Lean and Agile Beyond Software

Development ProjectsDr. Mohamed Salama

Director of Corporate Executive Relations

School of Social Science

Heriot-Watt University

Overview

• Why do projects Fail?

• Are we delivering the right product?

• Or is it how we are trying to deliver?

• Process or Product?

• Is it really a matter of choice?

• Has Traditional PM become out of date?

• Strategic Project Managememt?

• Programme and Portfolio Management?

• Lean and Agile ?

Philosophy Versus Methodologies

• Is there a “Panacea” to Project failure?

• What makes a project successful?

• Perception is Reality....is it?

• True or False?

• Lean is a Philosophy

• Agile is a methodology

• Is it the pathway or the outcome?

• What about the context?

Common Factors in Projects

• Clients do not always know what they want

• Change is inevitable

• Communication is a key success factor

• Effective teams are imperative

• Effective Risk management is crucial

So why L&A seems limited to SWDP?

Lean and Agile in O&G ProjectsCase study from Nigeria

• visual aids and tools,

• total quality management,

• kaban systems,

• last planner system,

• daily and weekly progress meetings,

• high performing cross-functional teams

• employee development through training

But self organised teams may not work?? 50%?

E- Learning Projects• Agree on an evaluation criteria,

• strong relationships, (Approvals)

• Training,

• managing risk,

• leadership skills,

• maintaining effective communication and flow of information flow,

• managing change effectively.

Type of client will determine best method?

Customized Manufacturing: A Case Study of an Italian Company

• Lean and Agile methodologies are being employed intuitively, rather than consciously.

• the organization is working in a hybrid model, where it retains suitable practices from conventional and modern project management and manufacturing methodologies.

Is it a spectrum? Positioning decision?

Customized Manufacturing Key Findings

• Identifying the right process owners

• Relationships has to be handled very well

• Lack of follow through and commitment to deadlines.

• Customer’s attitude

• Reluctance to change the way that they are accustomed to doing things.

• Unwillingness to make time to learn a new system or way of working.

• Political / power structure

• Content and approval gathering.

General Reflections

Type of Project• Event Management

• Renovation/ Refurbishment

• New Service Development Projects

• New Product development projects

• Construction incl. Infra-structure Projects

• Change Management

• ??

General Reflections cont.

Internal Challenges

• Resistance to Change

• Awareness

• Aptitude to learning and development

• Resources

• Perceived applicability

• Org. Culture

General Reflections cont.

External Factors

• Client involvement

• Client Org. Structure

• Industry/ Sector Standards

• Competitors

Conclusions

• Lean and Agile can be applied beyond SDP

• Lean and Agile is still in the infant stage

• Lean and Agile is not a “PANACEA”

• A hybrid system can be an option

• Need to move forward building on the Past

• Universities have a significant role

Thank You

Questions?

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