Project

This is the refrain heard from almost every software team when some sort of management process is being considered. The goal is, of course, to avoid what I assume software people believe is an assault on their independence and freedom or perhaps merely a desire to make the bean counting process nerds go away.

While this approach achieves these goals, it has some unfortunate side affects. First, it keeps software project management somewhat retarded and isolated as Glen Alleman points out in his article about the "Not So New Paradigm". Second, it avoids capturing data to know if something is better or not so there is no way of knowing if any one of the "Not So New Paradigm"s are actually working.

The interesting thing is that this ploy usually does succeed, because after all software IS different, or at least sort of different, at least as different from manufacturing as say construction is, which is to say that it is not all that very different in some major aspects, but does have important distinguishing characteristics... When you look closely enough at things they are all different.

The point I'm trying to make here, and one which at least to me is not coming across clearly so far so I'm going to boil it down in this last paragraph, is that for endeavors such as managing a project the approach should be to look first for common ground - look at general classes of problems and their solutions. Then look at ways those solutions can be applied to the specific circumstances. The software people are right, one size does not fit all, but that does not excuse a team for walking around naked. Find a tailor or do it yourself. And be careful not to end up like a certain famous emperor.