How Process Improvement is Like Golf

Every time I’ve taken group golf lessons, the pro has started from the grip and gone through stance, swing and the whole works, laying out his best generic way to hit the ball. I recently learned of a golf school that prides themselves on the fact that they start where you are and help you improve the game you’ve already got. I love this!

This is the same approach I find most successful in process improvement work.  Every developer, engineer and organization has things they do well--and, as I firmly believe, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Every organization has pieces of a process, which may not be ideal, but usually suffice for the time-being.

The key to keeping focus and gaining momentum in process improvement initiatives is finding those key leverage points that can make the biggest difference and leaving the rest for later. A golfer can only keep so many tips in their head, and a development organization can only change so many things at once without destroying their productivity.

Thanks for continuing to read. I love getting your comments back. If you have any suggestions for future topics, send them along, and I’ll do my best to cover them.

-Judi

Do Business and Engineering Get Along?

A comment from David B on our recent blogpost on process fanatics got me thinking. He points out that there is often a “dichotomy in point of view and approach between technically focused people and business solutions folk. The more effectively you can get them to ‘walk a mile in each other's shoes’, so to speak, the better the odds of developing technical software solutions that meet--or even exceed--the needs of the end user.” So true!

I’ve been on both sides, and this is definitely apparent. Unfortunately, the solution is not as clear, but I think a respect for what each group brings to the table is a great place to start.

Business people think that engineers often look down on them because they don’t understand all the things the engineers do, and this makes them “stupid,” though in reality, they bring a lot to the table. Who would take that cool technology and turn it into dollars to pay those engineering salaries without all the other functions of a business?

On the other side, business people often think that engineers are putting up unnecessary roadblocks regarding what they can deliver and when. It’s easy to ask for the moon, but it’s not so easy to deliver it. Understanding a bit about the technical challenges of developing a new product would go a long way.

Do any of you work in a company where this problem has been solved or somewhat alleviated? What did you do?

-Judi

Software Design Considerations

In continuation of my content series on software development process I’ve added a video on software design. It talks about important aspects to consider and also issues about designing in an agile methodology.

You can watch it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Xf3EO02E0

Also, I'll be recording some new videos soon. Feel free to suggest a topic you're interested in. Thanks!