Almost every veteran has heard the phrase, “No plan survives first contact,” but how often do we build a plan expecting to deviate from that plan? If we knew the plan wasn’t worth the paper it was written on, why do we spend countless hours writing OPORDs that are hundreds of pages long, that no one reads?

 

There is a disconnect between the planning aspect and the execution. And like many things, this isn’t just an issue with process; there is a foundational issue with culture. 

 

The problem when talking about agility and agile planning in an military construct is that there is a need for high level goals and structure to support the logistical requirements and Joint integrated planning that must be accomplished (Predictive/MCPP/MDMP/PMP), but within that context there also needs to be a framework that can allow the teams executing the mission to embrace the unknown and adapt at the speed of thought, technology, intel and the truth on the ground.

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How can the military use a hybrid project approach?

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In truth, many military organizations strive to apply agile principles daily and would greatly benefit from a structured agile process and framework; however, the military has yet to develop one. Instead, we rely on leadership, tenacity, grit, and “Semper Gumby.”

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PMI’s Agile Certified Practitioner course and agile processes can be the bridge between these two disconnected realities and allow the required planning to be conducted in the orders process, and translate to tactical execution, while also providing traceability and a bias for action culture.

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In fact, the Course of Action Development (COA DEV) cycle is in and of itself an agile sprint.  Agile project management would enable the team at all levels of the command to participate in mission execution and refine the actions being taken within a defined framework. Agile allows tactical-level ideas and makes operational or strategic-level changes. This is where Agile Project Management thrives.

 

Outside of the operational force context described, there are other areas where Agile Project Management also thrives. We keep hearing buzzwords from senior military leaders that sound good but are struggling to become a reality. Words like “being agile” or “using spiral development” or being “innovative.”   How do we turn these words into action and have a desired effect?  

The issue resides in two areas:

 

1. Both innovation and agility require a culture and organizational structure that is anything but the military. One that invites creative ideas and feedback and inherently challenges the status quo. The systems and mechanisms must also be in place to enable rapid decision-making at the lowest level, with the support and backing of senior leadership. (This was more common before technology allowed senior commanders to “see everything,” and focus on CYA). 

2. ​There is a lack of structure, process, or a clear understanding to facilitate agility and innovation. These don’t happen in a vacuum, and for change to occur, there must be a way for ideas to move into actions.

3. This isn’t the way things have been done.

 

For example, why do we wait until policy documents are entirely written before staffing them?  Would it be more beneficial to staff for review while the document is being developed? 

 

Why do we wait to launch the updated curriculum until a full program review has been submitted, rather than develop and launch modules in stride?

 

Why don’t we have information radiators in S-3 shops that show priority of action and allow for visual tracking of work in progress?

 

Why don’t we use kanban boards in every S3 and S4 shop?

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Answer: We are just not taught.  

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This is where the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) comes in. It's a 3-day course offered by PM-ProLearn that teaches leaders how to think differently. It provides processes, tools, and methods that allow organizations to structure themselves in a way that enables efficient and rapid execution of operations while still tracking progress towards a clear objective. It also fosters team cohesion, as the doer or user is the key stakeholder, rather than the CO. The doer is directly involved in the process, with oversight and supervision from higher levels.

 

At its core Agile is about culture and empowerment. It fits in two key areas within the military:

 

1. COA Dev. This process is inherently Agile in that there is no answer at the start, only a vision and desire. You throw things against the wall to "fail fast" and see what works. This process repeats a few times to continue refining the objective until a decision is made, at which point the process shifts to the Predictive or PMP process.

2. Small unit leadership. Agile is designed for teams of 12 or fewer to execute missions where change is not only expected, but also encouraged, so that every team member contributes to the mission and refines the process and deliverables based on their observations.

 

IPTs, Squads, Special Forces, Civil Affairs, Recruiting, Staffs.  All will benefit.

 

Why is Agile so powerful? Applied correctly, Agile provides a leadership framework that empowers teams to solve problems, provide clarity, and receive rapid feedback in response to ever-changing situations.

1. Everyone is a team member and has equal value to contribute.

2. Information is shared and communicated frequently (good and bad)

3. No one is beyond improvement or recommendation.

4. Leaders remove barriers to progress and take on work that impedes the team’s performance.

 

The Team matters more.

 

Want to see for yourself? Invest in a PMI-ACP Pilot course and get feedback from your team. 75th Rangers and 3rd Group have and are changing the way they run their S-3.

 

Only 8 students are required to schedule a virtual class, or 14 students for an in-person class, anywhere in the world. Unit funding, ArmyCA, AF COOL, CG COOL all cover the cost of training.