According to the PMBOK® Guide, 7th edition, one of the principles of project management is to tailor the delivery approach based on context1. This principle suggests that project managers should select and adapt the delivery approach that best suits the project characteristics, stakeholder needs, and organizational goals. It also implies that project managers should recognize and respond to changes in the project environment and facilitate the transition between different delivery approaches1.
In a hybrid project, the delivery approach combines elements of predictive, adaptive, and iterative methods2. A hybrid project may start with a predictive phase to define the scope, schedule, and budget, and then switch to an adaptive or iterative phase to deliver the product or service incrementally2. A hybrid project may also use different delivery approaches for different components or work packages within the same project2.
In this scenario, the project manager observes that the team performance was excellent during the predictive stages, but declined when the iterations began. This could indicate that the team members are not comfortable or familiar with the change in the delivery approach, and that they are lacking the skills, mindset, or tools to work effectively in an adaptive or iterative environment. Therefore, the best course of action for the project manager is to perform team-building activities and enhance collaboration. This will help the team to build trust, rapport, and cohesion among themselves and with other stakeholders, and to align their expectations, roles, and responsibilities with the new delivery approach. It will also help the team to learn and apply the agile values and principles, such as customer collaboration over contract negotiation and working software over comprehensive documentation3.
The other options are not as effective as option B. Option A, giving team members more authority to make decisions, may be appropriate for an agile team, but it does not address the root cause of the problem, which is the change in the delivery approach. It may also create more confusion and conflicts if the team members are not clear about the decision-making process or criteria. Option C, identifying the team members who are impacting low morale, may be helpful, but it does not solve the problem of the team’s performance. It may also create a blame culture or a sense of isolation among the team members. Option D, coaching the team members on agile processes and knowledge, is also a good practice, but it is not sufficient to improve the team’s morale. Coaching should be complemented by team-building and collaboration activities to foster a positive and supportive team culture.
[: 1: PMBOK® Guide, 7th edition, page 10 2: PMBOK® Guide, 7th edition, page 19 3: Agile Manifesto,, , ]
