I agree, agile and scrum are the way to go.... However, this is not just a term for no specifications and an open ended project.
This methodology requires a commitment of time and effort by all parties, most importantly a dedicated person from the business tied to the project who has a stake in the project, not just a BA or someone who cannot directly or quickly make decisions about what direction or priorities the project should take. This person, is responsible for seeing that the project delivers what the business requires quickly and iteratively...therefore lessoning any chance that is does not deliver what and when. If this happens then the project will deliver what the business requires when it is completed. (at least that phase). This in contrast to a lot off waterfall style projects where the business does not often know what they need, at least in detail and so a spec is just a best guess. If not then it will take a very long time to get it 99% accurate with no payback for the business, (it will never be 100% unless the project is very simple). Consequently, there will always change control issues, debate about who should pay for the change etc...very unproductive...as well as a BA who is acting as a translator between IT and the business. While a spec, might be technical documentation, it requires a lot of effort on the part of everyone to write it but more importantly to maintain it going forward...as I find when the going gets tough and time and money is short...documentation is the first to go, a decision made by who is paying the bills not anyone elses...This is where agile and scrum come to the fore...however it does require a culture change within the entire organization to that of a shared partnership between all parties striving for the betterment of the business rather than a confrontational approach which a formal spec signoff/ contract represents... My 2 cents. > -----Original Message----- > From: u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org [mailto:u2-users- > boun...@listserver.u2ug.org] On Behalf Of Brenda Price > Sent: Thursday, 15 October 2009 8:31 a.m. > To: U2 Users List > Subject: Re: [U2] Unibasic: Sample Program > > Well, when our company gets this fully implemented. You can count over > 250 Highlander's Immortals on the list! > > Seriously, check out "agile" and "scrum", it is interesting. > > Brenda L Price > UniVerse Programmer > Rapid Response Team > Market America, Inc. > Greensboro, NC > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org [mailto:u2-users- > > boun...@listserver.u2ug.org] On Behalf Of Susan Lynch > > Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 3:26 PM > > To: U2 Users List > > Subject: Re: [U2] Unibasic: Sample Program > > > > Ah, it must be lovely to know that you will live forever and will > never > > become ill or incapable of working... Eventually, if the company > does > > not > > go out of business, or their business needs change so much that all > > your > > code is obsolete, somebody else will have to figure out how the > system > > works. > > > > A good spec turns into good documentation, which (properly maintained > > through all the ensuing changes to the system for the changing needs > of > > the > > users, of course) is a blessing to the person who follows you. > > > > Sounds like we have at least 2 of Highlander's Immortals on the list! > > ;-) > > > > Susan Lynch > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Brutzman, Bill" <bi...@hkmetalcraft.com> > > To: "U2 Users List" <u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org> > > Sent: 10/14/2009 3:20 PM > > Subject: Re: [U2] Unibasic: Sample Program > > > > > > > > > > John's world is similar to my world here. When I realized that I > > would > > > be the only person reading the specs, I stopped writing to myself. > > At > > > the risk of no longer being a professional dinosaur, I learned that > > some > > > people call it "agile". > > > > > > Check out... Eckhart Tolle's book "The Power of Now". > > > > > > --B > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > U2-Users mailing list > > > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org > > > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > U2-Users mailing list > > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org > > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > _______________________________________________ > U2-Users mailing list > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > _______________________________________________ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
