The PMBOK And Agile: Friends Or Foes?

Development organizations strive to optimize software delivery. Application development leaders commonly use the Project Management Institute's A Guide To The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). They may also investigate Agile development methodologies such as Scrum or XP as their popularity — and evidence of their effectiveness — grows. And while many practitioners think that these two methodologies are mutually exclusive, smart application development professionals know that they can leverage the best of each to deliver the highest value. The PMBOK provides a well-tested project management framework and a set of strong technical practices for project management, while Agile defines a philosophy that enables teams to be more effective and benefit from improved working relationships with their customers. Adopting the life cycle of PMBOK with the Agile method's delivery approach creates an environment that encourages project success.