Sweetman, Roger and Conboy, Kieran (2018) Portfolios of Agile Projects: A Complex Adaptive Systems’ Agent Perspective. Project Management Journal, 49 (6). pp. 18-38. ISSN 8756-9728

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Abstract

While agile methods can be extremely effective at a project level, they can impose significant complexity and a need for adaptiveness at the project portfolio level. While this has proven to be highly problematic, there is little research on how to manage a set of agile projects at the project portfolio level. What limited research that does exist often assumes that portfolio-level agility can be achieved by simply scaling project level agile methods such as Scrum. This study uses a complex adaptive systems lens, focusing specifically on the properties of projects as agents in a complex adaptive portfolio to critically appraise current thinking on portfolio management in an agile context. We then draw on a set of 30 expert interviews to develop 16 CAS-based propositions as to how portfolios of agile projects can be managed effectively. We also outline an agenda for future research and discuss the differences between a CAS-based approach to portfolio management and traditional approaches.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	agile; project portfolio management; complex adaptive systems;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Business
Item ID:	11325
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1177/8756972818802712
Depositing User:	Roger Sweetman
Date Deposited:	17 Oct 2019 11:48
Journal or Publication Title:	Project Management Journal
Publisher:	Sage Publications
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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