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Lessons Learned Using Agile Methods on Large Defense Contracts
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | McMahon, Paul Systems, Pem |
| Copyright Year | 2006 |
| Abstract | I n a May 2005 CrossTalk article [1], I discussed six agile software development myths and four recommended extensions to apply agile on large distributed projects. Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to work with multiple clients applying agile – or a modified form of agile – on large U.S. defense contracts. In this article, I share what was learned through nine scenarios developed from actual project experiences, along with 22 related lessons learned. As background for those unfamiliar with agile methods, and to set the context for the scenarios, the agile manifesto [2] provides the following four value statements agreed to by the founders of the most popular agile methods: • We value individuals and interactions over processes and tools. • We value working software over documentation. • We value customer collaboration over contract negotiation. • We value responding to change over following a plan. Agile Planning An appealing characteristic of agile software development is its potential to help manage change. A client said to me, " We have good requirements for what we know today, but technology changes fast. I need my contractor to be ready to change direction. " My client's contractor had won the job based on his proposed agile approach. I was asked by my client to assess that approach. The contractor was planning incre-mental deliveries of the refined and allocated requirements along with functional capabilities. I became concerned with the approach based on responses I was getting to one particular question: " What if at the start of the third increment, your customer gives you new priorities and wants to change direction? " The most common response was, " There is no room in our schedule to change direction. We already have too much to do. " I then asked, " What if some things were taken off your current list? " The response was not positive, so I asked my client a similar question. He replied, " I never take anything off the list. " Analysis The first concern is the statement that there is " no room in our schedule to change direction. " Adjusting the plan continually is a fundamental characteristic of agile methods. In Scenario 1, work was partitioned into scheduled blocks called increments , but there was no real plan to adjust the effort, degree of detail, or planned tasks during each increment's detailed planning based … |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/702523/9274682/1288915089210/200605-McMahon.pdf?token=PohN7bc8Nh0CMyqIM3EdXdSdMmo%3D |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://www.crosstalkonline.org/storage/issue-archives/2006/200605/200605-McMahon.pdf |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://www.stsc.hill.af.mil/crosstalk/2006/05/0605mcmahon.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
