Caitlin Kenney and Robin Pulverenti

Presentation: Product vs. Project Teams

Abstract: Welcome to the electrifying debate at the 2024 Project Management Symposium, where the clash of ideologies ignites: Product Teams versus Project Teams. In one corner, Project Teams champion the art of decomposing work from portfolios to projects, bringing people to the work; while in the opposing corner, Product Teams herald the era of long-lived teams, fixing teams and customers and bringing work to them. The debate promises to unravel the benefits of each approach with fervor, as Project Teams stand firm on fixing scope and mobilizing teams, while Product Teams advocate for stability in teams and adaptability in work, all in the quest for optimal organizational efficiency and project success. Strap in for a whirlwind exploration of this dynamic trade-space, where the nexus of team organization and work allocation takes center stage!

    • Product Teams Advocate: Caitlin KenneyCaitlin has over 10 years of experience supporting DoD projects, including two DoD Agile Pilot programs for the Army Contracting Writing System (AWS) and the AEGIS BL 10 Software Development Program. She currently works for International Systems Management Corp as the Enterprise Agile Coach for the PEO IWS Forge Software Factory, supporting agile and DevSecOps project management initiatives for the US Navy.
    • Project Teams Advocate: Robin PulverentiRobin’s Integrated Program Performance Management experience comes from a broad range of industries including consumer product and business-to-business manufacturing, information technology, aerospace & defense, as well as across all stages of the product development life cycle in both public and private sectors. Robin is an active contributor to policy and best practice working groups within the US Department of Defense, National Defense Industrial Association, US Government Accountability Office, Project Management Institute, and the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute Agile Collaboration Group.

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