What Is Agile and Why Use DSDM?
The course begins by introducing the core characteristics of Agile working and the role of DSDM in Agile project management.
Topics include:
- The meaning of Agile
- Characteristics of Agile working
- Key differences between traditional and Agile project approaches
- The purpose of DSDM
- How DSDM provides structure for Agile project management
- Project environments in which DSDM can be applied
Philosophy, Principles and Project Variables
Participants examine the foundations that guide the DSDM approach.
Topics include:
- DSDM Philosophy
- DSDM Principles
- Project Variables
- Time
- Cost
- Quality
- Features
- Managing project variables within an Agile environment
- Balancing quality and delivery expectations
Preparing for Success
This section considers the conditions that support successful use of DSDM.
Topics include:
- Assessing whether a project is suitable for an Agile approach
- Organisational conditions for success
- Business involvement
- Team collaboration
- Preparing the project environment
- Identifying potential issues early
Preparing for Agile Project Management
Participants explore the preparation required before beginning Agile project delivery.
Topics include:
- Understanding project objectives
- Identifying business needs
- Establishing an Agile working environment
- Preparing roles and responsibilities
- Aligning project management activities with DSDM
The DSDM Process
This section introduces the DSDM lifecycle and explains how the different stages work together.
Participants explore:
- The DSDM lifecycle
- Relationships between project phases
- Key activities within each stage
- Control and delivery points
- Interaction between business and technical teams throughout the lifecycle
The People: DSDM Roles and Responsibilities
Clear accountability is an important element of successful Agile project delivery.
This section examines:
- DSDM project roles
- Business and technical roles
- The Solution Development Team
- Project management responsibilities
- Communication between roles
- Authority and decision-making responsibilities
DSDM Products
Participants examine the principal products used within DSDM and the purpose each serves during the project lifecycle.
Topics include:
- DSDM Products
- Relationships between products and lifecycle stages
- Management and solution-focused outputs
- The role of documentation in Agile environments
- Using products to support project control
Key Practices: Prioritisation and Timeboxing
This section focuses on two important DSDM practices.
Prioritisation
Participants explore how requirements can be prioritised according to business value and project needs.
Timeboxing
Learners examine how fixed periods of time can be used to organise work and support predictable delivery.
Topics include:
- Prioritising requirements
- Time-focused delivery
- Establishing timeboxes
- Managing activities within a timebox
- Balancing time, cost, quality, and scope
Planning and Control Throughout the Lifecycle
Agile delivery still requires effective planning and control. This section examines how these activities continue throughout a DSDM project.
Topics include:
- Agile planning
- Lifecycle planning
- Progress monitoring
- Project control
- Tracking delivery
- Responding to change
- Monitoring project risks
Other DSDM Practices
The course also introduces additional practices that support effective DSDM delivery.
Iterative Development
Developing and improving solutions progressively through repeated cycles and feedback.
Facilitated Workshops
Using structured collaborative sessions to support communication, shared understanding, and decision-making.
Modelling
Using models to represent and communicate business requirements and solution concepts more clearly.
Prototyping
Creating early representations of potential solutions to explore, test, and validate requirements and ideas.
