Extreme Project Management (XPM)

Abstract

Extreme project management (XPM) is a modern approach to manage projects this method is used when managing complex and uncertain projects which has a lot of new or changing requirements during the project duration. The methodology is bordering on a tactical operation of an ongoing project with the goal of completing the project ahead of the normal timeline. Extreme project management differs from normal project management with its open and non-deterministic approach and with a larger focus on managing the stakeholders involved in the project. Extreme Project management came about as a consequence of modern situation requiring a method which allows managing constant changes and complexities in more turbulent projects. This nature has led to Extreme Project Management being one of the main methods used in the software development industry. In this article the XPM approach will explained and compared with the traditional approach additionally the leadership skills and stakeholder managements methods will be explored.

Background

There exist many types of project management with different industries using different methods most suitable for their respective challenges. Extreme project management Extreme project management one of the most project management methods used in the software industry due to the large changes and alterations occurring in the industry.

Extreme project management is fast pace working environment which allows the project teams to work in shorter timelines. For the Extreme project management to keep up the accelerated pace it is necessary to for all team members to understand what the work entails this is done by having close thorough communication in the execution of the project, this however should not affect the strategy of the project.

Extreme project management uses a variation of the more often used rapid application development (RAD) called rapid application planning (RAP). In this planning the project manager invites the steak holders to rapid application planning sessions where the planning of the project is made.

Methodology

In extreme project management the project team members are given a lot of room to improvise within the given framework of the project. Even though there is a lot of improvisation the work is not ad hoc because of the planning and review of the work. - In traditional project management the people are servants to the process i.e. gannt chart, status reports and other such deliverables. In an extreme project the process is servant to the people, since a good quality of life is necessary to produce the needed creativity to insure the projects success. - A key aspect of extreme project management is to realize that you cannot manage the uncertain and unknown the same way you would manage the known quantities. It is a waste of time to trying to change reality to fit the project, in an extreme project no single person is in control everyone in the team will be in control of the project. - Important to the project manager is the mindset when managing an extreme project since a lot of control will be distributed to the project team, the manager must adopt a mindset which thrives on change and innovation. - When managing an extreme project, it is not the managing that is in focus it is leadership. A good process leadership will allow the project team to discover the best solutions and to self-correct the project, this is necessary due to the minimalistic planning and fast-pace work. - Success requires that the technical aspects of the project is integrated with the business and political aspect of the project. This management is focused on managing the expectations of the clients and making sure the deliverables match the expectations of the client.

The Methodology of extreme project management can be separated in to 11 rules and 5 tools

• Navigating the political landscape, The first step entails the communication with the stakeholders and ensuring that the stakeholder expectation align with what the project is producing

• Generating results, The second step is about facilitating project infrastructure like tools and processes as well as decision making. In this step it is also necessary to continuously demonstrate results and track progress.

• Manage the mood Third step is about making an environment which empowers the project team members to produce innovative and creative results. Here it is also important coach and encourage and eliminate the everyday barriers which stops the team from working effectively.

• Ensuring business value In this step it is important to maintain a strategic view of the project orientation. This means focusing on what the project is trying to achieve rather than focusing on what the specific task entails. With this in mind a project manager should be able to eliminate tasks with the reason of the task not following the strategic goal of the project.