Agile methods for NGO projects: what helps and what does not

What do people mean by agile in an NGO?

Agile began in software, but the idea is simple: plan in short cycles, test, learn and adjust. In the aid sector the closest term is adaptive management. Groupe URD, a humanitarian think tank, describes agile or adaptive management as a structured, iterative process of decision-making and adjustment in response to uncertainty.

It is appropriate, URD says, in complex or unpredictable situations where objectives or methods can change a lot. It puts more weight on the question "did we do what was necessary to achieve the objective?" than "did we do what we said we would do?". That fits many Myanmar settings, where access, security and needs can change within weeks.

A caution from the same guide: agile does not mean doing what we feel like. It requires more structure than regular project management, not less, because it relies on clear decision rights and regular cycles of learning.

What agile habits help NGO projects?

These habits work well inside a funded project:

1. Short planning cycles. Turn the annual work plan into a monthly or quarterly plan with a short, dated list of activities the team commits to.
2. Regular reviews. At the end of each cycle, hold one meeting on results and another on how the team worked: what blocked us and what we change next.
3. A visible list of activities. One shared list, ordered by priority, so everyone sees what is planned, in progress and done.
4. Cross-team check-ins. A short weekly call with programme, finance, logistics and MEAL staff. Many delays happen at hand-offs between them.
5. Feedback that changes the plan. Deliver a first batch, listen to the community, adjust the next. A working complaints and feedback system supports this.

Choose a cycle length that fits your lead times. If distributions depend on procurement and partner availability, a month may suit you better than two weeks. Test what rhythm works for your team.

What does not work in a donor-funded project?

Contracts set limits that agile habits cannot ignore.

If you reshuffle activities without checking these, you may create ineligible costs found at audit. Always read your agreement before changing a plan.

How do you combine agile habits with a signed plan?

Use a simple split: the logframe and budget are the contract, and agile habits live inside implementation. When evidence shows the plan must change, use a deliberate change process:

1. Collect evidence from monitoring and community feedback.
2. Check what your agreement allows without approval.
3. Write a short change request: what changes, why, effect on budget, time and results.
4. Send it to the donor early, with the evidence.
5. Update the work plan, tracker and monitoring plan after approval.

Our guide on adaptive management in a changing context covers this in more detail, and how to manage changes to scope, budget and timeline shows the request steps.

When should you try more agile ways of working?

Groupe URD notes that the more you know about the context and what you need to achieve, the more linear a project can be. Agile suits an unstable context or objectives that are hard to describe. It also warns that a project should keep control of at least one source of uncertainty, the context or the objectives, so a complex situation does not become chaotic.

A practical test: if your activities, places and targets are clear and stable, keep a simple plan and good monitoring. If the context shifts often, add short cycles, a standing learning meeting and clear rules for who can decide changes.

How EMPO can help

EMPO is a reliable, trusted training and consultancy provider and one of Myanmar's leading names in practical NGO training, with 1,200+ people trained and 15 partner organisations. We are based in Yangon and deliver in English and Burmese, online and in person across Myanmar. Our project management training shows teams how to plan in cycles while keeping within donor rules. See our training services or contact us.

Sources

• Agile or Adaptive Management: Implementing aid projects in complex environments — Groupe URD (Michael Carrier), 2020