Agile and ALM are two terms that you don’t often see side by side. To most developers, agile means team interaction, customer collaboration, dynamism, and responsiveness to change. In contrast, ALM seems to imply the opposite of agile, with echoes of rigid procedures, inflexibility, and top-down process control. But are the agile and ALM approaches as contradictory as they first appear to be?

Agile software development is designed to thrive within even the most dynamic business and technical environments. All agile methodologies include integrated practices and processes that manage evolving requirements to efficiently develop a continuous stream of new software capabilities. However, what Agile does not address are changes related to enterprise support that falls outside the scope of the project work. Enterprise Change Management (ECM) provides a framework that addresses many of these missing factors.

Mastering the “art” of adopting agile and lean software product development and delivery requires you to understand the science (technology) and the art (behavioral nuances) associated with this undertaking. This article focuses on how to make the cultural changes necessary for adoption and overcome general resistance to change in all of us.

Jim sat in his manager’s office about to have his 6-month review. His boss seemed to have that look on his face. A look he’d seen before.

“Jim, I’d like to say your work is outstanding, but while we’ve been pleased with your project outcomes, your approach to your work needs improvement.”

Jim squirmed in his seat and tried to prepare himself for what would probably mean another layoff.