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Most Businesses have complicated and inefficient processes of product development that can significantly hinder their ability to compete. Usually, these processes have been built to fulfill the need to provide cost and schedule control and predictability; however, over-emphasis on control may lead to inflexible structures that may not be well-designed to fit business needs. Flexibility and sensitivity to change are as critical in many industries today as cost and schedule control: A project that achieves its cost and schedule targets effectively but misses an important market window because the timetable was not ambitious enough could not be considered to be overall very successful.

A project that fails to achieve the intended business result because the development process did not provide a sufficient degree of flexibility to respond quickly to new and evolving business needs could also not be considered very efficient even if it meets its cost and timetable objectives.

When we embrace a broader definition of how to assess project success or failure, it requires us to look closely at the degree of focus typically imposed on maintaining a level of control designed to address cost and schedule targets. Achieving a more measured approach may mean rethinking how projects are managed, but if done correctly, it is not necessary to sacrifice complete control over costs and schedules to achieve agility.

To achieve the right balance of control and agility, it does take some ability, and the right approach may vary somewhat from one company to the next.

Successfully incorporating a balanced approach in a business environment poses some significant new obstacles for project managers: There is a much wider range of methodologies, concepts and procedures (both agile and traditional) to be addressed by a project manager.

Methodology (or variation of methodologies- agile or non-agile) must be tailored to the business environment, as well as the challenges and difficulties of traditional projects, rather than trying to conform to any standard (agile or non-agile) methodology.

This includes a broad understanding of different methodologies and procedures as well as a deeper understanding of the concepts behind them to adapt and customize an approach to suit the business environment and individual project risks and complexities.