QuestioningExtremeProjectManagement

A lot of "new" approaches are using/abusing the word extreme. I've recently started a study to understand which ones are agile-related, which ones simply use the term without knowing it's relation with eXtreme Programming and which others just know eXtreme Programming and try to "abuse" the word to gain visibility without being agile-related.

These are the different XPMs I know (thanks to Brad Appleton):

There is an XPM at http://www.extreme-pm.com that is no relation to the agile movement.

Doug DeCarlo? has a series of articles in his "A Different Drummer" column on "extreme project management" - I think he has some knowledge of agile methods but thats not where he got the word 'extreme' from, and while what he writes is applicable to agile methods, it usually isn't knowingly taken from agile or XP (tho he does use the word 'agile' sometimes in the sense of agile organization/business). See also an outline

There is a ShootTheProjectManager website that sometimes uses the word "extreme" and "radical" that is also not derived from agile or XP but is certainly applicable to the issues of people, high collaboration, and managing rapidly changing stakeholder expectations/requirements

Donna Fitgerald has a "Nimble Project Manager" column at Builder.com where she too is aware of agile. Additionally she and a group of like minded project managers, including Jim Highsmith are currently working on starting up an agile PM organization. You can find them at http://www.agileprojectmgt.com

Shaun Ajani has a bunch of articles on "Extreme Project Management". He also has a book coming out entitled "Extreme Project Management: Unique Methodologies - Resolute Principles - Astounding Results". I read the description on Amazon and it seemed very PMI-based and heavy or counter-agile to me - but I can't claim to have looked at it closely enough. Glen Alleman reviewed the book and based on what I've seen from Glen I would be inclined to trust his judgement 100%.

EdYourdon has a site/seminar on XPM which is about project management for high-intensity projects (and he has a book of the same name about managing high-intensity internet projects), including but not limited to agile and XP projects. I think Ed did take the 'extreme' directly from XP - but at the same time, a lot of the stuff he talks about is stuff from his own vast knowledge and experience (he is one of "the" software gurus in the field, on a par with Gerry Weinberg) and some of his stuff is in common with agile and not necessarily stolen (but some of it is just plain borrowed - which is okay). Even tho some of his stuff is borrowed - it is still good, and deserves looking into. Its not simply rewarmed "hype" to make money. Ed's been around the block longer than most and knows what of he writes.

And of course Rob Thomsett has a book on XPM entitled "Radical Project Management" and a website. You can read more about Rob's "XPM" at his website or on Amazon or at InformIT?.com (which has several articles). Rob is also a senior advisor to cutter consortium (invited I think by Jim Highsmith) so Rob'x XPMis "the real deal" and NOT some cheap knock-off trying to exploit XP/Agile. Glen Alleman has reviewed this book too he says the book is actually some pretty traditional PM with some "radical" thrown in and has some older essays are a bit outdated. I think Thomsett's more recent stuff for Cutter is perhaps more up-to-date.

I think it could be useful to face this topic and make it clear what is really extreme in the agile sense and what is not.

--MarcoAbis

Not sure if you are aware JimHighsmith is working on a new book on AgileProjectManagement, if you sign up on the yahoo APM list you can participate in the review --RachelDavies

Thank you Rachel, I'm already subscribed to APM and I've already read the available chapters (and sent my notes to Jim) :-) --MarcoAbis