This article lists and explains the top 12 reasons Agile projects fail. Learn the reasons and avoid them in your next project.
Agile project management methods have been gaining in popularity. With Scrum (a specific type of Agile methodology aimed towards software engineers) and Agile project management gaining popularity, they are also bound to fail for a multitude of reasons. What follows is twelve of the most common reasons Agile projects fail - and tips on avoiding these popular pitfalls.
1. An Unreliable Team
This isn't only a problem for Agile projects, which rely on all team members being involved in meetings, but it is also a problem for project management in general. If you have a project team and only half of the members or stakeholders show up for important planning meetings, your project will fail, it's as simple as that. Make sure that your team is dependable and efficient to avoid this very common reason for project failure.
2. Weak Leaders
When choosing a ScrumMaster in Agile project management, you want to be sure you are choosing someone who is a strong leader. After all, we are not all meant to be leaders, some of us are meant to be followers. Be sure that the person you choose to be the ScrumMaster (or leader) is truly capable of leading, overseeing, and performing any follow-through that must be undertaken.
3. Poor Stakeholder Communication
Again, this is a pitfall of Agile that is not exclusive to Agile's methodology. Poor communication between stakeholders is a common downfall of any project. Unfortunately, some stakeholders may not be very clear in what they expect from team members. One way around poor stakeholder communication is to form a solid communication plan for your project.
4. Requirements and Specifications are Incomplete or Too Abstract
A fourth reason that Agile projects (and again, projects in general) fail is that the project has not been thoroughly defined. Agile attempts to decompose a project in terms of the most important actions and deliverables first, and then to track anything that might come up during the sprint (the time the team actively works on the project in the Scrum methodology). To avoid having a project with incomplete requirements, or an abstract scope, take the time to carefully decompose your project into the action items that must be undertaken for project success.
5. The Retrospective is Not Being Effectively Implimented
Agile projects depend on retrospectives being performed so that you can discuss with team members what was learned, how the team is performing, and how your team can improve. If you are not holding proper retrospective meetings, your team may falter for it. Not only will it be more difficult to place where everyone is, but if a team member struggles while another can help them out, you are missing out on an important opportunity for collaborative project success. Make sure to hold retrospective meetings on a regular basis.
6. Your Team is Too Focused on "Success" and Not Focused Enough on "Learning"
Many experts agree that what is commonly perceived as failure is really an opportunity to learn. Don't be so focused on project success that you miss out on opportunities for you and your team to learn. Instead, be open to the possibilities that mistakes offer. The software doesn't work like you expected? Don't see it as a sign of failure but rather see it as a signpost in the school of life. Be open to one another's suggestions and experiences.
Read on to the next page for the conclusion of this list of the top 12 reasons Agile projects fail.