FIT5057 · Project Management
Agile Fundamentals
The unit pivots from the predictive world to the adaptive one. This chapter starts with the Agile Manifesto — its 4 values (the “over” pairs) and 12 principles — and the key reading that “over” does not mean “instead of”. It uses the Stacey complexity model to decide when agile fits (volatile requirements, high uncertainty) versus when predictive does. The core is Scrum: the 3 pillars of empiricism (transparency, inspection, adaptation), the 3 roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers), the 5 events and the 3 artifacts with their commitments. A crucial distinction is Scrum Master ≠ Project Manager. It closes on user stories (the “As a… I want… so that…” format and the INVEST criteria), acceptance criteria, story-point estimation, and backlog prioritisation with MoSCoW and Kano. The quiz tests Scrum recognition heavily; the agile project assignment makes you run it.
What this chapter covers
- 018.1 The Agile Manifesto — the 4 values
- 028.2 The 12 agile principles (grouped)
- 03When agile, when predictive? — the Stacey model
- 04Scrum — 3 pillars, 3 roles, 5 events, 3 artifacts
- 059.1–9.2 Scrum events & artifacts (+ their commitments)
- 06User stories — the format, INVEST & acceptance criteria
- 079.3–9.4 Estimation (story points) & prioritisation (MoSCoW, Kano)
Worked example: rewriting a story to pass INVEST
- +1Diagnose: "Build the whole notifications system" is too big (not Small), can't be finished in a sprint, and has no user value stated — it fails Small, Valuable and arguably Testable.
- +1Use the format: a good story is "As a [role], I want [goal], so that [benefit]" — this forces a user, a goal and a value.
- +1Rewrite (one slice): "As a student, I want a push notification when my assignment is graded, so that I see my result without checking the portal." Small, independent, valuable.
- +1Add an acceptance criterion: "Given an assignment is graded, when the grade is published, then the student receives a push notification within 5 minutes." Now it is Testable.
Key terms
- Agile Manifesto
- The four values that define agile: individuals and interactions over processes and tools; working software over comprehensive documentation; customer collaboration over contract negotiation; responding to change over following a plan. "Over" means we value the left more — not that the right has no value.
- Scrum roles
- The three accountabilities of the Scrum Team: the Product Owner (owns and orders the backlog, maximises value), the Scrum Master (a servant leader who coaches the team and removes impediments — not a boss), and the Developers (build the increment). A Scrum Master is not a project manager.
- Scrum events
- The five time-boxed events: the Sprint (the container), Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review (inspect the increment with stakeholders) and the Sprint Retrospective (inspect the team's process). Review is about the product; retrospective is about the way of working.
- User story (INVEST)
- A short, user-centred requirement in the form "As a [role], I want [goal], so that [benefit]." A good story is INVEST: Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable. It is paired with acceptance criteria that define when it is done.
- MoSCoW
- A backlog prioritisation method classifying items as Must have, Should have, Could have, and Won't have (this time). It forces explicit agreement on what is essential versus desirable, which protects the timebox when scope must flex.
Agile Fundamentals FAQ
Does "working software over comprehensive documentation" mean no documentation?
No — this is the most misread part of the Manifesto. "Over" means we value the item on the left more, not that the item on the right has no value. Agile teams still document; they just don't let documentation become the goal at the expense of delivering working software. The same applies to all four value pairs.
Is the Scrum Master the project manager?
No. The Scrum Master is a servant leader who coaches the team, facilitates the events and removes impediments — they do not assign work, hold authority over the team, or own the schedule. The Product Owner owns the what (the backlog and its order); the Developers own the how. There is no traditional command-and-control PM role inside Scrum.
What is the difference between the Sprint Review and the Retrospective?
The Sprint Review inspects the product: the team demos the increment to stakeholders and adapts the backlog based on feedback. The Retrospective inspects the process: the team reflects on how it worked and picks improvements for the next sprint. Review = product + stakeholders; retrospective = team + way of working. Swapping them is a classic quiz trap.
Are story points the same as hours?
No. Story points measure relative size/effort/complexity, not time. They are not hours, and velocity (points per sprint) is not a productivity score to compare between teams — one team's 8 points may be another's 13. Points let a team forecast its own throughput without pretending to estimate exact durations. Treating points as hours is a frequent mistake.
Exam move
Scrum is the densest quiz target here, so memorise the structure as a chant: 3 pillars (transparency, inspection, adaptation), 3 roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers), 5 events, 3 artifacts, 3 commitments. Drill the high-frequency distinctions: review vs retrospective, Scrum Master vs project manager, story points vs hours, and the correct reading of the Manifesto's "over". Be able to write a user story in the As-a/I-want/so-that format and test it against INVEST, and know MoSCoW. For the agile project assignment you actually run Scrum — personas, backlog, sprints, demo — so practise turning a brief into well-formed, INVEST-passing stories.
