Managing a Product Backlog when there is only one development team in an organization creating one solution at a time is relatively straight forward. However, large enterprises have multiple development teams creating a multitude of solutions with interdependencies between them. Managing product backlogs in these situations becomes very tricky, especially when it comes to prioritizing […]
Tag: scope control
Using Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and Features in Project Success Measurements
As I pointed out in a prior post on project success measurements, overall project success and the success of the related IT development effort can be mutually exclusive of each other. A business can achieve the objectives for a certain initiative regardless of whether the related IT effort succeeds or not. Similarly, an IT initiative […]
Front-End Engineering Design for Software Development
In my last blog post, I discussed how including larger factors of safety in our requirements estimation and design might help give business analysts the breathing room they need when unexpected scope/features pop up in a project. Another interesting aspect of engineering design that could be incorporated in some way into software development is called […]
Scope Control Never Ends
I’m working with a group that is trying institute good process. A lot of the team is new, and they all have various backgrounds. A developer came up to me the other day and proudly announced that he had coded something that was on the roadmap for a future release, but out of scope for […]
Minimum Viable…. Baby? Managing Scope Creep for a New Bundle of Joy
My husband and I are kicking-off a new and exciting project in our personal lives; having a baby. However, while embarking on what might be called the “Envisioning” or “Planning” phase of the project (aka being pregnant), I’ve found that many of the skills I’ve learned as a business analyst here at ArgonDigital translate into […]
Software Requirements Meets Real Life: “Getting Rid of Clutter” is Like Cutting Scope
Normally, “taking work home with you” is considered to be a negative thing, proof that your work-life balance is out of whack. However, lately I’ve noticed that the things I learn and do at work are affecting my personal life, and not in a bad way. As a requirements analyst, one of the most important […]
Business Objectives in Requirements Engineering
I have recently started working on a new project, and we recently held our kick off meeting for the effort. One of the standard items to review is the project summary, which is usually a couple of short statements on what the project is all about. Since I was aware that most of the subject […]
Using Business Objectives to Kill Scope and Launch Better Products Tonight at Austin PMI
We are speaking tonight at Austin PMI. Our own Betsy Stockdale, Senior Product Manager is presenting. “Using Business Objectives to Kill Scope and Launch Better Products” Summary: Business Objectives are the measurable results a business desires to achieve when executing a project. They can be used to ensure that everything developed in the project contributes […]
Scope Management: The Pitfalls of Steering vs. Managing Scope for Software Requirements
When defining software requirements we often have to walk the tight rope of balancing the desires of multiple business stakeholders with the budget and resource limitations of IT and support. The person managing the requirements often becomes the mediator, taking in input from all sides and using that information to guide the team to a […]
Out of Scope Out of Mind
Be wary the out of scope feature pile. Sure it is a quick and easy way to kill off an entire new project’s worth of work, but did you kill it the right way? Make sure that when moving requirements to an out of scope status that the reasons for the decision are recorded and […]
What is the Value of that Feature?
Alright. You’ve just identified the features that your client doesn’t need going forward, the ones they can hold off on for now, and the ones that have to be implemented with the project. How did you come to that conclusion? Were all the different group’s champions in a room with you giving the thumbs up […]
Indeed, Why Bother?
In his post Why Bother?, Mike A. used an interesting example. He questioned whether or not it was worth the effort to make a bed. He concluded it was. I disagree with one of his reasons, “it’s the right thing to do”. Here are two reasons to make the bed: To keep the sheets clean, […]