What's an accidental agile project manager, you ask? Anyone who suddenly and unexpectedly finds themselves responsible for an agile project. Maybe the home remodel project turned out to be a little more difficult and complex than you expected. An organization you volunteer for may need a project to build a new wing for an orphanage and asks you to help. Or your manager gave you a project management book and put you in charge of an important work project. In business, it's not uncommon to see team leaders doing project managers' work, and they may not even be aware. Congratulations, you just became an accidental agile project manager! This book is the missing agile project management "quick start" guide for beginners, accidental, aspiring new agile project managers, and for those exploring agile project management careers or looking for a refresher. A process and an acronym will help the accidental agile project manager remember the essential steps of projects. It's Ray's PROJECT method: Chapter #1: The "P" - P is for People Chapter #2: The "R" - R is for Requirements Chapter #3: The "O" - O is for Organize Chapter #4: The "J" - J is for Jell Chapter #5: The "E" - E is for Execute Chapter #6: The "C" - C is for Control Chapter #7: The "T" - T is for Transfer The purpose of the PROJECT method is to get you started quickly, not make you an expert or teach you everything you need to know. This book is written as a business fable to help deliver the messages. It follows the method as it is applied to a fictional yet realistic organization and accidental agile project manager. This makes the character and the process more relatable and memorable to the reader. Each chapter is devoted to a step of the method and ends with "Knowledge Nuggets" – tips, basic project management templates, and references for further reading and study. References include sections of the Project Management Body of Knowledge ( PMBOK® Guide ), the Project Management Institute's ( PMI ) standards for project management, and Agile Practice Guide. Templates include: - Stakeholder Register - Communications Plan - Requirements Plan - Requirements Document (User Stories) - Product Backlog - Milestone Plan - Burndown Chart - Virtual Team Contact - Kickoff Agenda - Lessons Learned - Retrospective - Status Report - Team Member Evaluation - Lessons Learned All templates are available online and ready-to-use with pre-filled examples. " Being a hero is no accident! " In his latest book, Accidental Agile Project Manager , Ray shares the story of Siwan Sero. Each chapter conveys the reality and essence of the PROJECT method. She needs to become a hero leading agile projects with the astute advice to "embrace the accident...someone is counting on you." This book is chock-full of tips, "knowledge nuggets," and training resources, and belongs on every new agile project manager's desk. Naomi Caietti Author, Transform Your Project Leadership! Managing Director, Naomi Caietti Consulting Folsom, California Ray has combined his extensive project management experience and expertise with a bestselling novelist's story-telling style to create a must-read for any accidental or aspiring agile project manager. Inham Hassen PPM Trainer, Features Editor - Mensa World Journal United Kingdom Thanks, Ray, for allowing me to review Accidental Agile Project Manager . Ray, you have done a great job with this book. I like the conversational style you have used in the book to present agile project management's fundamental concepts. It is easy to read and understand. Yes, this is truly meant for accidental agile project managers. Great work! Sumith Kahanda, Ph.D., M.SC., P.Eng., PMP, CSSGB Project Manager, SaskWater Saskatoon, Canada It was the fall of 2014, and I was teaching for a 120-hour state-approved project management course. The class was attended by aspiring, new, and accidental project managers. They worked in non-profits and for-profits in industries such as technology, construction, and healthcare. I love teaching project management and wanted to see everyone succeed. Many former employees and students are now corporate vice presidents and business owners. I could tell some advanced topics were way too confusing. Some had received promotions for taking the class, so excitement for hours of advanced subject matter material was low. When meeting students after the course, I found their retention of materials was also low. The PMBOK® Guide - Sixth Edition, with the Agile Practice Guide, contains over 800 pages of information and standards (or three times the size of the Third Edition) is no longer a good book for beginners. There is way too much material to learn, absorb, and put into regular practice in a short time. A lot of the course material I had to present would have no immediate use. I re-drafted my content to add more useful information and remove as much advanced content as I could. I realized I could offer students what they needed - just