Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Software Project Management - Value over Constraints

Recently I read a book  from Jim Highsmith titled ' Agile Project Management " . This books provides a new perspective to software project management. traditionally, we are used to project management triple constraints and a triangle based upon this(Shown on the left side in the figure below)  . Jim talks about a new PM triangle shown in the right side of the figure below - 

Jim's triangle gives more important to value over constraints. This is highly applicable for SOA project . All SOA project must deliver value at regular interval while meeting quality and constraints requirements .  While managing constraints(Scope, Schedule, Resource)  is important  but delivering value to all stakeholders is more important than just meeting the constraints . The fundamental question is how quickly first time and subsequently , at a regular period ,  a SOA project can deliver 'value with quality'. Quality can not be separated from value . In fact with out quality no value can be delivered .  I strongly recommend Jim's book to any one who is involved with SOA project.  I hope PMI will also adopt this new triangle as it has much more practical value that the earlier triangle. PMI(Project Management Institute, USA which maintain Project Management standard in the for of PMBOK - Project management body of knowledge)  has already dropped the word triple constraints form the standard and have started using the word competing constraints.  Some of the other best practices recommended by Jims are:
  1. Continuous Flow of customer/Stakeholder  value 
  2. Iterative feature based delivery 
  3. focus on value and eliminate waste 
  4. Use just enough methodologies







1 comment:

Unknown said...

Nice article Syed, I had once attended your class on enterprise architecture (through Celtem). please let me know when you are taking the next SOA training
-- Anand Kumar B
(anandkk5@gmail.com)