Agile Daily Scrum Checklist Overview

Agile Backlog Refinement Activities and Business Analyst BA

Agile Backlog Refinement Activities & Business Analyst

Buy Project Management Templates bundle

Mark Whitfield’s project management templates are a comprehensive collection of over 200 editable Microsoft Office resources designed for Agile, Waterfall, and PRINCE2 7th Edition delivery. Built from over 30 years of project delivery experience at blue-chip companies like Capgemini, Barclays, and HSBC, these tools focus on practical, functional utility rather than “flashy” design.

Core Template Categories

The bundle is primarily provided in MS Excel, MS Project (.mpp), MS PowerPoint, and MS Word formats.

Planning & Scheduling:
- Detailed Project Plans: Pre-configured MS Project (MPP) and Excel templates for SDLC, PRINCE2, and Agile Scrum.
- Plan on a Page (POaP): Over 35 PowerPoint and Excel slide examples for high-level executive summaries.
- Gantt Charts: Built-in tracking views for both MS Project and Excel.
Tracking & Control:
- RAID Logs: Comprehensive registers for tracking Risks, Actions, Issues, and Dependencies, often including charts and automated dashboards.
- RACI Matrix: Templates to define team roles and responsibilities (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed).
- Finance Trackers: Detailed spreadsheets for monitoring forecasts vs. actuals, margins, variances, and expenses.
Reporting & Governance:
- Status Reports: Weekly and monthly templates in Word and PowerPoint for internal and client health reporting.
- Agile Specifics: Burn Down and Burn Up charts in Excel for teams without access to tools like Jira.
- PRINCE2 Management Products: Standard documents including Project Briefs, PIDs, Business Cases, and Lesson Logs.

Key Features and Insight

Lifelong Support: A one-time purchase includes free upgrades and additions for life.
Full Customisation: All files are fully editable, allowing project managers to tailor them to specific project sizes and methodologies.
Methodology Neutral: Templates are designed to work for traditional Waterfall (PRINCE2) or modern Agile Scrum environments, with specific notes on how to transition between them.
Visual Dashboards: Many Excel templates include built-in charts and pivot tables to provide instant visual readouts of project health, such as financial variance or RAID status.

Availability

The full package is available for purchase on Mark-Whitfield.com or through the ProjectTemplatesSoft Etsy shop.

Buy Project Management Templates bundle

Over **200 editable Microsoft Office resources** designed for **Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, and PRINCE2** delivery.

PMBOK 6 vs PMBOK 7, what changes are there between version 6 and 7

What changes are there between PMBOK version 6 and 7

The transition from the PMBOK Guide 6th Edition to the 7th Edition represents a fundamental shift from a prescriptive, process-oriented framework to a flexible, principles-based one. While the 6th Edition focused on “how” to manage projects through specific steps, the 7th Edition focuses on “why” and “what” outcomes are being achieved.

Major Insights into the Changes

From Processes to Principles: PMBOK 7 replaces the 49 prescriptive processes with 12 Project Management Principles (e.g., Stewardship, Team, Stakeholders, Value, Tailoring) that serve as foundational guidelines for behavior and decision-making in any environment.
Performance Domains: The 10 Knowledge Areas are replaced by 8 Performance Domains (Stakeholders, Team, Development Approach, Planning, Project Work, Delivery, Measurement, and Uncertainty). These domains focus on critical activity groups for delivering outcomes rather than step-by-step tasks.
Value Delivery System: The 7th Edition introduces a “system for value delivery,” shifting focus from just managing project deliverables to how projects contribute to an organization’s overall strategy and business goals.
Tailoring: While always part of project management, tailoring is now a core principle and has its own dedicated chapter in PMBOK 7. It encourages project managers to adapt their approach based on the specific project context, complexity, and organizational needs.
Agile and Hybrid Integration: PMBOK 7 fully integrates agile and hybrid practices into the core text, whereas PMBOK 6 largely treated them as an appendix or a separate guide.
Models, Methods, and Artifacts: The rigid ITTO structure of PMBOK 6 is replaced by a broader section on Models, Methods, and Artifacts. This provides a high-level grouping of tools without prescribing exactly when or how they must be used.

PMP Exam Context

PMBOK 7 does not make PMBOK 6 obsolete. For the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam, both editions remain relevant reference materials. PMBOK 6 provides the technical workflow “checklist,” while PMBOK 7 provides the “mindset” and measurement strategies for modern, complex projects.

IT Mark Whitfield, SC Cleared Senior Project Manager

Mark Whitfield is a highly experienced SC cleared Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager with over 30 years in the IT industry, specializing in both Agile and Waterfall delivery for large-scale blue-chip companies, digital projects, and payment systems. After starting as a programmer, he transitioned into project management, eventually working with Capgemini and establishing a professional templates resource site.

IT Project Management Overview

Key Expertise: Senior IT Project Management (Agile / Scrum / Waterfall / PRINCE2), Delivery Management, Business Transformation, and SC clearance.
Sector Focus: Banking, Finance, Transportation (Heathrow, NATS), Retail, Government (Local Regional Government – LRG), Aerospace & Defence, and Gambling.
Technical Background: Programming in COBOL85, Tandem TAL, SQL, C, C++, Java, and experience with HPE NonStop (BASE24) systems.

Tandem TAL Programming certificate, 1995

Tools & Methodologies: PRINCE2, Agile SCRUM, Microsoft Project (MPP), Excel RAID logs, and Jira.
Value Proposition: Focuses on improving revenue, cost, and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) through structured SDLC methodologies.

Detailed Historical Timeline

Era 1: Programming & Technical Development (1990–1995)

1990: Graduated in Computing and joined The Software Partnership (later Deluxe Data) in Runcorn as a programmer specializing in electronic banking software (sp/ARCHITECT) on Tandem Computers (now HPE NonStop).

1990-1995: Developed code (COBOL85/NonStop SQL) for major banks, including TSB, Bank of Scotland, Rabobank, and Girofon.
1993 (May): Completed Tandem Guardian Principles Course.

1994: Deluxe Electronic Payment Systems acquired The Software Partnership.
1995 (June): Completed HP NonStop Performance Analysis and Tuning.

Deluxe Electronic Payment Systems acquired The Software Partnership in 1994

HP NonStop Performance Analysis and Tuning, 1995

Era 2: Specialized Software & Product Management (1995–2013)

Insider Technologies Limited (ITL) in Salford Quays

1995 (August): Joined Insider Technologies Limited (ITL) in Salford Quays as a senior programmer, later moving into product / project management.

1995-2013: Focused on monitoring (Reflex) and batch scheduling (MultiBatch) software for HPE NonStop systems, serving clients like Barclays and Alliance & Leicester.

2000 (May): Completed Microsoft Project ’98 Certification and began training other ITL project managers on scheduling best practices.

2007: Insider Technologies products (Reflex) integrated into FIS solutions.
2013: Published work in the HP NonStop journal “The Connection”.

HPE NonStop journal “The Connection” – article for the Insider Technologies product, RTLX

Era 3: Senior IT Project Management (2013–2016)

2013-2014: Worked at Wincor Nixdorf as an IT Project Manager (PRINCE2 / Agile Scrum) on a £5m+ LBG Self-Service Software Replacement (SSSR) program for Lloyds Banking Group, migrating ATM systems from HP NonStop to AIX.

2014-2016: Joined Betfred as a Senior Project Manager, delivering payment gateways, sportsbook, and virtual gaming projects in Agile SCRUM for mobile and online platforms.

Era 4: Engagement Management & Public Sector (2016–Present)

2016 (January): Joined Capgemini UK as a client-facing Engagement Manager (SC cleared).

2016 (August): Founded Mark Whitfield Consultancy Ltd, managing independent IT, network, and improvement projects.
2016-2018: Led Waterfall / Agile projects for automotive, local government, and postal services.
2018-2019: Augmented into MuleSoft as a Delivery Manager for the Anypoint Platform.

2023-2024 (Nov-Feb): Served as Technical Delivery Manager for a UK Government account, overseeing a £1m+ Fish Export Service (FES) to Common Entry Health Document (CHED) Inspection Portal (CHIP) project.
2026: Continued to provide project management thought leadership and template resources for Agile/Scrum/PRINCE2.

Agile Scrum Burn down Chart template in Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Project MPP MSP Project Plan Template examples

Plan On a Page POaP templates plus MPP MS Project and MS Excel Project Plan templates

Key Projects & Clients

UK Gov / Capgemini: Fish Export Service (FES) Cloud Migration.
MuleSoft: Anypoint Platform.
Wincor Nixdorf/Lloyds: ATM/Self-Service Software Replacement.
Jaguar Landrover (JLR), Heathrow, Royal Mail Group, NATS, Euroclear: Various IT and Digital projects.
Banking: Rabobank, Barclays, HSBC, Bank of England, Standard Chartered.

IT Mark Whitfield, SC Cleared Senior Project Manager

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Jackson Structured Programming JSP is a program design methodology, overview and timeline

Jackson Structured Programming (JSP) is a program design methodology developed by British software consultant Michael A. Jackson in the 1970s. It focuses on mapping the structure of a problem—specifically its data structures—directly onto the structure of the program used to solve it.

Overview of Jackson Structured Programming

JSP is designed to create programs that are easy to maintain and modify because the program’s control structure naturally handles the input and output data structures.

Core Principle: Requirement changes are typically minor tweaks to existing data structures. By aligning program structure with data structure, small changes to inputs or outputs translate into small, manageable changes in the code.
Methodology: The technique involves analyzing the structure of input files and output files, constructing diagrammatic representations of these, and then creating a program structure that handles both.
Key Constructs: JSP utilizes three basic structures for both data and programs, which can be visualized as a form of regular expression:
- Sequence: A series of operations performed in order.
- Iteration: The repetition of operations until a specific condition is met.
- Selection: Choosing between different operations based on a condition.
Diagrams: JSP uses structure diagrams rather than flowcharts to represent the design, breaking down complex tasks into smaller, simpler parts.

Excerpts from my HND project which made use of Jackson Structured Programming (JSP) as part of the program design phase

Detailed Historical Timeline

Early Years (1960s–1974): Conceptualization and Founding

1960s: Michael A. Jackson works in data processing, encountering limitations in program reliability and seeking more systematic approaches to software design.
1968: Jackson contributes to the early modular programming movement, collaborating with other pioneers.
1970: Jackson leaves John Hoskyns & Company to found Michael Jackson Systems Limited, aimed at fully developing a new design methodology.
1971: JSP becomes the core product of Michael Jackson Systems Limited, offering consultancy and training services.
1974: The name “Jackson Structured Programming” is coined by a Swedish licensee of the company.

Established Method (1975–1979): Documentation and Adoption

1975: Jackson publishes “Principles of Program Design,” the definitive text documenting JSP.
1975: Michael Jackson Systems Ltd. begins offering software tools to support JSP design for COBOL programs.
1977: JSP is widely recognized and adopted in Europe, the US, and Asia.
Late 1970s: The UK government adopts JSP (under the name “SDM” – System Development Methodology) as its standard program design method.
Late 1970s: The World Health Organization adopts JSP as a standard for program specification.

Evolution into System Design (1980s): JSD

Early 1980s: Building on the principles of JSP, Jackson develops Jackson System Development (JSD) to address the design of entire information systems, not just individual programs.
1983: Jackson publishes “System Development,” formally introducing JSD.
1983-1989: JSD continues to evolve, with new features introduced in subsequent publications and manuals.

Maturity and Retrospective (1990s–Present)

1990s: Jackson develops the Problem Frames Approach, his third major methodology focusing on requirements analysis.
1997: Jackson receives the Stevens Award for Software Development Methods.
1998: Jackson receives the British Computer Society Lovelace Medal.
2001: At a conference, Jackson provides a retrospective analysis of JSP’s driving forces and its relevance to modern software engineering.
Present: While overshadowed by object-oriented and agile methods, JSP principles remain useful for programming “in the small” and handling specific batch processing or embedded software tasks.

Jackson Structured Programming JSP is a program design methodology, overview and timeline

Daily Planning for Agile Scrum Teams on a page

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Senior IT Project Manager & Project Templates author – Mark Whitfield

Mark Whitfield is a highly experienced SC-cleared Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager with over 30 years of experience in the software development lifecycle (SDLC), specializing in Agile and Waterfall delivery for financial, automotive, and public sector clients. He has a strong background in HP NonStop (Tandem) systems and currently works for Capgemini.

Mark Whitfield, Senior IT PM and Project templates author

Comprehensive Career Timeline

Early Career & Foundations (1988–1995)

1988–1990: Completed Higher National Diploma (HND) in Computing at Bolton Institute of Higher Education (BIHE).
1990–1994: The Software Partnership (Runcorn): Programmer specializing in electronic banking software (sp/ARCHITECT-BANK) on Tandem Computers.
1994–1995: Deluxe Data (formerly TSP): Lead Analyst/Programmer, focusing on software investigation, design, coding, and on-site installation for clients like TSB, Bank of Scotland, and Rabobank.

Development & Technical Specialization (1995–2013)

1995–2013: Insider Technologies Limited: Spent 18 years progressing from Senior Development Engineer to Project Manager for Strategic Technical Initiatives.
Key Roles: Managed Reflex 80:20 and Reflex ONE24 product development, technical pre-sales, and consultancy. Developed diagnostic software for monitoring payment systems (BASE24).
Notable Project: Managed a bid to replace legacy ATM tools at LloydsTSB (5000 ATMs) with Reflex ONE24.

Banking & Digital Project Management (2013–2016)

2013–2014: Wincor Nixdorf: Project Manager in the Professional Services Banking Division, managing a £5m+ work stream for Lloyds Banking Group’s Self-Service Software Replacement (SSSR) programme.
2014–2016: Betfred: Senior Digital Project Manager for the Online and Mobile Division, delivering payment gateways and sportsbooks for iOS, Android, and Windows.

Senior Engagement Management (2016–Present)

2016–Present: Capgemini UK: Engagement Project Manager responsible for delivering both Waterfall and Agile digital projects.
2016 (Approx.): Assigned to a UK-wide Air Traffic organization (NATS) for Apple iOS app delivery.
2018–2019: MuleSoft (Secondment): Served as a Delivery Manager for the Anypoint Platform.
Current Focus: Cloud Migration (Hybrid) of 130 apps for UK Government.

Client & Colleague Recommendations

Mark Whitfield is noted for being a detail-oriented manager who provides a strong barrier between developers and difficult clients, while maintaining a friendly, professional, and diplomatical approach.

Agile Management: “Mark provided an excellent barrier between us (developers) and a difficult client…ensuring that we followed the agile principles” — Callum Marriage (Developer).
MuleSoft/Capgemini Engagement: “Customers loved him. His was extremely detailed oriented and understood the often-complex needs…never became flustered in high pressure situations” — Delivery Manager, MuleSoft.
Betfred (2015): “I would highly recommend Mark for his ability to successfully multi-task under significant pressure… [he] produced a very comprehensive handover document” — IT Compliance Analyst, Betfred.
Capgemini/JLR Project: “Mark was able to do a good planning, with the correct resources, on time delivery and with good relationship between stakeholders” — Head of Integration Development.

Key Areas of Expertise

Methodologies: PRINCE2 Practitioner, Agile SCRUM, ITIL, ISO9001:2008.
Tools: MS Project, MS Excel/Office, RAID logs.
Technical Background: HP NonStop (Tandem) Systems, BASE24, C++, TAL, COBOL.
Industries: Financial/Banking, Aerospace & Defence, Government, Automotive, Gambling.

Mark Whitfield’s website (mark-whitfield.com) serves as a professional portfolio and resource hub for his 30+ year career as a SC-cleared Senior IT Project Manager. It offers over 200 editable project management templates for Agile, Waterfall, and PRINCE2 methodologies, alongside career insights and project experience.

Website & Content Overview

Project Management Resources: The site, often known as PROject Templates, provides downloadable templates for planning, scheduling (Gantt charts), project initiation (PID), and project control.
Methodology Focus: Resources are tailored for PRINCE2 (including Agile Scrum), and Agile/Waterfall delivery methods.
Career Portfolio: Features his work history as a Senior IT Project Manager, including roles at Capgemini, Betfred, and various financial institutions.
Technical Specialization: Highlights expertise in HP NonStop systems, digital projects, and payment/transaction systems.
Professional Background: Mentions his experience with major clients such as Jaguar Landrover, Heathrow, Royal Mail, and various banks.

The site is designed for project managers looking for templates to speed up project documentation and for clients looking to review his career accomplishments.

Senior IT Project Manager & Project Templates author – Mark Whitfield

Templates sold on this website are designed for Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and MS Project (MPP) and are used for tracking and planning software development lifecycle (SDLC) projects.

Template Breakdown

The templates, often sold in a bundle, include over 200+ editable items aimed at project delivery. Key components include:

Project Planning (MS Project & Excel): Detailed Waterfall project planners with Gantt views, Agile Sprint plans, and Plan on a Page (POaP) examples.
RAID Logs (Risk, Action, Issue, Dependency): Comprehensive Excel trackers for managing risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies.
Financial & Resource Management: Project finance trackers (forecasts, actuals, variance) and resource trackers for tracking team members and costs.
Project Governance (Word & PowerPoint): Project initiation documentation (PID), status reports, RACI matrices (responsible, accountable, consulted, informed), and project organization charts.
Agile/Scrum Tools: Burn-down and burn-up charts, story dependency trackers, and Kanban templates.
Closeout: Lessons learned logs and benefit realization analysis trackers.

Where to Buy

Official Website: mark-whitfield.com (PROject Templates) is the primary source, offering a bundle with free lifetime upgrades.
Etsy: Mark Whitfield’s templates are available for purchase here, particularly for those needing alternative payment methods.
Eloquens: He maintains a channel on Eloquens for downloading professional templates.

The templates are fully editable, allowing users to tailor them to specific project requirements.

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Project Management Methodologies, historical timeline by era and year

This is a detailed, comprehensive historical timeline of project management methodologies, tracing the evolution from ancient practices to modern adaptive frameworks.

I. Pre-Modern Era (Before 1900): Foundation of Task Coordination

2570 BC (Great Pyramid of Giza): Completion of the pyramids, demonstrating early project organization with managers for each of the four faces, planning, and logistics.
208 BC (Great Wall of China): Construction of the Great Wall, involving massive workforce organization divided into soldiers, citizens, and criminals.
1850s (Transcontinental Railroad): US railroad projects requiring large-scale resource and schedule management.
1896 (Harmonogram): Karol Adamiecki developed the harmonogram, a predecessor to the Gantt chart (published in 1931).

II. Early Modern Era (1910s–1950s): The Scientific Management Era

This era brought “scientific management” to project control, focusing on efficiency and visualization.

1910s (Gantt Chart): Henry Gantt developed the Gantt chart, a visual tool for scheduling tasks over time.
1911 (Scientific Management): Frederick Taylor published The Principles of Scientific Management, focusing on efficiency and time-saving.
1931–1936 (Hoover Dam): One of the first large-scale applications of Gantt charts for complex scheduling.
1942–1945 (Manhattan Project): Development of the atomic bomb, creating a need for rapid, complex planning and large-scale team coordination.

III. The “Golden Age” of Project Management (1950s–1960s): Formal Methodologies

This era introduced mathematical models for managing complex, interdependent tasks.

1956 (AACE Formed): The American Association of Cost Engineers (now AACE International) was formed, specializing in cost control and scheduling.
1957 (Critical Path Method – CPM): Developed by Dupont Corporation to manage chemical plant maintenance shutdowns.
1958 (Program Evaluation and Review Technique – PERT): Created by the US Navy Special Projects Office for the Polaris missile submarine project to manage task time and risk.
1962 (Work Breakdown Structure – WBS): The US Department of Defense mandated the use of WBS for large, complex projects.
1965 (IPMA Founded): The International Project Management Association (IPMA) was launched, the world’s first project management association.
1969 (PMI Founded): The Project Management Institute (PMI) was launched to promote the profession, later developing the PMP certification.

IV. The “Silver Age” (1970s–1980s): Systems and Controls

1970s (Waterfall Introduction): While used informally earlier, the Waterfall methodology was formalized for software development in the 1970s, emphasizing sequential phases.
1975 (PROMPTII): Simpact Systems Ltd created PROMPTII, a methodology to handle cost overruns in computer projects, which later formed the basis of PRINCE.
1975 (Mythical Man-Month): Fred Brooks published his seminal work on software engineering project management.
1978 (Toyota Production System): Lean production and Kanban techniques, used in manufacturing, began to influence project workflow.
1984 (Theory of Constraints – TOC): Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt published The Goal, introducing the Theory of Constraints for managing constraints (bottlenecks).
1986 (Scrum): Takeuchi and Nonaka defined Scrum as a project management style for fast-paced development.
1987 (PMBOK Guide): The Project Management Institute published the first Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) white paper.
1989 (PRINCE): The UK government launched PRojects IN Controlled Environments (PRINCE), the standard for information systems projects.

V. Rebirth and Modern Era (1990s–2000s): Agile and Adaptive Methods

1994 (CHAOS Report): The Standish Group published the first report documenting high IT project failure rates.
1995 (Scrum Formalization): Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber formally defined the Scrum framework.
1996 (PRINCE2): PRINCE was updated to PRINCE2 to become a generic, more flexible methodology applicable to all project types.
1997 (Critical Chain Project Management – CCPM): Eliyahu Goldratt invented CCPM, based on the Theory of Constraints.
1998 (PMBOK Standard): The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recognized PMBOK as a standard.
2001 (Agile Manifesto): 17 software developers met to publish the Manifesto for Agile Software Development, prioritizing collaboration and adaptability over rigid plans.
2007 (Kanban for Software): David Anderson adopted Kanban for software development, focusing on visualizing work and limiting work-in-progress.

VI. The Contemporary Era (2010s–Present): Hybrid, AI, and Speed

2012 (ISO 21500): The International Organization for Standardization published ISO 21500:2012, “Guidance on Project Management”.
2017 (PMBOK 6th Ed & PRINCE2 Update): PMI introduced Agile/adaptive practices into PMBOK, while AXELOS released a more flexible PRINCE2.
2018 (PRINCE2 Agile): PRINCE2 Agile was launched to combine the governance of PRINCE2 with the flexibility of Agile.
2021 (PMBOK 7th Ed): A major shift in PMI standards, moving from process-based to principle-based, focusing on project outcomes.
2020s–Present (AI/Hybrid): Rise of AI-driven project management, automated reporting, and hybrid methodologies combining Waterfall stability with Agile speed.

Project Management Methodologies, historical timeline by era and year

Mark Whitfield, Senior IT Project Manager

Mark Whitfield is a highly experienced IT Senior Project Manager and Engagement Manager based in Manchester, UK, specializing in Agile Scrum, PRINCE2, and Waterfall methodologies. He holds a degree in Computing (1990) and has extensive experience in IT hardware solutions, financial services, and Aerospace & Defence.

Here is a comprehensive summary of his profile, with links based on the provided search data:

Professional Profile

Name: Mark Whitfield
Role: IT Senior Project Manager / Engagement Manager (SC Cleared)
Key Skills: Agile Scrum, PRINCE2, ITIL, Financial Forecasting, Stakeholder Management, Technical Initiative Leadership.
Education: Computing (Graduated 1990).

Comprehensive Career History

Capgemini UK (Jan 2016 – Present): SC Cleared Engagement Manager (A8) in Custom Bespoke Solutions.
- Recent Experience: Project Manager for a UK-wide Air Traffic organisation, delivering new Apple iOS Apps for military and public use.
Betfred Limited (Dec 2014 – Jan 2016): IT Senior Digital Project Manager, Online and Mobile Division.
Wincor Nixdorf Limited (Sep 2013 – Dec 2014): Project Manager, Professional Services – Banking Division.
- Key Project: Managed a £5+ million project replacing legacy HP NonStop software systems with AIX-based J2EE/Oracle technologies for a major UK bank.
Reflex / Insider Technologies (Aug 1995 – Sep 2013): Project Manager – Strategic Technical Initiatives.
eFunds (1994 – 1995): Lead Analyst.

Certifications & Training

Cloud & Project Management: AZ-900 Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals (2022), Advanced Engagement Management (2017), Registered PRINCE2 Practitioner (2011).
Agile: Agile SCRUM Training (2011).
Technical: TANDEM Performance Analysis (1995), C++ for Non-C Programmers (1997), Querying MS SQL 2000 (2009).

Awards

C&CA UK’s Communications & Engagement Award Winner – Cloud & Custom Applications (Capgemini UK, Dec 2022).
Project Recognition Award – Wincor Nixdorf (Retail Banking Project).

Web Presence & Documents

Main Website: mark-whitfield.com
Recent Experience Details: mark-whitfield.com/about/recent-experience/
Career Timeline: mark-whitfield.com/career/
Certificates: mark-whitfield.com/about/certificates/
LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/mark-whitfield-94a8038b

Mark Whitfield, Senior IT Project Manager

By era;

Mark Whitfield is a highly experienced IT Project Manager, Senior Developer, and SC-cleared consultant with over 30 years of experience, specializing in HP NonStop (Tandem) systems, banking software, and digital transformation projects. He is currently an Engagement Project Manager at Capgemini.

Career Overview

Specialism: HP NonStop (Tandem) mainframes, BASE24, transaction monitoring, Agile/Waterfall methodologies.
Key Industries: Financial services, electronic banking, government, automotive, aerospace.
Core Competencies: Software development (C, C++, COBOL, TAL), Project Management (PRINCE2 Practitioner, Scrum), Pre-sales technical consultancy.

Career Timeline by Era and Year

1. The Foundation & Tandem Era (1990–1995)

1990: Graduated in Computing and started as a Programmer for The Software Partnership in Runcorn, specializing in sp/ARCHITECT-BANK on Tandem Computers.
1990-1994: Developed banking code for TSB, Bank of Scotland, Rabobank, and Girofon (Denmark).
1992: Worked on the Barclays Business Master II (BBM II) project in Knutsford.
1994: Company taken over by Deluxe Data (later FIS).

2. Insider Technologies & Monitoring Era (1995–2013)

1995–2013: Joined Insider Technologies Ltd as a Senior Development Engineer and Project Manager.
1995-2004: Developed monitoring/diagnostic software (Reflex 80:20, Reflex ONE24) for HP NonStop payment systems.
1997: Worked on projects for CRESTCo.
Early 2000s: Focused on HP NonStop transaction/payment monitoring for ATM/POS devices using ACI’s XPNET.
2005-2013: Managed first HP OpenView Operations Smart Plug-In certification for NonStop; designed XPERT24.
2011: Certified as a PRINCE2 Practitioner.

3. Banking Transformation & Consultancy Era (2013–2016)

2013–2014: Wincor Nixdorf UK – Worked as a Project Manager in Professional Services for the Banking Division.
2013-2014: Assigned to Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) for the Self-Service Software Replacement (SSSR) program (ATM estate upgrade).
2014–2016: Joined Betfred as an IT Project Manager in the gambling/casinos industry, delivering mobile/online payment gateways (iOS, Android).

4. Digital Transformation & Capgemini Era (2016–Present)

2016: Joined Capgemini UK as a client-facing Engagement Manager.
2016-2017: Led digital projects for automotive, local government, and aerospace sectors.
2017: Obtained Microsoft Excel Expert skills and Advanced Engagement Management certifications.
2018–2019: Augmented into MuleSoft as a Delivery Manager for the Anypoint Platform.
2022: Completed Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) certification.
2023–2024: Assigned to a UK Government account for a cloud migration of 130+ applications and the Fish Export Service (FES) project.

Key Qualifications

PRINCE2 Practitioner & Agile Scrum
ITIL Certified
SC Cleared (UK Government)
Technical Skills: C, C++, MS SQL, COBOL, TAL, Java, ASP.NET, HP NonStop

Agile Scrum on a page, summary of core focus areas

Agile Scrum Backlog Grooming & Sprint Planning

Scrumban project management summary and detailed historical timeline by era and year

Scrumban is a hybrid Agile project management framework that blends the structured planning and roles of Scrum with the continuous flow and visualization of Kanban. Originally designed as a transition method for teams moving from Scrum to Kanban, it has evolved into a popular, distinct approach for teams needing to manage unpredictable work (e.g., support, maintenance) while maintaining prioritized planning. It focuses on pull-based workflows, limiting Work-in-Progress (WIP), and continuous improvement.

Scrumban Summary

Best Used For: Teams needing more flexibility than Scrum (no rigid sprints) but more structure than Kanban (needs planning cycles).
Key Features: Visual board (Kanban), Work-in-Progress (WIP) limits, on-demand or iterative planning, and a pull-based workflow.
Differences from Parent Frameworks:
- vs. Scrum: No set sprint length or rigid roles; work is pulled continuously rather than planned in batches.
- vs. Kanban: Uses planning meetings and team retrospectives, whereas classic Kanban is purely continuous.

Detailed Historical Timeline of Scrumban

1. The Pre-Scrumban Era (Pre-2008)

1950s (Kanban Origin): Toyota develops Kanban to optimize manufacturing production processes, focusing on Just-in-Time (JIT) production.
1986 (Scrum Concept): Takeuchi and Nonaka introduce the “rugby” approach to product development in the Harvard Business Review, fostering flexible, team-based development.
1995 (Scrum Introduced): Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland formalize the Scrum framework for software development.
2001 (Agile Manifesto): Release of the Agile Manifesto, establishing core agile principles.
2004 (Kanban in Software): David J. Anderson suggests applying Kanban practices to software development to improve workflow.
2000-2007 (Evolution): Microsoft teams begin experimenting with “feature crews” that mix structured planning with continuous delivery, planting the seeds for hybrid approaches.

2. Conception and Definition (2008–2010)

2008: Corey Ladas coins the term “Scrumban” and introduces the concept in his work, proposing it as a mechanism for teams to transition from Scrum to Kanban, or as a sustainable hybrid for maintaining focus while reducing iteration overhead.

2008: Ajay Reddy discusses the “Scrumban (R)evolution,” emphasizing that Scrumban is a distinct, powerful approach, not merely a blend.
2009: Ladas publishes “Scrumban: Essays on Kanban Systems for Lean Software Development,” providing the definitive framework for the approach.

3. Formalization and Adoption (2011–2019)

Early 2010s: The methodology gains popularity in specialized software areas, such as maintenance and support teams, where unpredictable bugs demand faster flexibility than two-week sprints.
2016: Ajay Reddy releases “The Scrumban [R]Evolution: Getting the Most Out of Agile, Scrum, and Lean Kanban,” providing practical guidelines for applying the methodology.
2018-2019: Adoption expands beyond software development into agile marketing and HR, looking for reduced bureaucracy.

4. Mature Hybrid & Continued Growth (2020s–Present)

2020s: Scrumban is recognized as a standard agile framework within major project management tools (e.g., Jira, Miro, Monday).
2025-2026: Further refinement as teams integrate AI-driven task management with visual Kanban workflows to increase throughput and automate WIP tracking.

Core Principles of Modern Scrumban (2026 Perspective)

Pull System: Work is pulled by team members when capacity allows, rather than pushed into the team.
Visual Board: All tasks are visualized to show bottlenecks.
WIP Limits: Restricting the number of active tasks at any stage to improve efficiency.
No Required Roles: Teams can keep Scrum roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master) or remove them, depending on their needs.
Adaptive Planning: Planning occurs on-demand or at short intervals, not just in strict timeboxed sprints.

Scrumban project management summary and detailed historical timeline by era and year

CPM Critical Path Method project management and detailed historical timeline by era and year

The Critical Path Method (CPM) is a foundational project management technique developed in the late 1950s to identify the longest sequence of dependent tasks (the “critical path”) that determines the minimum time needed to complete a project. By focusing on these critical tasks, managers can identify which activities have flexibility (float) and which will delay the entire project if they slip.

Detailed Historical Timeline of CPM

Pre-Development Era (1940-1955): The Need for Speed

1940–1943: DuPont develops precursor techniques to manage scheduling challenges during the Manhattan Project.
Early 1950s: The U.S. Navy recognizes the need for better planning systems for complex, high-stakes defense projects.

Development Era (1956-1959): The Birth of CPM

1956: Morgan R. Walker (DuPont) and James E. Kelley Jr. (Remington Rand) begin collaborating to create a new method for managing industrial plant maintenance shutdowns.
1957: Walker and Kelley formalize the Critical Path Method (CPM). The technique is first applied to DuPont’s chemical plant projects, saving $1 million in its first year.
1958: Simultaneously, the U.S. Navy and Booz Allen Hamilton develop the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) for the Polaris missile program. The term “critical path” is coined by the PERT team.
1959: First paper on the critical path, “Critical-Path Planning and Scheduling,” is published by Kelley and Walker. First computer-based CPM is implemented on UNIVAC computers.

Expansion Era (1960-1979): Industrial Adoption

1961: Dr. John Fondahl develops the Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM), a manual “non-computer” alternative to early computer-heavy CPM.
1962: The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) mandates the use of Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) along with network scheduling (PERT/CPM) for projects.
1966: CPM is used for the first time in the construction of the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City.
1970s: CPM moves from chemical and defense sectors to widespread use in construction, engineering, and infrastructure projects.

Computerization Era (1980-1999): The PC Revolution

1980s: Advent of personal computers (PCs) allows project management software (like Primavera) to make CPM accessible, removing the need for expensive mainframes.
1987: The Project Management Institute (PMI) publishes the first Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), standardizing CPM as a best practice.
1997: Eliyahu M. Goldratt introduces Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM), a new method that builds on CPM by focusing on resource limitations rather than just activity sequence.

Digital/Agile Era (2000-Present): Modern Integration

2001: The Agile Manifesto is written, introducing iterative, non-critical-path methods for software development.
2010s: Hybrid project management becomes popular, combining CPM (for predictable, sequential work) with Agile methods (for unpredictable work).
Today: CPM algorithms are embedded in modern scheduling software (Microsoft Project, Oracle Primavera, ClickUp), enabling real-time recalculation of the critical path.

Key Components of CPM

Network Diagram: A visual representation of activities (nodes) connected by dependencies.
Forward Pass: Calculates the earliest start (ES) and finish (EF) times for tasks.
Backward Pass: Calculates the latest start (LS) and finish (LF) times for tasks.
Float Calculation: Determines how long a task can be delayed without affecting the project completion date (Float = LS – ES).
Critical Path: The path with zero float; any delay in these tasks delays the project.

CPM Critical Path Method project management and detailed historical timeline by era and year

ISO 21500 high-level guidance on project, program, and portfolio management

ISO 21500 is a set of international standards providing high-level guidance on project, program, and portfolio management. Initially published in 2012 as a guidance document for project management, it was updated in 2021 to serve as the foundational, high-level “Context and Concepts” document for a broader suite of ISO project management standards (ISO 21500–21505).

ISO 21500 Development Timeline

2007: The ISO Technical Committee ISO/TC 258 (Project, programme and portfolio management) began working on a global project management standard.
September 2012: ISO 21500:2012 (Guidance on Project Management) was officially published, providing a generic framework for project management and a common language for professionals.
2017: Work intensified on updating the standard to reflect new best practices and to transition into a family of standards (21500-21505).
2020: ISO 21502:2020 was published, taking over the detailed guidance on project management formerly covered by ISO 21500:2012.
March 2021: ISO 21500:2021 (Project, programme and portfolio management – Context and concepts) was released, replacing the 2012 edition, with a focus on defining the overarching environment for project management rather than specific processes.

Detailed Historical Timeline of Project Management

The following timeline details the evolution of project management leading up to the ISO standards.

1. Ancient Era – Pre-1900: Foundation & Construction

Ancient Times: The pyramids of Giza, the Great Wall of China, and Roman infrastructure demonstrated early, sophisticated, large-scale project management.
1896: Carol Adami developed the harmonogram, a precursor to visualization tools.

2. Early Modern Era (1900–1950): Scheduling Techniques

1910-1915: Henry Gantt developed the Gantt Chart, revolutionizing scheduling by tracking project progress visually.
1940s: Large-scale projects, such as the Manhattan Project, pioneered modern, integrated project teams.

3. The Golden Age (1950–1980): Formalization

1957: DuPont introduced the Critical Path Method (CPM) for chemical plant construction.
1958: The U.S. Navy developed PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) for the Polaris missile project.
1962: U.S. Department of Defense mandated Work Breakdown Structures (WBS).
1965: Founding of the International Project Management Association (IPMA).
1969: Founding of the Project Management Institute (PMI).

4. The Silver Age (1980–2000): Methodologies & Technology

1984: Eliyahu Goldratt published “The Goal,” introducing the Theory of Constraints (TOC).
1986: Takeuchi and Nonaka defined Scrum as a flexible, holistic product development strategy.
1987: PMI published the first Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) guide.
1989: The UK government developed PRINCE (Projects in Controlled Environments), later evolving into PRINCE2.
1995: Scrum was formalized for software development by Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber.
1996: PMI published the first official edition of the PMBOK Guide.

5. Modern Era (2000–Present): Agile & Global Standardization

2001: Publication of the Agile Manifesto, highlighting flexible and user-focused development.
2007: ISO began developing international project management standards.
2012: ISO 21500:2012 published, providing a global, standard-agnostic guide for project management.
2017: The Association for Project Management (APM) received a Royal Charter.
2020-2021: Shift towards Agile and hybrid methodologies; PMI released PMBOK 7th Edition, focusing on principles over processes.
2021: ISO 21500:2021 (updated) and ISO 21502:2020 (detailed guidance) were established as the new global standard for project management.

ISO 21500 high-level guidance on project, program, and portfolio management

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