Psychology of Agile: Exploring the Human Element at Work

Agile is a mindset and a culture that has evolved beyond software development to encompass all forms of project management, business organizations, defense, and society. In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world, adopting an Agile approach is essential for organizations to thrive and maintain competitiveness. This book aims to extend the concept of Agility beyond the four declarations of the Manifesto and apply it to various projects, organizations, and even society. The book delves into the intricacies of Agile and highlights its significance in modern workplaces. It emphasizes that Agile is more than just a set of tools and techniques; it is a way of thinking and a culture that requires a deep understanding of psychology and sociology.

Key topics discussed:

- Agility as a leadership characteristic and the meta-mind of Agile

- Agile mind map beyond the manifesto and methods

- Psychological frameworks (Maslow, TA, MBTI, Left-Right, Slow-Fast) relevant to Agile work and psychosocial games at work

- Psychological development and Composite Agile Method and Strategy (CAMS)

- Agile organizational structures and behaviors

- Agile Transformations in the Digital Age

This book is valuable for Agile coaches, mentors, and Scrum Masters looking for more comprehensive answers than what an Agile framework can provide. It is also helpful for business leaders, stakeholders, and product owners who need to deal with ambiguous or unclear issues, as well as project managers and team leaders who already have experience in Agile but feel like something is missing. Additionally, HR professionals and trainers involved in Agile transformation can benefit from this book.

Dr. Bhuvan Unhelkar (BE, MDBA, MSc, PhD) is a Professor at the Muma College of Business, University of South Florida; an adjunct Professor at Western Sydney University; and an honorary Professor at Amity University, India. He is also an accomplished IT professional and Founding Consultant at MethodScience. Dr. Unhelkar holds a Certificate-IV in TAA and TAE, Professional Scrum Master - I, SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework for Enterprise) Leader, and is a Certified Business Analysis Professional(R) (CBAP of the IIBA).

His industry experience includes banking, finance, insurance, government, and telecommunications, where he develops and applies Industry-Specific Process Maps, Business Transformation Approaches, Capability Enhancement, and Quality Strategies.

Dr. Unhelkar has authored numerous executive reports, journal articles, and 27 books with internationally reputed publishers including Artificial Intelligence & Business Optimization (Taylor and Francis/CRC Press, USA, 2021), Software Engineering with UML (Taylor and Francis/CRC Press, USA, 2018) and Big Data Strategies for Agile Business (Taylor and Francis/CRC Press, USA, 2017); and several Executive Reports (published by Cutter - now Arthur D. Little) including Psychology of Agile (two parts), Agile Business Analysis (two parts), Collaborative Business & Enterprise Agility, Avoiding Method Friction and Agile in Practice-a Composite Approach. He is also passionate about coaching senior executives, training, re-skilling, and mentoring IT and business professionals, forming centers of excellence, and creating assessment frameworks (SFIA-based) to support corporate change initiatives. He has led several BABOK, Agile, CAMS, and SAFe training workshops.

Dr. Unhelkar is an engaging presenter who delivers keynotes, training seminars, and workshops that combine real-life examples based on his experience with audience participation and Q&A sessions. These industrial training courses, seminars, and workshops add significant value to the participants and their sponsoring organizations because the training is based on practical experience, a hands-on approach, and accompanied by ROI metrics. Consistently ranked high by participants, the seminars and workshops have been delivered globally to business executives and IT professionals in Australia, the USA, Canada, Norway, the UK, China, India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Singapore. Dr. Unhelkar is the winner of the IT Writer Award (2010), Consensus IT Professional Award (2006), and Computerworld Object Developer Award (1995). He also chaired the Business Analysis Specialism Group of the Australian Computer Society.

Dr. Unhelkar earned his PhD in ＂object orientation＂ from the University of Technology, Sydney. His teaching career spans undergraduate and master’s levels. He has designed and delivered courses including Global Information Systems, Agile Method Engineering, Object Oriented Analysis and Design, Business Process Reengineering, and New Technology Alignment in Australia, USA, China, Malaysia, and India. Online courses designed and delivered include the Australian Computer Society’s distance education program, the M.S. University of Baroda (India) Masters program, and numerous courses, including Agile Project Management and Business Analysis at the University of South Florida, USA.

He supervised seven successful Ph.D. students at Western Sydney University and one at DD University, Nadiad, India. He has published numerous research papers and case studies.

Professional affiliations:

- Fellow of the Australian Computer Society (elected to this prestigious membership grade in 2002 for distinguished contribution to the field of information and communications technology), Australia

- Associate Editor, IT Professional (an IEEE Publication)

- IEEE Senior Member, Tampa Chapter, USA

- Life member of the Computer Society of India (CSI), India

- Life member of Baroda Management Association (BMA), India

- Member of Society for Design and Process Science (SDPS), USA

- Rotarian (Past President) at Sarasota Sunrise Club, USA; Past President of Rotary club in St.Ives, Sydney (Paul Harris Fellow; AG), Australia

- Discovery volunteer at NSW Parks and Wildlife, Australia

- Previous TiE Mentor, Australia

Dr. Unhelkar speaks and writes fluently in four languages: English, Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati. He loves Indian music, poetry, and literature.