Agile Perspectives

I recently attended an Agile Seminar sponsored by RallyDev (a great tool so far as I can tell). Anyways I found it very very informative.

Ordinarily I am never one to drink the proverbial "Kool Aid" but I found their approach to implementing the Agile Methodology as very rational and sound. Yes there was an air of Yoga to it but it was light.

I found the discussions with Israel Gat to be particularly ... profound would be too strong a world but insightful is a much better ring to it. His blog captures alot of what I discussed with him in our break out.

Either way what I took away from the event was that not everyone that does Agile is a "Bible Thumping Zealot" and that the methodology is sound to the point major corporations have leveraged the principles presented in the Agile Manifesto to great success. So for any of those who watch the Dog Whisperer it was an opportunity to see the possibility that it could work, it can be done, and that is very empowering and also encouraging.

It also reminded sadly how far away my current organization is from truly being Agile or even following the precepts of Agile to realize any of the economies of scale that the panelists are extolling and challenging us to meet.

But if everything is an iteration then we are a few more iterations away from having a shiny agile implementation. Here's to the next release.

-Optimal Optimus

Communication Discipline

Communication

So abused a word. There are so many aphorisms that exist stressing its importance, its rarity, etc.

Here's the deal for me. Communication happens all the time. When we talk, email, text, blog, twitter, even when we don't say anything. The problem is that people do not realize that their communication doesn't always make sense to everyone that sees it. I am guilty as anyone in this regard.

I am of the opinion that as project managers we should be the best communicators on the deck. My preferred comm style is to be as unvarnished and concise as possible, this more often than not does not help me win friends, but what it does help me do is illustrate issues that need to be addressed. Format and spacing and whether or not you put a little ":)" in it never come into play.

Why so hard? Doesn't the more bees with honey adage apply? No. Here's the reason why and its an inflamatory statement but that's ok I have a thick skin.

Communication requires some sort of mutual understanding, typically the understanding is centered around a shared vision or goal or something that the one or both participants can agree upon or desire. The more simple and easily articulated the goal the more likely mutually beneficial outcomes come to fruition. Sounds easy right?

Here's the rub. As PM's we are often in the difficult position of trying to establish communication channels, plans, responses etc. We are charged to do this with team members with vastly different experience sets, agendas, and perspectives. What one participant understand can be vastly different than the other. It is imperative that the PM and stakeholders are clear and succinct to identify the mutually agreeable goal. Why do you ask? If there is no discipline and understanding of how difficult communication and collaboration is the team will tear itself apart trying to come to a resolution.

Communication Discipline - adhereing to a code of conduct typically "taught" or "trained" in regard to communicating with others.

If someone was taught that 5000 emails a day was status quo and that was the extent of their discipline then it is exponentially difficult to get those individuals to do something else or communicate with them that there are alternatives to their current level of communication discipline.

Repetition, patience and working on clarifying goals become the only effective means to improving the situation.

-Optimal Optimus