Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Investigating the Scope for Agile Project Management to Be Adopted by Higher Education Institutions

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Software Project Management for Distributed Computing

Part of the book series: Computer Communications and Networks ((CCN))

Abstract

The agile project management approach offers many potential benefits in terms of alignment with business needs, flexibility and adaptability as well as a strong focus on the people dimension of projects. Agile has been applied in many industrial and government organisations, but how can it be adopted by higher education institutions? This chapter provides an initial answer to this question through exploring how agile techniques can be applied to improve the performance at universities in regard to research, education and knowledge-exchange operations. This is supported by a review of agile project management, including the main features and guiding principles as well as evaluation of the scope for agile to make a positive impact on performance at universities. The chapter also includes description of three illustrative case study investigations that identify there are significant opportunities for agile management to be applied to various types of projects at higher education institutions. The cases include identification of the initial system requirements to support implementation of the relevant agile technique on appropriate infrastructure. The cases reveal that adoption of agile management would support more open forms of communication leading to improved knowledge sharing and trust-based working at universities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Highsmith J (2009) Agile project management: creating innovative products. Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River

    Google Scholar 

  2. Serrador P, Pinto JK (2015) Does agile work? – a quantitative analysis of agile project success. Int J Proj Manag 33(5):1040–1051

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Denning S (2013) Why agile can be a game changer for managing continuous innovation in many industries. Strateg Leadersh 41(2):5–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Moran A (2015) Agile project management. In: Managing agile. Strategy, Implementation, Organisation and People. Springer, Zurich, Switzerland, pp 71–101

    Google Scholar 

  5. Pries KH, Quigley JM (2010). Scrum project management. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL

    Google Scholar 

  6. Beck K (2000) Extreme programming explained: embrace change. Addison-Wesley Professional, Reading

    Google Scholar 

  7. Stapleton J (1997) DSDM, dynamic systems development method: the method in practice. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  8. Salah S, Rahim A, Carretero JA (2010) The integration of Six Sigma and lean management. Int J Lean Six Sigma 1(3):249–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Conforto EC, Amaral DC (2016) Agile project management and stage-gate model – a hybrid framework for technology-based companies. J Eng Technol Manag 40:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Wernham B (2012) Agile project management for government. Maitland and Strong, London

    Google Scholar 

  11. Nicholls GM, Lewis NA, Eschenbach T (2015) Determining when simplified agile project management is right for small teams. Eng Manag J 27(1):3–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Twidale MB, & Nichols DM (2013) Agile methods for agile Universities. In: Re-imagining the Creative University for the 21st century. Sense Publishers, Rotterdam, pp 27–48

    Google Scholar 

  13. Pereira IM, de Senna Carneiro TG, Pereira RR (2013) Developing innovative software in Brazilian public universities: tailoring agile processes to the reality of research and development laboratories. In: Proceedings of the 4th Annual Conference on Software Engineering and Applications (SEA 2013), Thailand, Bangkok, Global Science and Technology Forum (GSTF)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Mattila M, Mattila A (2014) Business process management in the context of a higher education institution. In: Proceedings in EIIC-The 3rd Electronic International Interdisciplinary conference, EDIS – Publishing Institution of the University of Zilina, vol. 3, issue 1

    Google Scholar 

  15. Riol H, Thuillier D (2015) Project management for academic research projects: balancing structure and flexibility. Int J Proj Organ Manag 7(3):251–269

    Google Scholar 

  16. Alexander S (1999) An evaluation of innovative projects involving communication and information technology in higher education. High Educ Res Dev 18(2):173–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Davis JF, Sauber MH, Edwards EA (2011) Managing quality in online education: a conceptual model for program development and improvement. Int J Manag Educ 5(1):93–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Powers JB (2003) Commercializing academic research: resource effects on performance of university technology transfer. J High Educ 74(1):26–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Philbin S (2008) Process model for university-industry research collaboration. Eur J Innov Manag 11(4):488–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Fowler M, Highsmith J (2001) The agile manifesto. Softw Dev 9(8):28–35

    Google Scholar 

  21. Agile Alliance (2001) Manifesto for agile software development, http://agilemanifesto.org/. Accessed 30 Nov 2016

  22. Rubin KS (2012) Essential scrum: a practical guide to the most popular agile process. Addison-Wesley, Upper Saddle River

    Google Scholar 

  23. Highsmith J, Cockburn A (2001) Agile software development: the business of innovation. Computer 34(9):120–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Standish Group (1995 and 2009) The CHAOS report. http://www.standishgroup.com/. Accessed 30 Nov 2016

  25. Sohi AJ, Hertogh M, Bosch-Rekveldt M, Blom R (2016) Does lean & agile project management help coping with project complexity? Procedia-Soc Behav Sci 226:252–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Han J, Ma Y (2015) Software project planning using agile. In: Progress in systems engineering. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, pp 333–338

    Google Scholar 

  27. Deem R (2001) Globalisation, new managerialism, academic capitalism and entrepreneurialism in Universities: is the local dimension still important? Comp Educ 37(1):7–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Nelson KJ, Clarke JA, Stoodley ID, Creagh TA (2014) Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in higher education institutions [Final Report]. Office for Learning and Teaching, Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  29. Russell R, Atchison M, Brooks R (2008) Business plan competitions in tertiary institutions: encouraging entrepreneurship education. J High Educ Policy Manag 30(2):123–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Philbin SP, Mallo CA (2016) Business planning methodology to support the development of strategic academic programmes. J Res Admin 47(1):23–39

    Google Scholar 

  31. Harman G (2005) Australian social scientists and transition to a more commercial university environment. High Educ Res Dev 24(1):79–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Philbin SP (2015) Exploring the application of agile management practices to higher education institutions. In: Proceedings of the International Annual Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM), Indianapolis, USA

    Google Scholar 

  33. Norman-Major K (2011) Balancing the four Es; or can we achieve equity for social equity in public administration? J Publ Aff Educ 17:233–252

    Google Scholar 

  34. Schön D (1983) The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action. Basic Books Inc., New York

    Google Scholar 

  35. Waugh M, DeMaria M, Trovinger D (2011) Starting an online MS degree program in instructional technology: lessons learned. Q Rev Dist Educ 12(1):63

    Google Scholar 

  36. Singh H (2003) Building effective blended learning programs. Educ Technol-Saddle Brook Then Englewood Cliffs NJ 43(6):51–54

    Google Scholar 

  37. Paasivaara M, Durasiewicz S, Lassenius C (2008) Distributed agile development: using Scrum in a large project. In 2008 IEEE International Conference on Global Software Engineering Bangalore, India. IEEE, pp 87–95

    Google Scholar 

  38. Patanakul P, Henry J, Leach JA, Martinelli RJ, Milosevic DZ (2016) Agile project execution. In: Project management toolbox: tools and techniques for the practicing project manager, 2nd edn. Wiley, Hoboken, pp 301–322

    Google Scholar 

  39. Loucopoulos P, Karakostas V (1995) System requirements engineering. McGraw-Hill Inc., London

    Google Scholar 

  40. Shah RR (2002) Drug-induced prolongation of the QT interval: regulatory dilemmas and implications for approval and labelling of a new chemical entity. Fundam Clin Pharmacol 16(2):147–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. George S, Thomas J (2015) Managing research in large collaborative teams. In: Designs, methods and practices for research of project management. Gower Publishing Limited, Surrey, pp 301–314

    Google Scholar 

  42. Walshe K, McKee M, McCarthy M, Groenewegen P, Hansen J, Figueras J, Ricciardi W (2013) Health systems and policy research in Europe: Horizon 2020. Lancet 382(9893):668–669

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Pacheco-Torgal F (2014) Eco-efficient construction and building materials research under the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020. Constr Build Mater 51:151–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Corona E, Pani FE (2012) An investigation of approaches to set up a Kanban board, and of tools to manage it. In: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Telecommunications and Informatics (TELEINFO’12) and the 11th International Conference on Signal Processing (SIP’12), Saint Malo, France, pp 7–9

    Google Scholar 

  45. Hannola L, Friman J, Niemimuukko J (2013) Application of agile methods in the innovation process. Int J Bus Innov Res 7(1):84–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Thursby JG, Kemp S (2002) Growth and productive efficiency of university intellectual property licensing. Res Policy 31(1):109–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Philbin SP (2012) Resource-based view of university-industry research collaboration. In 2012 Proceedings of PICMET'12: Technology Management for Emerging Technologies, Vancouver, Canada. IEEE, pp 400–411

    Google Scholar 

  48. Muller G (2009) System and context modeling – the role of time-boxing and multi-view iteration. Syst Res Forum 3(02):139–152. World Scientific Publishing Company

    Google Scholar 

  49. Waters K (2009) Prioritization using Moscow. Agile Planning, 12 January 2009

    Google Scholar 

  50. Nickson A (2014) A qualitative case study exploring the nature of New Managerialism in UK Higher Education and its impact on individual academics' experience of doing research. J Res Admin 45(1):47

    Google Scholar 

  51. Patterson G (2001) The applicability of institutional goals to the university organisation. J High Educ Policy Manag 23(2):159–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Sauer C, Reich BH (2009) Rethinking IT project management: evidence of a new mindset and its implications. Int J Proj Manag 27(2):182–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Enterprise Division, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2PG, UK

    Simon P Philbin

Authors
  1. Simon P Philbin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Simon P Philbin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computing and Mathematics, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom

    Zaigham Mahmood

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Philbin, S.P. (2017). Investigating the Scope for Agile Project Management to Be Adopted by Higher Education Institutions. In: Mahmood, Z. (eds) Software Project Management for Distributed Computing. Computer Communications and Networks. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54325-3_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54325-3_14

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-54324-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-54325-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation