Business agility allows organizations to quickly adapt to new markets. In a fast paced ever changing world of highly competitive products and services, organizations need to be able to deliver solutions to market quickly in an uncertain environment. Agile Project Management provides an iterative and incremental framework to explore and deliver high risk solutions efficiently in a rapid response timeframe. We will explore Agile Project Management practices across multiple industries including Agile project roles following the Project Management Institute® Agile Practice Guide.

Agile Leaders are able to work effectively in unpredictable and ambiguous situations. Being adaptable, promoting innovation and modeling a learning organization set apart Agile Leaders from their more traditional counterparts. We will explore the servant leadership characteristics of Agile leaders, how they create and lead self organizing teams, how they drive value into everything they do balancing agility with strategy without creating an environment of chaos. Additionally, we will explore the Agile Culture which allows for both dynamic approaches to the business while also ensuring clear strategy and stability for the employee community. We will explore the facets of an Agile Culture across various industries that promote a customer centric approach of value through empowered employees.

Finding and implementing solutions to customer problems that are both adaptable and incremental provide for the greatest flexibility and return on investment. Agile and Design Thinking supports project teams working in an environment that requires innovation as well as dealing with uncertainty. Agile encourages a collaborative relationship with customers that promotes flexibility to meet business needs. By focusing on the human element and customer experience, Agile and Design Thinking provide a framework for engaging customers in ensuring prioritization of organization, product and service solutions that deliver frequent value for the business.

This course guides the student through the final experience of the MS in project management degree - the Capstone Project Experience. Students will use a case study-based approach to analyze a business situation and prepare a response using learning from the program. Course requirements involve completing a literature review, engaging in online discussion with faculty adviser and other SOIS capstone students, various kinds of field work and preparing a case study response.