Re: [AM] Article of Interest in CIO Magazine

[email protected] wrote:

> In a message dated 3/8/2004 12:49:11 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
> [email protected] writes:
> 
>     I don't understand any of this. To seem to think that I am a
>     traditionalist or something. I am not; I am an Agile practitioner and
>     have been for a few years.
> 
> In viw of the cogent and well-thought-out comments that you have 
> contributed to this forum in the past, what would give you impression 
> that i considered you a "traditionalist"? 

It was the only way I could understand the comments you'd made. I didn't 
know whether you'd simply misconstrued things I'd written earlier.

 > If that's the message you took
> from my post, I apologize. I intended no offense. 

I would say more confusion than offence.

> Of course, if they were able to deliver a solution as simply, 
> easily and quickly as they describe, why are they not doing it?

Right. My most recent experiences have been unusually good: I have 
described my approach essentially like so --

1. Every two weeks we're going to decide what to do for the next two 
weeks, based on what's important to you, how quickly we're going and 
whether we got right what you have asked for so far.
2. You are responsible for deciding what we build, although we'll help 
as much as you want with that.
3. We are responsible for telling you how long it's going to take and 
you can use that to decide priorities.
4. The more you participate, the better the product will be.
5. At the end of any two-week period, if you don't like the way things 
are going, then please fire me/us.

I'm not afraid to walk away from prospective clients who can't 
understand these simple principles. I admit that that is not a common 
situation for people -- and yes, at some point, I'm going to have to 
"cave in," but that's just an issue of being a good businessman: if you 
don't have multiple income streams and a reasonable pile of cash in the 
bank, then you don't have options.

I should mention that most of my clients /really/ like point #5. It has 
taken me a long time to learn how to phrase that well, and in its 
current incarnation, it elicits a very positive response.

Take care.
-- 
J. B. Rainsberger,
Diaspar Software Services
http://www.diasparsoftware.com :: +1 416 791-8603
Let's write software that people understand

For more information about AM, visit the Agile Modeling Home Page at www.agilemodeling.com
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