Agile Project Management (online)



Overview

Deliver projects faster and with greater efficiency. This course introduces agile thinking – with a focus on Scrum – and gives you techniques that you can apply to your own projects straight away. 

Agile is an evolutionary approach to getting things done. Instead of defining every requirement upfront, it focuses on learning and adapting as you go, helping teams respond effectively to change. While traditional project management depends on detailed planning at the start, agile management recognises that many requirements only become clear once the work begins. 

Apply agile tools and behaviours to manage risk, improve teamwork and maintain momentum to improve how you work – and build better outcomes for your team and organisation. 

In each session you’ll practise core agile techniques and explore how to apply these methods with remote teams and take part in an extended case study designed to help you build confidence in typical agile scenarios. 

This course is ideal for professionals across sectors looking to build or strengthen their approach to agile project management, and this interactive course equips you with the skills and mindset to deliver projects with clarity, speed and impact. 

About Agile

Agile is effective because it focusses on continual learning and adaptation. It is an evolutionary approach to getting things done. Where traditional project management puts a significant emphasis on management of risk, Agile avoids such risks by reacting quickly, efficiently and in a controlled manner to deal with problems and issues as they arise.

Agile is not just 'free-form' or 'random', it has a well-developed discipline of tools, techniques, behaviours and thinking that drive progress towards a successful project conclusion

Dates, Times and Delivery

This course will be delivered live from our purpose-built broadcast studio, with opportunities to ask questions during the sessions, as well as via the online collaboration environments throughout the course.

There will be five 90-minute tutorials, delivered from 11:30 - 13:00 (UK time) on:

  • Monday 20 October
  • Tuesday 21 October
  • Wednesday 22 October
  • Thursday 23 October
  • Friday 24 October

All times listed are UK times. A world clock and time zone converter can be found here: https://bit.ly/3bSPu6D

This is a ‘virtual classroom’ course. To replicate the experience of a classroom, the sessions are ‘live’ and are not recorded.

During the course you will have access to an online collaboration website. This can be used to interact with the course tutor, and will also be used to support learning activities during the course.

Accessing Your Online Course 

Details about accessing the private MS Teams course site will be emailed to you during the week prior to the course commencing.  

Please get in touch if you have not received this information within three working days of the course start date. 

Programme details

  • An introductory case study of a failing project that was transformed by applying Agile
  • Tutorial on our recommended online environments for Agile projects with geographically dispersed teams
  • 12 principles of the Agile Manifesto, and what they mean for your projects
  • An introduction to Scrum – the most widely adopted Agile method
  • Definition of ‘done’
  • Team values and culture
  • Team roles in Agile – Scrum Master, Product Owner, Team
  • Team communication and team size
  • Structure of Agile projects
  • Building understanding through user stories
  • Estimating tasks and effort
  • Tracking your project to a successful conclusion
  • Servant Leadership: Key skills of the expert Scrum Master
  • Key skills of expert Product Owners

Extended interactive case study

The last session of the course will be a focussed case study, taking you through a typical Agile project, providing you with an opportunity to think about the practical application of the tools learnt on the course.

The case will be run using our online collaboration environment, enabling you to share your ideas, and to read and discuss those of the other students.

Who is this course for?

Agile Project Management is used by small and large businesses, in both the private and public sectors.

This course is relevant for both new and experienced project managers who want to build their knowledge and understanding of this important and powerful new approach to project management.

Providing a non-technical approach to agile project management, this course is relevant to both IT and non-IT practitioners alike, and assumes no prior knowledge of the subject area. 

Digital Certification

In order to be eligible for a certificate of attendance, you will need to attend the whole course. Participants who meet this criterion will be emailed after the end of the course with a link, and instructions on how to access their University of Oxford digital certificate.

The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate, as well as share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Standard course fee £685.00

Payment

Fees include electronic copies of course materials. 

All courses are VAT exempt. 

Register immediately online  

Click the 'Book now' button on this webpage. Payment by credit or debit card is required. 

Request an invoice 

If you require an invoice for your company or organisation, please email us to request an online enrolment form. Payment is then accepted online, by credit/debit card, or by bank transfer. 

Tutor

Dr Rob Collins

Speaker

Visiting Fellow

Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford

Dr Rob Collins is a visiting fellow of Kellogg College, Oxford and regularly teaches courses at the University. Dr Collins has taught on the MSc in Software Engineering through Oxford University’s Computing Laboratory for over 20 years. He currently teaches modules on Classical Machine Learning, Software Testing and Safety Critical Systems.

Dr Collins also teaches courses in Artificial Intelligence, Systems Thinking, Agile, Machine Learning, Design Thinking and Business Process Improvement. He regularly provides consultancy to industry in the area of Business Process Excellence, Artificial Intelligence and Systems Engineering. He gained his Black Belt Certification in Lean Six Sigma from Lockheed Martin, the world's largest Systems Engineering company and a world-leader in advanced technology.

As well as his undergraduate degree in Physics and Computing, Dr Collins holds a PhD focussed on training, psychology and processes for introducing complex technology into learning environments. He completed an MBA in 2012 at Henley Business School, and so has a strategic business view as well as deep understanding and practical experience of hands-on process improvement in technology and service.

Application

If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying, please click 'Ask a Question' at the top of this page.

IT requirements

This course is delivered online using Microsoft Teams. You will be required to follow and implement the instructions we send you to fully access Microsoft Teams on the University of Oxford's secure IT network.

To participate you must be familiar with using a computer for purposes such as sending email and searching the Internet. You will also need regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification.

It is advised to use headphones with working speakers and microphone.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support