A Critical Analysis of Agile and Lean Methodology to Fulfill the Project Management Gaps in Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs)

Abstract

This research examines the implications of lean and agile methodologies for solving project management gaps in nonprofit organizations (NPOs). The data were collected from project managers, executives, and supervisors through an online survey questionnaire. The value of Cronbach’s Alpha is below 0.8, indicating reliable, valid, and consistent results. This study also concludes that the primary cause of the incapability of the previously mentioned methodologies could be the lack of awareness from project respondents because only 40% and 36% knew about lean methodology and the agile approach, respectively, which could be a significant drawback. The findings of this study state that Agile and Lean methodology implantation in project management allows the recording of progress and teamwork performance periodically, which helps monitor projects that are going as per planned objectives or where remedial actions are required to be undertaken. Moreover, the agile technique should be employed in a project where the role of managers is crucial in this regard because sensitive issues, such as cost and efforts require constant monitoring and urgent attention. Based on the present study’s results, a hybrid strategy is necessary, combining Agile and Lean approaches to examine diverse business situations. Researchers and project experts need to add more factors to measure project gaps accurately and explain how Agile and Lean management work to change the success of a project.

Keywords

• non-profit organization
• lean manufacturing
• agile methodology
• project management