How to judge whether an IT project success? Many people will blurt out: within budget, on schedule to submit the required range of products to the needs of customers. This prestigious project management triangle (demand scope, schedule, cost) still in use today, most of the software has been the implementation of the objectives of the project. But I always feel that the triangle has a fatal problem: they are in the end is the pursuit of the ultimate goal of the project, or the constraints of project implementation? Value of the project seems to be no clearly reflected in these three metrics in.
Real scene, a lot of projects to achieve the goal of progress unreasonable hard work, a lot of other important things to be ignored, especially not the value of the project to get attention, it seems that the value of this thing with the completion of the target will naturally progress achieved, a such as the National day tribute to a certain project, a big three hundred days after the ribbon-cutting scene in a dark and stormy day, a sudden collapse. Also indulge in some project specific needs items, and items can not see these needs in the end bring any value to users. More than 50% of the basic functions of the software product has not been used user software industry is an indisputable fact. Upon my honor, I even have my phone at least half the features not used. This should be the old adage: Each demand has cost, but not every demand something of value.
"The traditional iron triangle" defined by the three elements of success of the project has two important implicit assumptions.
● define the scope of the project requirements really reflect the real needs of customers, through the use of these requirements, users can realize the value of their target.
● The project plan is correct, means that the error does not match the actual and planned.
Under these two assumptions, and plans will be considered incompatible issues, and project management is to eliminate the deviation plan. Let us seriously think about the above assumptions, it really always correct? Completed on time, within budget, submitted a range of functional requirements necessarily mean that the project is a success? If these three goals are not achieved, the project must be a failure of the project?
Please review your company under the previous release of the product, in these three objectives are well-done product, how many sell well, the company has brought value? How many users do not buy it, the product did not have any positive contribution to the expansion of market share? And not completed on time, does not implement all project phases given the scope of needs, beyond the budget of the project, there is no selling well customers like the product? This one has not brought new opportunities for the company's project?
Two examples illustrate. Assuming that Microsoft's Vista meet these three requirements, you can think that this is a successful project? If you have used this system, I believe your mood, like me, did not throw his own keyboard just because something could not bear. Of course, most should be no opportunity to use this system because it did not take long to launch hung up, Windows 7 quickly replaced. A few years ago, I sat in on year-end management meeting an internationally renowned enterprise IT departments. The meeting chaired by the company CIO is only one issue: how to show a year contribution to the IT department to the board. I saw more than 30% of data is due after the completion of the project with no one, soon stopped maintained. Even if these projects are completed on time, within budget, what significance does it have? Completed projects included a lot of duplicate functions implemented, the cost of these functions how to count it? Do not think this is a big problem to the company, in fact, your company, too, such as the problem exists.
"Titanic" is a domestic audience familiar with the film. Maybe some insider you might not know, it's serious budget beyond (the entire film production costs more than $ 200 million), progress has been postponed, the plot has countless variations adjustment. If the traditional three elements to measure, then this is definitely a very failure of the project. But in the face of global box office of about 20 billion dollars, directors and actors status rocket jump up, you can say that this is a failed film project? Of course, if this movie with "Wolf 2" than the return on investment, total defeat!
"The traditional iron triangle" defined by the three elements of success of the project has two important implicit assumptions.
● define the scope of the project requirements really reflect the real needs of customers, through the use of these requirements, users can realize the value of their target.
● The project plan is correct, means that the error does not match the actual and planned.
Under these two assumptions, and plans will be considered incompatible issues, and project management is to eliminate the deviation plan. Let us seriously think about the above assumptions, it really always correct? Completed on time, within budget, submitted a range of functional requirements necessarily mean that the project is a success? If these three goals are not achieved, the project must be a failure of the project?
Please review your company under the previous release of the product, in these three objectives are well-done product, how many sell well, the company has brought value? How many users do not buy it, the product did not have any positive contribution to the expansion of market share? And not completed on time, does not implement all project phases given the scope of needs, beyond the budget of the project, there is no selling well customers like the product? This one has not brought new opportunities for the company's project?
Two examples illustrate. Assuming that Microsoft's Vista meet these three requirements, you can think that this is a successful project? If you have used this system, I believe your mood, like me, did not throw his own keyboard just because something could not bear. Of course, most should be no opportunity to use this system because it did not take long to launch hung up, Windows 7 quickly replaced. A few years ago, I sat in on year-end management meeting an internationally renowned enterprise IT departments. The meeting chaired by the company CIO is only one issue: how to show a year contribution to the IT department to the board. I saw more than 30% of data is due after the completion of the project with no one, soon stopped maintained. Even if these projects are completed on time, within budget, what significance does it have? Completed projects included a lot of duplicate functions implemented, the cost of these functions how to count it? Do not think this is a big problem to the company, in fact, your company, too, such as the problem exists.
"Titanic" is a domestic audience familiar with the film. Maybe some insider you might not know, it's serious budget beyond (the entire film production costs more than $ 200 million), progress has been postponed, the plot has countless variations adjustment. If the traditional three elements to measure, then this is definitely a very failure of the project. But in the face of global box office of about 20 billion dollars, directors and actors status rocket jump up, you can say that this is a failed film project? Of course, if this movie with "Wolf 2" than the return on investment, total defeat!
So what is the ultimate standard measure of success of the project it? value. Yeah, that's it.
Jim Highsmith proposed the concept of agility iron triangle, he proposed three new targets.
● Value Target: to develop a publishable product. (May Publishing is to give users new actual value)
● Quality objectives: to develop a reliable, easy to change the product.
● constraints goal: to achieve the target values and quality objectives under certain constraints.
The core concept of agile triangle, I very much agree. Its slightly modified following figure shows the new project management triangle. Taking into account differences in different software companies, for example, not every software companies are developing products, where it is necessary to do in-depth explanation of the three goals.
1. + ability to target value
will maximize the value of the project is the dominant factor in project management, different types of projects pursuing value target there will be differences. Its metrics might be:
● to increase sales and market share;
enhance the ● company's brand and competitiveness;
enhance customer loyalty ●;
new opportunities ● Technical innovation brings.
Different types of projects have different value targets, but they have one thing in common, is the value of the project is standing on an organizational point of view rather than a project.
On the other hand, to enhance the combat effectiveness of the staff in the assessment of the project can not be ignored. What is the most valuable community today? - Talent ah! Assume employees through the project, and all of a sophisticated skill, and that the company's status to increase naturally follow.
2. Quality objectives
We should not overlook the contribution of agile quality management, which emphasizes quality not just remove flaws, not just from the practice function correctly. It is very smart proposed the concept of technical debt (technical debt) will maintain its risk index as a late software, and as an important quality criteria iterative development. Agility send great master also put forward a number through effective proven technologies to manage debt, so agility is not only publishable quality objectives (correct function) is also maintainable. In recent years, I will extend the concept of technical debt to the quality of debt, and as a software development process an important management indicators, also explored new ways. Followed by the opportunity, and we will be sharing.
3. Constraints target
constraint mainly target schedule and cost constraints should not be a goal, it is a prerequisite. For example, a rigid schedule requirements, should be understood as the premise of the delivery schedule, the team will realize the greatest value possible.
My reading of the new iron triangle of project management are: under certain constraints, control products use the legacy risks impact on the delivery of products and maintenance personnel concerned to enhance the ability to maximize the project / product value as possible.
The old iron triangle of project management sometimes misguided pursuit of goals, for example, only one-sided pursuit of on-time delivery, but ignored whether the product delivered to customer needs. Donald Reinertsen pointed out that few people consider the cost of delay, he thinks this is a very important measure items. As the name suggests, the cost of delay is a measure of the cost of the product can not be submitted on time. If it is less than the value achieved by the delay function to bring the case, project delays should be a matter of course. If you delay the consequences of the organization can not afford, released a new version of the specified time it is the need to do things. Of course, in this case, demand is often adjustable range of variables.
How to measure the value of the project it? Should see its contribution to their own enterprises, commitment to our customers, as well as contributions to the development of product users. Realize the value of the target necessarily mean that you released a version for customers to solve problems, to achieve a certain software product users demand. Value must be a dominant factor in project management, if worthy, why not delay submission? If you do not add value, not a penny should be put.
The new project management triangle of quality targeted higher software quality requirements. Apparently only the non-compliance by the acceptance test as a target. Quality should be concerned about the negative impact of the project technical risks remaining for customers to use and post-maintenance. If the development team for the pursuit of speed, take a lot of shortcuts, which sometimes can not be implanted hazards discovered by testing. But with the growth of the code, the use of these products will have hidden dangers, especially post-maintenance have a significant negative impact. Sometimes borrow some technical debt is necessary, but these are the need for timely repayment of debt, otherwise they will seriously damage the value of the product. Apply word is familiar to everyone, come out to mix, sooner or later have to repay. In the product development process to effectively manage these technical debt, it should be an important responsibility of the team. Technical debt can also be a variable, an acceptable debt is how much quality objectives and projects should be consistent.
Demand scope, cost and schedule requirements as the project constraints. Implementation of the project must be carried out in a cage Son, we need to develop an understanding of the cage space and freedom. In general, the constraints can measure three degrees: a rigid, partially flexible, flexible. It is absolutely rigid constraints, some flexibility means that there is a certain degree of freedom and flexibility it means more freedom. Sure about this bird cage for their own use space is a key activity of project management.
The new project management triangle requires that we analyze (return oninvestment, ROI) return on investment as a decision-making by managers. If the added investment return is what? It is greater than the return on investment? If you delay, delay what cost? Additional time to complete the work value greater than the cost of delay it? The pursuit of value maximization should be the goal of every project management, but also the basis for all important decisions. Throughout the development process, management decisions should be around to realize the value goals.
Well, all investments must analyze ROI. If not appearance fees as the cost of repairing the outfit more honestly it and drink it at home!
This article is taken "Knowledge and Action: Agile and Lean development of value-driven", finishing retransmission. (Source: Dr. Cong Bin)
