CALL FOR PAPERS
Cutter IT Journal
Jim Highsmith, Guest Editor
THE EVOLUTION OF AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT
The agile software development has always been, in part, about project
management, although the term "project management" carries a negative
connotation for some agile practitioners. But when you look at agile
software development methodologies such as DSDM, ASD, Scrum, Feature-driven
Development, and XP, you see that they all incorporate managing projects in
addition to their technical software development practices. XP, for example,
is weighted to technical practices (simple design, refactoring, etc.), but
it also has a few project management practices (iterative planning with
stories, for example). DSDM, on the other hand, has been almost entirely a
project management methodology with a few generic references to good
technical practices. Companies are now using agile project management (APM)
for projects beyond software development, and even hardware product
development efforts are using APM and other technical elements of agile
software development methodologies. New books are touting agile or adaptive
project management in their titles. Even the call for submissions for next
fall's PMI conference mentions APM.
WE INVITE USEFUL DEBATE AND ANALYSIS on the evolution of APM as it has
evolved from being a piece of agile software development to an independent
category on its own. Is APM real? Or is it merely good project management
practices dressed up with a current-hot-topic name?
SUGGESTED THEMES INCLUDE:
*How is APM similar to and different from agile software development (ASD)?
What are the principles and practices of APM that transcend software
development?
*What is agile project management? Is it a philosophy? A set of practices?
APM does not, at this time at least, have a Manifesto as does the agile
software movement. So, is it really a coherent movement yet?
*What kinds of projects can utilize APM? Are there particular project types,
or organizational types, that can use APM while others can't?
*How has APM been used on specific projects? A case study of APM used on one
or more projects in an organization would be very helpful in conveying to
readers the benefits and challenges of using APM.
*Agile software development methodologies have often been compared,
favorably and unfavorably, to more formal approaches such as the Software
Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model. In project management,
everyone compares new methodologies to the Project Management Institute's
Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). Is APM something new, or a
rehash of practices already contained in the PMBOK? Is APM compatible with
the PMBOK, or not? Is traditional PM training based on the PMBOK useful for
those pursuing APM?
TO SUBMIT AN ARTICLE IDEA: Please respond to Jim Highsmith
(jhighsmith@cutter.com), with a copy to itjournal@cutter.com, by April 12
and include an article outline/abstract.
ARTICLE DEADLINE: Articles are due on May 10.
EDITORIAL GUIDELINES: Most Cutter IT Journal articles are approximately
2,500-3,500 words long, plus whatever graphics are appropriate. If you have
any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact CITJ's managing
editor Karen Pasley (kpasley@cutter.com) or the Guest Editor, Jim Highsmith
(jhighsmith@cutter.com). Editorial guidelines are available at
http://www.cutter.com/itjournal/edguide.html
AUDIENCE: Typical readers of Cutter IT Journal range from CIOs and vice
presidents of software organizations to IT managers, directors, project
leaders, and very senior technical staff. Most work in fairly large
organizations: Fortune 500 IT shops, large computer vendors (IBM, DEC, HP,
etc.), and government agencies. 48% of our readership is outside of the US
(15% from Canada, 14% Europe, 5% Australia/NZ, 14% elsewhere). Please avoid
introductory-level, tutorial coverage of a topic. Assume you're writing for
someone who has been in the industry for 10 to 20 years, is very busy, and
very impatient. Assume he or she will asking, "What's the point? What do I
do with this information?" Apply the "So what?" test to everything you
write.
PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: We are pleased to offer Journal authors a year's
complimentary subscription and 10 copies of the issue in which they are
published. In addition, we occasionally pull excerpts, along with the
author's bio, to include in our weekly Cutter Edge e-mail bulletin, which
reaches another 8,000 readers. We'd also be pleased to quote you, or
passages from your article, in Cutter press releases. If you plan to be
speaking at industry conferences, we can arrange to make additional copies
of the issue in which you're published available for attendees of those
speaking engagements -- furthering your own promotional efforts.
ABOUT CUTTER IT JOURNAL: No other journal brings together so many
cutting-edge thinkers, and lets them speak so bluntly and frankly. We strive
to maintain the Journal's reputation as the "Harvard Business Review of IT."
Our goal is to present well-grounded opinion (based on real, accountable
experiences), research, and animated debate about each topic the Journal
explores.
