http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2005/12/make-process-independent-of-people.html Management, especially good management, is hard to do. This blog is for people who want to think about how they manage people, projects, and risk. Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:29:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2005/12/make-process-independent-of-people.html#comment-245 Dave Nicolette Mon, 09 Jan 2006 23:07:15 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/?p=8094#comment-245 IMO management consultant Lisa Haneberg has <a href="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/management_craft/2006/01/owners_not_groa.html">an answer for Rick's question</a>. I think his comments imply additional questions about his organization. How can it be that developers don't have time to do their work? Who is setting the timelines for them? Who says 'phase-gates' etc. even work? Industry analysis groups like the Standish Group consistently find IT projects fail in the range of 70% to 85% of the time. Doesn't that suggest 'process control' may be the problem rather than the solution? Isn't that the main reason the Agile movement got started in the first place? Agile project teams don't avoid planning or documentation altogether. It's a question of emphasis. The end product is not a plan or a document, it's working software that meets the customer's needs. Plans and documents are only interim artifacts, and they are only valuable if they help the developmen team produce the real product. IMO management consultant Lisa Haneberg has an answer for Rick’s question.
I think his comments imply additional questions about his organization.
How can it be that developers don’t have time to do their work? Who is setting the timelines for them?
Who says ‘phase-gates’ etc. even work? Industry analysis groups like the Standish Group consistently find IT projects fail in the range of 70% to 85% of the time. Doesn’t that suggest ‘process control’ may be the problem rather than the solution? Isn’t that the main reason the Agile movement got started in the first place?
Agile project teams don’t avoid planning or documentation altogether. It’s a question of emphasis. The end product is not a plan or a document, it’s working software that meets the customer’s needs. Plans and documents are only interim artifacts, and they are only valuable if they help the developmen team produce the real product.

]]> http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2005/12/make-process-independent-of-people.html#comment-244 Johanna Tue, 06 Dec 2005 01:53:39 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/?p=8094#comment-244 i have will please read who / popkle doing huh you is later why talk what? i have will please read who / popkle doing huh you is later why talk what?

]]> http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2005/12/make-process-independent-of-people.html#comment-243 Rick Martin Fri, 02 Dec 2005 20:33:30 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/?p=8094#comment-243 The issue I have is that in general, people would avoid planning or documentation altogether when left to their own devices. How do we manage the resources without falling back on phase-gates or other tools. Too many times I have heard good developers tell me they don't have time to document or plan, they have to code then when the project blows up 3 months latter, they blame it on not being given the time to plan or design. It seems like a smoke screen at times. I feel the project team is responsible for delivering on reasonable milestones and there has to be a mechanism to audit the process so what alternatives do we have? The issue I have is that in general, people would avoid planning or documentation altogether when left to their own devices. How do we manage the resources without falling back on phase-gates or other tools. Too many times I have heard good developers tell me they don’t have time to document or plan, they have to code then when the project blows up 3 months latter, they blame it on not being given the time to plan or design. It seems like a smoke screen at times. I feel the project team is responsible for delivering on reasonable milestones and there has to be a mechanism to audit the process so what alternatives do we have?

]]> http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2005/12/make-process-independent-of-people.html#comment-242 Chris Thu, 01 Dec 2005 21:53:32 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/?p=8094#comment-242 Thanks for this. Once again, this paints a nice picture of a solution for me. My Management has the freaking "Crazy Schedule Button" Duct Tapped to the console!! Thanks for this. Once again, this paints a nice picture of a solution for me.
My Management has the freaking “Crazy Schedule Button” Duct Tapped to the console!!

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