The world is
uncertain. Software development is uncertain. Decisions
still need to be made, and the organization that makes the best decisions
thrives. Software in 30 days provides solid, actionable
information about what is happening at least every 30 days. Each iteration is a
constrained gamble. Almost without fail, the team is able to develop some software of value. Even in the worst case,
where the team doesn't deliver anything, they have delivered valuable
information about what is and isn't possible.
Primavera based in
Philadelphia and now owned by Oracle, develops project management software. The software is used to manage predictive process
projects. The founders were aware of the irony that they had to use empirical software processes to build their predictive
tools. However, to solve their problems, they had to resort to it.
You have to have a firm grasp of the
real facts to make a solid decision. The data or information you base your
decision on must be transparent and clearly understood. In empirical software development, the increment is the
clear and transparent information that decisions are based on.
People must feel safe to have crucial
conversations, to openly express what they think and feel, and to collaborate
with others without reprisal or harm. These conversations are the heart of
empiricism. Many workplaces are unsafe. Political agendas and hidden purposes
pervert transparency. A manager's biggest job is to create a safe workplace,
where people respect one another and feel safe to do their best, whatever that
is.
The
people on the teams who are doing the work are the people best equipped to
figure out how to do it. That thought runs counter to most management
teachings. A manager is supposed to set a goal, figure out how to accomplish
it, and then get people to follow that plan. However, then everyone is
constrained to the experience, insights, and intelligence of the manager as
they work.
If
the people doing the work are free to devise what to do, they can adapt to the
circumstances, to the realities they face. They can share ideas and expertise
to come up with the best solutions. They then try an approach, and if it
doesn't work, they can try something else. This is self-organization. It
applies the collective intelligence of all of the people on the team. They are
not constrained to the manager's thinking and are free to do their best work.
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