Re: XP, Requirements & Selling Organizational Change

--- In [email protected], "davehane" <davehane@i...> 
wrote:

Per my word ... 

Meeting with CTO was interesting.  He bought into the "Agile" 
of "Agile Software Development" -- not "Software Development."  In 
other words he's not willing to consider his business a software 
development business.  He's articulated a component architecture 
vision that has his people building apps by assembling componenets.  
That's why he likes "Agile."  He wasn't specific about how he was 
going to create/build his components.  So ... he was kind of a dead 
end.  

Through another channel, I subsequently connected with one of his 
direct reports.  This director was receptive to ASD and XP.  He then 
hooked me up with a person in charge of "methodology."

We met and she's a big fan of RUP (and not dX).  Her group is making 
a recommendation at the end of June to the CTO about how to proceed.  
So I have 1.5 months to convince her that an ASD will yield 
a "better" process than RUP for how this company builds software. 

I'm also planning to call high on the business unit president.  He 
has a lot of pain around an ongoing implementation that is going 
horribly. He and his COO are on daily conference calls with their 
customers, so I suspect they may be receptive to my message.  

That's the short update.  Am interested in any comments/feedback.  



> --- In [email protected], "Bill Walton" 
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> Thank you.  That's very useful information.  I'll be sure to post 
my 
> progress to this group. 
> 
> David 
> 
> > In addition to Glen's excellent advice,  I'd suggest you know 
even 
> more
> > about how the Sales group operates and is compensated before 
> opening the
> > conversation with them.  Glen has implemented XP within an 
envelope 
> that
> > still utilizes the up-front requirements definition process.  
This 
> may not
> > be pure XP, but it delivers many of the benefits and opens the 
door 
> to more
> > change in the future.  Hope you'll keep us posted on your 
progress!
> > 
> >  Best regards,
> > Bill
> > 
> > 
> > Glen B. Alleman wrote:
> > 
> > 
> > > Dave, just some short comments ...
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: davehane
> > > >
> > > > --- In [email protected], "Alleman, Glen B."
> > > > <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > (1) What is the felt need for moving from where ever you 
are 
> now to
> > > > XP?
> > > >
> > > > Need?  Who said anything about need?  :^)
> > > >
> > > > Ok, I'm consulting for this client as a QA person on one 
> particular
> > > > implementation though I've had my share of development 
> experience
> > > > (all in traditional SDLC projects).
> > > >
> > > > Since I'm really a mole, I've been able to observe their 
> processes
> > > > from a distance.  The term "death march" is apropos.  I've 
seen 
> poor
> > > > quality software, 72 hour work weeks, budget overruns and some
> > > > unhappy employees.
> > > >
> > > > All in all I view this as an "opportunity" to help a client 
> adopt a
> > > > process that will allow them to create higher quality 
software 
> in
> > > > less time with fewer resources - and won't wreak havoc on the 
> people
> > > > doing so.  Eventually I also see the client as being able to 
> take
> > > > advantage of "better process" in their outbound marketing.
> > >
> > > [>] I'd suggest some type of assessment of what the problem is 
> before
> > jumping into the solution. XP provides many solutions to specific 
> types of
> > problems, but not all problems. Here are some problems types:
> > >
> > > (1) Skill sets - do the developers have the skills to produce 
> high quality
> > code.
> > > (2) Development environment - is there sufficient understanding 
> of the
> > core coding practices - CM, testing, core design processes, core 
> team work
> > processes, for building code.
> > > (3) Product life cycle - is this a high rate of requirements 
> change
> > environment - good for XP. How are requirements (for the service)
> > articulated? Are there resources for the core XP processes - 
> dedicated
> > customer, feedback cycles, etc.?
> > >
> > > > > (2) What is the level of maturity of the current processes? 
> E.g.
> > > > are there processes in place or is this an ad hoc development 
> org?
> > > >
> > > > They have a formal development methodology, though being on 
the 
> QA
> > > > side I am one step removed from the particulars.
> > >
> > > [>] It'd be good to know which one? RUP? Home grown?
> > >
> > > > > (3) Are the practices of XP "understood" to any extent by 
the
> > > > management? E.g. do they have a clue about the concept of 
> process
> > > > improvement and the issues associated with improving software
> > > > development processes?
> > > >
> > > > I don't know what their understanding of is of XP or any 
other 
> Agile
> > > > methodology, nor do I have a good feeling (yet) for their
> > > > understanding of process improvement work.  As far as 
improving
> > > > software development processes go, that's an interesting 
> question.
> > > > The new CTO has
> > > > identified that they continously re-invent the wheel.  He is
> > > > attempting to build a common framework on which they can 
begin 
> to
> > > > base future applications.  That fact coupled with my pressing 
> the ASD
> > > > issue helped me win a dinner meeting with him next week.
> > >
> > > [>] as the public speaking classes advise - known your audience.
> > >
> > > > The CTO has a development background.  Plus I called on him 
in a
> > > > former life.  So that's why I said that I felt confident about
> > > > selling ASD to him.
> > > >
> > > > Culturally the company doesn't see itself in the software 
> development
> > > > business.  They only see themselves as a purveyor of a 
> service.  The
> > > > fact that they build custom software for each program they 
sell 
> seems
> > > > to be something of a curiousity, as in "why wouldn't we do it 
> that
> > > > way?"  This is what makes me nervous about introducing 
something
> > > > new.
> > > >
> > > > > (4) What is it about XP that attracted you to start there?
> > > >
> > > > Not sure that I understand this question.  If you mean why do 
I 
> think
> > > > XP is of value to them, it's because of the end product -- 
> higher
> > > > quality software that does what is needed (or has the most 
> business
> > > > value), etc.
> > >
> > > [>] Why XP? Why not Scrum? DSDM? RUP?
> > >
> > > > Does this help?
> > > >
> > > > > Glen B. Alleman
> > >
> > >
> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > > extremecustomering-unsubscribe-hHKSG33TihhbjbujkaE4pw@public.gmane.org
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to 
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> > >
> > >
> > >


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