Develop the skills to apply Agile principles to project management as you explore the concepts, tools, and techniques of Agile.
Duration
7 weeksWeekly study
3 hours100% online
How it worksIncluded in an ExpertTrack
Course 1 of 3
Agile for Beginners
Gain a solid introduction to Agile project management
Agile methodology is being widely adopted by project managers. This iterative approach promotes collaboration and human interaction to work more efficiently and be responsive to change.
On this seven-week course, you’ll explore the major concepts, tools, techniques, and applications of Agile project management.
You’ll delve into the Agile manifesto to develop crucial Agile skills and learn how to apply them to the workplace. With this knowledge, you’ll also understand how to build and support high-performing teams.
Explore key Agile frameworks
You’ll identify and compare different Agile frameworks and approaches, including Scrum and Extreme Programming, to understand how to implement them into a work environment.
You’ll also explore the values and principles that support Agile theories to build your understanding of the role of Agile values in project management.
Unpack Scaled Agile Framework and other approaches
With your knowledge of Agile frameworks, you’ll delve deeper into Agile Scaling approaches such as Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Scrum@Scale, and Nexus. Through examples and discussion, you’ll evaluate Agile Scaling approaches to compare their strengths and weaknesses.
You’ll then discover how organizations can incorporate Agile planning and team dynamics to effectively manage a project in an Agile environment.
Learn how to use Agile tools
The course will wrap up with a survey of commonly-used Agile tools and industry-recognized certifications to help you understand how to select the best option for your work environment.
Guided by industry experts from the University of California, Irvine, you’ll finish the course with a strong foundational knowledge of Agile and will have started to develop key Agile skills you can use in your workplace.
Syllabus
Week 1
Agile Values and Principles
Course introduction
In this activity, you'll be introduced to the FutureLearn platform and the content that will be covered during this course. You will also get an overview of the topics covered during the first week of this course.
Agile Manifesto
In this activity, we take a look at the Agile Manifesto and the agile values that are captured within.
The 12 Agile principles
In this activity, we will take a closer look at the 12 Agile principles described in the manifesto in order to better understand the Agile mindset.
Week wrap up
In this activity, you'll have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight on what to expect in the new week.
Week 2
Agile Theories
Welcome to the week
Moving into the second week of this course, this activity will give you an overview of the topics that will be covered during this week.
Introducing Agile theories
In this activity, we will explore the differences between a predictive framework and an adaptive (or Agile) framework, for project management, and compare traditional project management approaches to the Agile approach.
Fixed vs growth mindset
In this activity, we explore the differences between having a fixed mindset and having a growth mindset. We will also explore the concept of servant leadership.
Week wrap up
In this activity, you'll have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight on what to expect in the new week.
Week 3
Agile Frameworks and Methods
Welcome to the week
Moving into the third week of this course, this activity will give you an overview of the topics that will be covered during this week.
Agile frameworks and methods
In this activity, you will be introduced to several popular Agile tools, techniques, and practices.
Choosing the framework
In this activity, you will explore how to go about selecting one of the many different approaches to structure Agile processes.
Week wrap up
In this activity, you'll have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight on what to expect in the new week.
Week 4
Scaling Frameworks
Welcome to the week
Moving into Week 4 of this course, this activity will give you an overview of the topics that will be covered during this week.
Comparison of frameworks
In this activity, you will explore some of the factors that drive the need to scale, as well as some of the more popular scaling frameworks and practices.
Addressing the need for scaling
In this activity, we learn about the strengths and weaknesses of each framework by distilling these scaling frameworks down into their basic pros and cons.
Week wrap up
In this activity, you'll have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight on what to expect in the new week.
Week 5
Agile Planning
Welcome to the week
Moving into Week 5 of this course, this activity will give you an overview of the topics that will be covered during this week.
Planning and goals
In this activity, we look at the five levels of Agile planning and then take a more detailed look at the sprint planning process.
Week wrap up
In this activity, you'll have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight on what to expect in the new week.
Week 6
Team Dynamics
Welcome to the week
Moving into Week 6 of this course, this activity will give you an overview of the topics that will be covered during this week.
Cross functional teams
In this activity, we explore the factors that make a team successful, and look at some common models for team formation.
Crew resource management
In this activity, you will learn about Crew Resource Management (CRM), which originated in the airline industry, and how it is now used in many other disciplines to increase team performance.
Week wrap up
In this activity, you'll have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight on what to expect in the new week.
Week 7
Agile Tools and Certification
Welcome to the week
Moving into the final week of this course, this activity will give you an overview of the topics that will be covered during this week.
Agile tools
In this activity, you will look at the benefits of using tools, and some of the criteria to consider when evaluating tools.
Agile certification
In this activity, you will learn how to gain recognition for your Agile Project Management skills, or how to further develop your skills through Agile certification.
Course wrap up
In this activity, you will have the opportunity to apply what you have learned to a task. You will also be provided with a summary and a chance to provide some feedback on your experience.
Prove you're job ready
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- Learn the latest in your chosen industry or subject.
- Complete each course and pass assessments.
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- Impress employers with learning outcomes you can add to your CV.
- Make your career dreams a reality.
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Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Apply foundational Agile skills, including Agile Principles, Values, and the Planning Cycle.
- Discuss the role of Agile Values in project management.
- Compare the different Agile Frameworks & Methods and apply them to a work environment.
- Evaluate the different Agile Scaling Approaches in order to compare their strengths and weaknesses.
- Build and support high-performing teams with crew resource management tools and techniques.
- Evaluate Agile tools to select the best option for a given work environment.
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for anyone interested in Agile practices but will be particularly useful for programmers and project managers.
What software or tools do you need?
You will need a Google account to log in and view some resources on the course.
Who will you learn with?
Agile IT Project Manager for Medical Devices managing several mobile applications.
Consultant focused on improving organizations ability to deliver value effectively using tools such as Agile, Lean, Systems Coaching (ORSC), Business Process Improvement/BPM, and Design Thinking
Who developed the course?
University of California, Irvine
Established in 1962, the University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education (UCI DCE) has served the lifelong learning needs of individuals, organizations, and the community on a local, regional, and global scale.
Established
1965Location
Irvine, USAWorld ranking
Top 100Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020
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