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No two days are alike in agencies, and that is precisely what makes precise planning so challenging.
Unexpected changes, shifting requirements and tight deadlines not only cost nerves, but also productivity and ultimately profitability.
So how can teams remain capable of acting even under pressure? How can capacity utilisation and resources be planned more effectively?
This is exactly where agile project management comes in, and with the right tool, it becomes a real lever for more profitable agency work.
[.b-button-primary] Curious? Try awork for free! [.b-button-primary]
What is agile project management?
By definition, agile project management is a method that originally comes from the IT sector and software development. Instead of planning everything down to the smallest detail and then stubbornly following through, you and your project team work in short cycles - so-called sprints, which are often used in the Scrum method.
Agile methods also include Kanban. This technique helps you to always keep an overview and move forward smoothly without getting lost in the details. Or design thinking: you can come up with creative ideas by really putting yourself in the users' shoes. The agile methods then give you the freedom to react flexibly to adaptations.
For agencies, this means you can divide projects into clear stages, make better use of capacity and respond more quickly to customer feedback without overloading your teams or risking deadlines.
These are the advantages of agile project management:
[.toc-name]Advantages of agile project management[.toc-name]
👉 Better utilisation: through realistic capacity planning based on availability and skills
👉 Higher billability: through accurate time tracking and early control of projects that are getting out of hand
👉 Faster response: to customer feedback without everything falling apart
👉 Less meeting overload: through centralised communication and task coordination
👉 Transparency within the team: everyone has access to project status information, reducing misunderstandings and ensuring smoother workflows.
👉 Gather feedback: regular feedback from customers and project participants to ensure that the project meets their requirements.
👉 Faster results: working in short sprints means you see results faster. This not only motivates the team, but also makes customers happy.
👉 Clever risk management: Instead of everything blowing up in your face at the end, you can spot problems early on and iron them out.
👉 Better team spirit: You're all pulling in the same direction. This not only makes the work easier, but also strengthens the team spirit.
Traditional vs. agile project management: what's the difference?
[.toc-name]Traditional vs. agile project management[.toc-name]
Imagine a quick road trip. 🚗 With classic project management (keyword: waterfall method), you would determine the entire route in advance, plan every stop and book it right away. And without the option of spontaneously taking a detour if you discover something interesting along the way. The problem with this is that you have no flexibility. What happens if a road is closed or you find a place where you would like to spend more time? This is where traditional project management reaches its limits.
With agile project management, you have a direction and a final destination in mind for your road trip. At the same time, you are open to new routes and adventures that arise along the way. You make regular stops, check your direction, adjust it if necessary and continue your journey. This allows you to react flexibly to unforeseen events and collect the best memories on your trip.
[.b-important-block]For agencies, the agile approach is not only more flexible – it's also the more cost-effective option: less rework, better planning, and more satisfied clients.[.b-important-block]
[$tag]💸 Increased Profitability[$tag]
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5 examples of agile project management
Let's take a look at some examples of where agile project management is frequently used:
1. Relaunching a website:
This is where team members and skills from very different areas come together. Only when the design is finalised can the DEVs really get started and estimate how much work the whole thing will take.
2. Developing a mobile app:
When teams build a new app, they often divide the work into short phases. This allows them to add new functions bit by bit, try out what users like and then improve it directly. They can react quickly to new user requests or changes in the market.
3. Marketing campaigns:
Marketing teams are also increasingly relying on agile working. This means that the team tries out different ideas in quick rounds, checks how people react to them - and then adapts the campaigns. This makes the entire campaign more flexible and usually also more successful.
4. Software development projects:
Software development works in a similar way. Here, the team develops new features in short cycles, tests them directly with the users and then improves them with their feedback. Agile methods such as Scrum help to ensure that everyone in the team works closely together and exchanges information regularly in order to improve the software step by step.
5. Product development:
The development of new products is also quite agile. Instead of planning for a long time, the team builds a prototype, tests it with real users and then improves it directly. This results in products that really meet users' tastes - and faster than with traditional project management approaches.
Does agile working fit your challenges?
A project manager's daily life is filled with challenges. If you're familiar with the following surprises, agile project management is your perfect match:
- Last-minute changes: The client just wants to "make a quick adjustment," but it has a ripple effect. With agile methods, you can react flexibly without throwing your entire team off track.
- Unclear requirements: Instead of waiting forever for the perfect brief, you develop iteratively—with regular feedback and clear intermediate steps.
- Bottlenecks & overload: Tasks can be flexibly distributed among available team members. This keeps workloads balanced—and deadlines realistic.
- Communication is ineffective: Agile methods ensure greater transparency. Everyone knows what needs to be done—without constant coordination meetings.
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How awork makes agile project management more profitable for agencies
[.toc-name]More profit with awork[.toc-name]
awork is more than just an agile PM tool. It helps agencies manage complex projects efficiently while keeping an eye on utilisation, billability and economic success.
1. Planning across projects, with capacity overview
awork shows you at a glance how available your team members are – whether internal or external. Instead of Excel and gut feeling, you use visual capacity planning that makes your projects realistically feasible.
✅ Benefit: On-time results, optimal utilisation, no overload.
More about capacity planning at awork.
2. Prioritise tasks & consider skills
Plan tasks based on skills and availability, directly integrated with calendars & to-do lists. This allows you to respond to changes without falling into chaos.
✅ Benefit: Respond flexibly and stress-free, even to last-minute requests.
3. Seamless and professional collaboration with clients and freelancers
Instead of email chaos and ‘guest access’, awork provides a central location for everyone involved – with comments, updates and clear permissions.
✅ Benefit: Faster approvals, better client communication, no extra tools required.
4. Time and budget always in view
Real-time time tracking and budget reporting: awork shows you which projects are profitable and where you need to take countermeasures.
✅ Benefit: Higher billability, better forecasts, more economical decisions.
More about time tracking with awork.
[.b-testimonial]With so many projects running simultaneously, we need awork because it perfectly adapts to our own workflow.[.b-testimonial]
[.no-toc]You + awork + agile project management methods = 💜[.no-toc]
Do you work in project management at an agency and want to not only deliver your projects, but also manage them effectively, utilise capacity better and make them more profitable? Then awork is your perfect partner.
With awork, you can plan capacities realistically, coordinate your team efficiently and keep track of budgets, tasks and deadlines – all in one place. This turns agile project management into a real business lever: for better team performance, more satisfied customers and measurably greater profitability.
[.b-button-primary] Curious? Try awork for free! [.b-button-primary]
