Agile-Friendly Gating and Governance Requires a “Trust but Verify” Approach, says Info-Tech Research Group

Imposing a traditional governance approach on an Agile project can eliminate the advantages that Agile delivery methods offer.

Organizations often apply gating and governance procedures to ensure the efficient and effective use of resources. However, Agile project teams often find fault with traditional approaches as they were designed for Waterfall delivery, negating the advantages that Agile methods deliver. To help organizations develop an Agile-friendly project gating and governance approach, the global IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group has published a new blueprint titled Create an Agile-Friendly Project Gating and Governance Approach.

The recently published findings explain that many government organizations are adopting Agile project-delivery methods because they have proven to be more effective at responding to today’s fast pace of change. These organizations have an obligation to govern projects effectively to ensure the efficient use of public resources, regardless of the delivery method being used.

“Traditional project gating and governance approaches do not align well with Agile delivery methods. Applying them to Agile projects can lead to less efficiency and even failure,” says Alex Ciraco, principal advisory director at Info-Tech Research Group. “To successfully adopt Agile, organizations need to rethink their current practices and adopt a framework for effective oversight and support.”

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Info-Tech’s resource explains how moving to an Agile-friendly gating approach can offer organizations many benefits, such as a faster response to change, improved productivity, higher team morale, better product quality, and faster releases.

The firm recommends that organizations follow a holistic approach that begins with the understanding of the fundamental purpose of project gating and governance, as well as the major differences between Agile and Waterfall delivery methods. This approach will allow organizations to guide their gating processes to meet business needs and support Agile delivery methods.

The new research blueprint outlines the three elements of an Agile gating mindset:

• Project gating or governance doesn’t go away in Agile, but more of it rests with the delivery team rather than the governance body.
  
  
• Agile-friendly gating or governance needs to support Agile delivery teams so they make good decisions on time
  
  
• An Agile gating framework should focus on delivery team health and effectiveness, enabling the team to manage risk and ensure value delivery with minimal oversight.

Info-Tech’s blueprint explains that not all Agile project delivery teams are created equal, and that the level of support each project receives will need to be adjusted to improve its likelihood of success.

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