Scenario 1: Research Paper (White Paper) for the PMO Director
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Instructor/Developer: Williams
The XYZ Corporation
Agile Project Management C ourse Main Case
UMUC IFSM 441
Introduction to Main Case and Scenario Assignments
This is the Agile Project Management (IFSM 441) course main case . Th is case focuses on the XYZ
Corporation, a fictitious but life -like corporation , and its project management environment. In
conjunction with this case, s tudents are assigned five assignment scenarios over the course of UMUC’s
8-week semester that extend the d etails of this main case and require students to apply and
demonstrate their knowledge of Agile project management concepts. The five scenarios themselves are
independent of each other, though each links back to the details of this main case. Each scenari o
requires students to perform one or more work tasks as if they are employees of the XYZ Corporation,
according to the context and details specified in each scenario.
Overview of XYZ Corporation and its Project Management Environment
The XYZ Corporation is a large private -sector company headquartered in Adelphi, MD that focuses on
government contracting. Approximately 80% of annual revenues stem from the federal government
sector, 14 % from the state government sector, 5% from the loca l government sector, and 1% from the
private sector. 2011 annual revenues for the corporation were close to $100M. XYZ has approximately
700 employees. XYZ Corporation focuses on three main service delivery areas: 1) emergency
management, 2) health crisis prevention/response management, and 3) related logistical , coordination ,
and collaboration services. The corporation derives approximately 80% of its revenues from services and
20% from products (hardware, software, etc.) .
Approximately, 60% of delivered services are information technology services, 30% management
consulting services, and the remaining 10% an assortment of training and other support services.
Approximately, 90% of the revenue fr om products is Internet related, and the other 10% is a wide
assortment of other products.
The XYZ Corporation is made up of the following four divisions: 1) Information Technology and Processes
(IT management, Project Management Office (PMO) , etc. ; 2) Administration (Human Resources, Payroll,
etc.); 3) Emergency M anagement Service/Product Delivery (Marketing, Sales, Client Relations, Strategic
Planning, Product/Service Development, Product/ Service Delivery , etc. ); and 4) Health Crisis Prevention
and Response Management Service/Product Deliver y (Marketing, Sales, C lient Relations, Strategic
Planning, Product/Service Development, Product/Service Delivery, etc. ). An organizational chart follows
that illustrates how XYZ’s Project Management Office (PMO) provides project governance :
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Instructor/Developer: Williams
XYZ Corporation’s Project Management Office (PMO) promotes, develops, and maintains project
methodologies and standards , and , as well , oversees all aspects of project implementation and
governance for specified projects . The PMO at XYZ routinely supports 3 approved project management
methodologies: 1) PMBOK -compliant Methodology (per PMI’s PMBOK and related best practices);
2) Agile Methodology (per the Agile PM (APM) Framework and Agile best practices); and 3)
PMBOK/Agile Hybrid Methodology ( a combination of PMBOK and Agile PM best practices). Most
projects are hybrid.
The PMO is responsible for determining not only which projects are approved, but, as well, which
project management methodology will be employed for each approved project . The PMO routinely
consi ders two main factors in pairing a methodology with a project: 1) internal unit fit for
efficiency/effectiveness based on the use of methodologies in past projects, requests by unit managers,
skills of available PMO/unit project managers, and other factors ; and 2) external business environment
factors, such as business/technical sector, uncertainty, complexity, competition/opportunity, timeframe,
technologies/processes/staff involved, etc. This is the organization’s customized methodology adaption
approach based on Agile PM best practices. By mandate of corporate policy, the PMO must be involved
in all projects with over a $ 10 0,000 annual budget. All business units are encouraged to involve the PMO
in projects as may be beneficial and per polices are required to involve PMO oversight in projects with
over $100,000 annual budget.
Internally, XYZ uses the PeopleSoft ERP across all divisions and an assortment of other Intranet and
Internet applications built either on a Java or .NET platform.
Additional XYZ Corporation PMO and Project Management Approaches Information
The XYZ Corporation’s approaches to project management have been greatly influenced by PMI’s
PMBOK approaches and, more recently, by 1) Agile PM and Agile approaches , 2) ScrumSense’s
approaches , and 3) concepts, best practice s, and approaches of various Agile Manifesto signers and
Agile PM luminaries. For key Agile PM approaches, see the assigned readings and lectures. For key
ScrumSense approaches, see the t wo featured documents, Do Better Scrum and What Every Product
Owner Should Know , which are included in the assigned readings and available at the following URL link
on the Web : www.scrumsense.com/resources . Do Better Scrum is authored by Peter Hundermark , and
What Every Owner Should Know is authored by Carlo Kruger. For more background information on the
related best practice concepts and approaches of Agile PM luminaries , see the assigned readings or
search th e web. XYZ Corporation’s Agile project governance str uctures , methodologies, standards, and
practices are greatly influenced by these three sources and, as implemented, are centrally driven by the
XYZ PMO in close collaboration with the Administration Division and the two Line of Business (LOB)
Divisions . Fo r the purposes of this case study and related scenarios (parts), you should co nsider the
company ScrumSense ( a real company) as a preferred contractor to XYZ Corporation’s PMO relating to
Agile service delivery. Therefore, the two referred to Agile PM documents by ScrumSense can be applied
to XYZ Corporation as needed in general or as otherwise specified.
Summary
This document has introduced the XYZ Corporation and its technology platforms and project
management approaches of choice. Since you will be an “employ ee” of XYZ Corporation this semester, it
is important that you look back from time to time to this profile of XYZ Corporation when planning and
executing related scenarios as assignments for this course. While this profile on XYZ Corporation is
helpful, yo u may need to check with your instructor or classmates from time to time for clarification
and/or extension of this information. Feel free to contact your instructor any time if you have XYZ
Corporation questions or related case or scenario questions relat ing to your work activities.
