Agile project methodology breaks down projects into small pieces-- that is completed in work sessions that run from the initial design phase to testing and quality assurance. These sessions are often called sprints, the term for iteration used in one specific and popular Agile development method known as Scrum.
Sprints are generally short, running over days or weeks; they're typically two to four weeks long.
The Agile methodology enables teams to release segments as they're completed. This continuous release schedule allows for teams to demonstrate that these segments are successful and, if not, to fix flaws quickly. The belief is that this helps reduce the chance of large-scale failures because there is continuous improvement throughout the project lifecycle.
Agile teams build rapid feedback, continuous adaptation and QA best practices into their iterations.
They adopt practices such as continuous deployment (CD) and continuous integration (CI), using technology that automates steps to speed up the release and use of products.
Additionally, Agile Project Management calls for teams to continuously evaluate time and cost as they move through their work. They use velocity, burndowns burnup charts to measure their work, instead of Gantt Charts and project milestones to track progress.
Agile Project Management does not require the presence or participation of a project manager. Although a project manager is essential for success under the traditional project-delivery methodologies, such as the Waterfall model (where the position manages the budget, personnel, project scope, quality, requirements and other key elements), the project manager's role under APM is distributed among team members.