Project vs. Product

Projects break Agile. The whole mindset behind starting and stopping a PROJECT results in the opposite of what we’re attempting to achieve using Agile approaches for a PRODUCT. The two words might sound similar, and mistakenly be used interchangably, but they are very different approaches.

Key Difference

Project-based approaches are to get the money, start the project, and bring the resources (not even people) to the project. In contrast, Agile approaches focus on building teams. First build an effective team, and then bring the work to the team to build a product.

Project Mindset:

• Fixed scope with variable resources and time
• Focus on completion and hand-off
• Temporary teams and part-time team members
• Fixed upfront budget
• Limited stakeholder involvement
• Success is measured by time and budget adherence
• Difficult to maintain what you build
• Complicates forecasting
• Leads to multi-tasking and increased use of specialists

Product Mindset:

• Fixed team (not resources) with variable scope (aka a Product Backlog)
• Continuous evolution and value creation
• Stable teams with domain and technical knowledge
• Continuous funding based on value
• Ongoing stakeholder collaboration
• Success is measured by problem-solving and usage