Value, Scope and Change Requests Change requests are part of any development project. Change requests are sometimes necessary as we learn by building and doing the work. In my experience, change requests often are born from requirements we thought we understood, only to learn by working with the product or system that we really did […]
Instead of No Estimates Instead of no estimates, we should consider adjusting our approach to estimates that eliminate the abuse, and still allows for the answers to the business questions, “does this project improve our bottom line” allowing the business to determine if the company really wants to undertake the project, and if so, do […]
Fit Small Business posting on Top 27 Company Culture Ideas from the Pros. Check out our contribution. The manager must demonstrate what is the epitome of the expected culture. It helps to be egalitarian regarding power in the organization. Your job title should not dampen the discussion or the ideas from the team. I have […]
Having the plan is only partially helpful. The list of test cases and the expected rate of accomplishment allows us to refine our estimates as we progress through the testing. We will be in a position to provide the project manager and stakeholders with a better “ETA” (Estimated Time of Arrival) just like the GPS […]
We take a break from our requirements management run for this blog. I was talking to an executive about some training for his organization. He wanted the training to focus on action, on doing (he, in fact, said do, do, do). He emphasized this very clearly and repeatedly, the action portion of continuous improvement. This […]
Imagine, a story based on true events. This is not John Lennon’s Imagine. Imagine you are an executive and you are sitting down to your early morning breakfast with the daily paper. As you read the paper, you find an article about your company and you are stunned. The article is not a flattering article […]
I want to start off by saying; I am not affiliated with any political party. There are some key principles by which I behave, but I do not think any one party has a monopoly on good. In fact, if anything, I believe both parties have a monopoly on bad. I also know the […]
This is the second part of our onboarding writing. We have seen many opportunities for growth and development in this area. In fact, the onboarding process is where those who know little about us, how we work and what we value, are guided toward a fit in our organization. Our candidate selection and vetting process […]
The Emissions Tango There is so much to learn from this case for those who develop products for a living and automotive products in particular. Understanding the impact of concept selection and testing of the product on the project’s success and product quality is important. The early decisions we make regarding the development of the […]
Optimism is a Kind of Blindness Perhaps it is because I have seen the word optimism abused that I say optimism is a kind of blindness. Optimism like hope is used to justify our limited planning and reduced talent. Through optimism, we encourage troops to charge across a field that will surely end in their […]