Four principles of software development
September 1, 2009
Most authors want there to be four of these and three of those, and I’m no different. In thinking through implementing software projects over the last 15 years, four principles have emerged that prove remarkably predictive of success with a particular vendor or client. These principles are:
- Predictability
- Understanding
- Productivity
- Quality
So here are some definitions: predictability is the ability for a vendor, partner, or person to deliver what is promised; understanding is the ability to achieve a shared language around value; productivity is the ability to deliver functionality in time (and therefore value); and quality is the ability of the final product to meet the business objectives defined for the project.
The bottom line? focusing on these principles can elevate likelihood of project success. It can help you put a name to the aspects of a project that are most important to you and your criteria of value, and it can help identify problem areas.
Here is how you can help: is one of these principles more important to you than others? I’d like to know! Stay tuned for more in-depth looks at each of them.
September 22, 2009 at 11:18 am
[...] the teasers: how does the issue relate to organizational mission? how will the issue improve Predictability, Understanding, Productivity, or [...]
October 2, 2009 at 3:54 pm
[...] to your internal measures for success. I recommend thinking about these along the lines of Predictability, Understanding, Productivity, and Quality, as you can see in some of my other [...]
October 5, 2009 at 12:26 pm
[...] a fixed cost contract is the difficulty we have managing change. Done right, fixed cost establishes Predictability and manages risk. Thought about incorrectly, fixed cost leads us predictably into the land of the [...]