Agile Project Plan Template

Agile is an iterative, incremental Project Management methodology designed to be ready for change, allowing teams to quickly identify challenges and adapt accordingly. While, in Agile teams, one of the key words is flexibility, an Agile project plan template can provide structure and keep everyone on the same page.

On this page, you can find an editable Agile release plan template for PowerPoint to help you track and communicate your projects in a simple, visual way. We’ve also included a series of useful resources regarding Agile planning that may come in handy whether you’re new to the methodology or just need a quick reminder of the basics.

What is Agile planning?

Most often used in software development, Agile planning is a project planning approach that breaks down a project into small, self-contained sections (called sprints or iterations) that can deliver value to the customer. Sprints can be periods of 1 to 3 weeks in which the team aims to complete a small set of work items. An Agile project plan template sets which tasks are to be done in each iteration and creates a repeatable process, helping teams know how much they can achieve.

Rather than trying to deliver the “big product” all at once, Agile teams plan for delivering functional portions of that final product.

What kind of projects are suitable for Agile?

Allowing for great flexibility, Agile is most suitable for incremental projects or projects that have a high level of unpredictability and complexity, as well as tight deadlines. Examples include:

• Software development
• Experimental projects or new product lines (where early customer feedback usually surfaces new requirements that impact the product roadmap)
• New Marketing campaigns

Although not all projects can benefit from the Agile methodology or an Agile project plan example, embracing the Agile mindset and its core principles can be helpful to any project team.

The 4 core principles of the Agile methodology

The Agile Manifesto comprises four core values aimed to guide the continuous development of high-quality software. They encourage putting people before processes, delivering as fast as possible, collaborating with customers, and adjusting your Agile project plan template as needed. These core values are:

1. Individuals and interactions over tools and processes
2. Working software over exhaustive documentation
3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
4. Responding to change over following a plan

Is there such thing as a project plan in Agile?

Since Agile focuses so much on adapting to change, there’s a common misconception that it should involve little to no planning. In fact, Agile projects do require a good plan. But, as opposed to the classic Waterfall approach - where the plan is somewhat set in stone from the start - Agile project management templates are dynamic, “living” documents that change and evolve over time.

How do you make an Agile plan?

Creating an Agile project plan starts with a pre-planning phase, where the product owner lays out the project goals and prioritizes the known business and technical requirements (the product backlog) needed to deliver the final product. The team formation, as well as a high-level time and cost estimation are also documented during this first stage.

Next, the team will break the functionality from the product backlog into a number of sprints or iterations and determine the length of an iteration, as well as the deliverables expected to result from each sprint. The iterations are then assigned to releases, where each release should deliver one or more working product increments. This initial documentation can act as an Agile release plan template, based on which the team can plan the dates for the release milestones, as well as for the final product delivery.

Now, although this process seems similar to traditional project management methods, the big difference in any Agile project plan example is that, once the high-level strategy is defined, only the initial iteration will be planned in detail. The specifics of the next sprint will be set and adjusted based on the outcomes of the previous sprint(s), allowing the team to easily adapt to unexpected challenges or changes in requirements.

What does an Agile project plan look like?

An Agile project plan example is typically divided into releases and sprints, with each release containing at least one sprint, and each sprint being broken down into a list of work items or tasks that the teams need to complete during the sprint’s timeframe.

The level of detail and complementary data can vary depending on the audience the plan is intended for. For instance, while the team will need a more detailed plan to know exactly who will be working on what task and see the dependencies between work items, clients and management might not be interested in all the minutiae, preferring a simpler, visual overview like the sample Agile project plan you can find on this page.

Don’t be surprised to see variations between Agile sprint plan templates in terms of form too. Some are complex spreadsheets that list all data in a table, some take the form of a Gantt chart, while others – like our Agile project plan template - are designed as a roadmap with Swimlanes. Deciding what format to use for your plan will, again, depend on its audience and purpose, but a visual chart should be simpler to understand and more convincing in most cases.

Why use our free Agile project plan template?

Agile project management depends on constant, efficient communication and planning. The free Agile project plan template is meant to make this communication quick and simple. Set up as a visual roadmap, the downloadable template was created for project owners who are conducting planning exercises or reviews with team leaders, managers, or clients. It was designed to advance decision making, make tracking easier, and build consensus in fast-paced work environments.

The advantage of a visual Swimlane or Gantt chart template similar to our Agile roadmap example is that, through visual task grouping, color-coding and consistent graphical elements, it provides structure and clarity, becoming much easier to consume.

Built in PowerPoint, the Agile project plan example feels familiar and it can be presented easily and shared broadly. Since it is a PowerPoint slide, the plan can also be quickly edited by any team member or stakeholder that uses the popular presentation tool.

How to update the Agile project plan template

The free template was created using Office Timeline, an intuitive PowerPoint add-in for visual project planning. You can update this Agile product roadmap example manually, using PowerPoint’s controls, or you can use our automated tool to save time and effort.

With its smart engine and automation tools, Office Timeline will help you add your own data to this Agile project plan template and customize anything in a matter of minutes. Thanks to its visual drag & drop editor, you’ll be able to update the slide effortlessly when plans change, adjusting dates, durations, or task orders instantly using just your mouse. If you use a project management application, the add-in can also connect PowerPoint to tools such as Microsoft Project or Excel. Using our free 14-day trial, you can import your existing data from these applications and automatically transform it into an impressive Agile project plan.