Agile Project Schedule Template
Agile Project Schedule Template
Agile Methodology is an approach used in software development. This method is optimized for fast, small incremental deliveries of the product, and a lot of collaboration between software development teams, as well as regular feedback from customers and other stakeholders. The agile method of software development replaces the older “waterfall” method of software development, which involved the mantra “plan, design, build, test, and deliver” in separate, large, sequential steps, without any inbuilt adaptive learning or incorporating feedback at any stage. Although that approach might work for large manufactured units like cars or houses, the agile methodology has proved to be far more effective in the field of software development.
There are a number of fancy tools in the market that can be used to keep track of agile software developmental processes in an organization. Yet, one of the easiest to use, but still a very effective tool, is an agile project management schedule template. The Agile Project Schedule Template is available for download on our site: ExcelTemplates.com.
The Agile Project Schedule Template excel sheet is suitable for all users, including students or businesses. Being based on Excel, this is a low-cost option for agile project planning, without the use of any additional, expensive, project management tools. Most individuals are familiar with how to use Excel, so there is almost no learning curve. It is also possible for one to create their own template using Excel. However, this can be time consuming and very difficult to ensure that it is flawless and effective.
While production and tasks can change rapidly based on environmental factors, the template is a planning tool that remains constant, thus providing some structure and guidance to the development process. The template also brings the entire team and their tasks together in one place.
How To Use
An Agile Project Schedule Template breaks down an entire software project into features. Features are small items or functionality that can be delivered to the customer. They are also known as ‘user stories’ or a small set of user requirements. Each feature is then divided into one or more smaller tasks which form the smallest unit of work in the cycle. Similar features can be grouped into development cycles called sprints or iterations.
The agile project schedule is a living thing, and will change over the period of the project. Once a schedule has been developed using the Agile Project Schedule Template, it will need to be maintained, with statuses and timelines being updated regularly. Best practices will be incorporated throughout the cycle.
Included In This Template
The agile project management schedule template allows you to add features based on user requirements. Features can also be broken down to smaller units of manageable tasks. The template allows for tasking out responsibilites, the start and end dates of each task, as well as the status of the task. Based on the start and end dates, the duration of each task is automatically calculated. Tasks can be grouped into bigger developmental cycles called iterations or sprints. Therefore, the entire project becomes a hierarchy of detailed and manageable tasks, each of which can be tracked, scheduled and updated.
Aside from agile project planning, the Agile Project Schedule Template excel sheet includes Gantt charts which provide visual representations of the data entered in the template. These charts help the agile process and provide data in a fashion that is easy to comprehend as well as make it easier to spot trends, problems causing backlog, and can easily identify if the project is performing according to, behind, or ahead of schedule.
The chart can be color coded with green color for tasks indicating that everything is being produced according to schedule. Red would indicate that items are being scheduled, while yellow or orange would indicate a small, but not serious delay in schedule.
In Agile methodology, test planning is also included in the planning phase, so that time is allowed and tasked for testing different developed components. Keeping track of the testing of different tasks is simplified by using the template.
Optional Tips
Using downloadable templates for agile project planning is a very cost-effective and efficient way to manage agility in small projects or businesses. Templates help to break up the user requirements into smaller tasks, allows you to keep track of the statuses or each and clearly identify bottlenecks or project schedule delays. These can then be corrected before the project slips very much behind schedule. Testing of tasks or QA can be incorporated into the templates, and can be made part of every sprint so that everyone is involved in the testing and not just the ‘testers’ group.
Charts can be used to visualize and present results.
