly. A higher emphasis should be placed on using functional deliverables to showcase a team’s progress during review sessions. Closer collaboration with stakeholders will be absolutely essential.
Agile best practices for communication can be best envisioned with this chart:
(Source: Lucidchart)
Managers should be prepared to have multiple channels of communication in order to direct the team. A project should begin with aspirations and other high level content before narrowing down quickly in scope to increase the level of detail. They should be prepared for objectives to change rapidly as the project unfolds. A manager should ensure that everyone understands what is expected of them and how the project will unfold. Similarly, user stories should be clear and specific to ensure that team members understand what is expected of them.
During each sprint meeting, an agile team should focus on using completed work in order to communicate progress to other team members. This allows for less documentation and instead allows for teams to show the amount of progress they have completed simply by demonstrating it.This allows for a level of honesty and transparency both with other team members as well as with stakeholders, allowing team members to make informed decisions regarding the direction of the project.
The main communication channel in agile is meetings. One of the original 12 principles of agile is “Enable face to face interactions”. This means that, whenever possible, an agile team should emphasize meetings rather than through complex documentation. An agile project manager should already be well versed in terminology such as sprint planning, product backlogs, and daily scrums, however it is well worth reiterating the importance of them. An agile project should make use of all of these channels of communication. As a project unfolds and the team becomes more used to the agile cycle, each scrum should go much more smoothly than the last one. However, considerations should be made to ensure that each sprint goes as smoothly as possible. Ensuring regular meetings is crucial to the success of any agile-based project, as it is the easiest way to ensure every team member understands their role and the project as it currently stands. Other electronic means may be used to supplement face to face communication, but should not outright replace them.
That said, other methods of communication with team members can be rather helpful. When choosing tools for your communication plans, you should consider tools that are easy for your team to edit and access. A team may decide to use kanban boards or scrum task boards to keep track of what work needs to be done and help the team remember and understand their tasks and work responsibilities for the weeks ahead. If a team member falls behind or fails to understand their role in the project, this can often derail an entire project. The same can occur if a team member does not fully understand the current status of the project, or misses key details. Note that when electronic tools are used, a scrum master should ensure all team members are familiar with their use. Training and support should be provided if any team members express unfamiliarity.
(Source: Lucidchart)
When possible, it is recommended that these be conducted in person. If this is not possible, however, video conferencing, instant messaging software, and tools for collaboration are also potential substitutes for it. The important factor is that back and forth communication is needed. This builds stronger connections between team members and ensures that each team member has the opportunity to present their work in an environment where every team member will have the chance to see it. This helps to build stronger relationships between team members and ensures that miscommunication as a result of a lack of tone or body language are minimized.
It is also important to hold team members accountable for their work. Because team members share responsibility in communicating information to the rest of the team, it is important that they understand their roles and responsibilities in this endeavor. The agile philosophy is that the people who most understand the nature of the work being done are the people actually doing the work. They should be actively engaging in discussions and presenting their work. Similarly, a scrum master should endeavor to provide an environment where open communication is encouraged and where each meeting is conducted effectively. When every team member understands their roles and responsibilities, an agile project will go much more smoothly.
Finally, a scrum master should ensure that they have good people skills and be skilled at managing others. They must be able to navigate cultural differences and promote inclusivity, including any potential language barriers. They should ensure that they are capable of resolving interpersonal conflicts. They should be able to promote an environment where all team members feel motivated and able to contribute, and able to share knowledge with the rest of the team.
In conclusion, an agile environment provides unique challenges that are not as widely seen in a traditional project management structure. A scrum master must take care to provide an environment where team members understand their expectations and feel comfortable participating. To facilitate this, a scrum master should consider gathering feedback from team members to improve communication and conduct frequent retrospectives. Agile is built on the idea of continuous improvement and refinement, and a communications plan is no different. Don’t be afraid to alter a communications plan if the need arises, but be sure to keep the fundamental agile principles in mind.
Sources:
How to Nail Your Agile Communication Plan. (n.d.). Lucidchart. https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/how-to-nail-your-agile-communication-plan
5 Ways to Improve Agile Team Communication & Trust. (n.d.). Mendix. https://www.mendix.com/blog/boost-team-communication-trust-agile-environment/
Agile Communication for Project Management - PM Majik. (n.d.). PM Majik. https://www.pmmajik.com/agile-communication-for-project-management/
Mastering Effective Communication in Agile Sprints. (n.d.). DevRev. https://devrev.ai/blog/agile-sprint-collaboration
Comments