Once we get over our wonder at the broad capabilities of software running on modern computers and devices, we begin to ask why so much of the software we use is of questionable quality. Between vulnerabilities to malware and constant updates to correct problems, it seems that software is never stable and reliable. Why?
It’s actually easier to do the right thing
March 26, 2012
The right thing is to plan, organize and execute with long-term results in mind. But nearly every manager is so driven by short-term metrics that they fail to account for longer-term effects of their decisions and actions. As a result, they accomplish less for themselves and for their organizations, making them less effective and less […]
Stranger ways to fail
February 29, 2012
In the last article, I gave three reasons for IT project failure. These are not the only ways to fail! In this article I describe failure modes I’ve seen that are much less conventional – and harder to overcome without serious dedication at the top. Here are the three reasons from last time: They’re not […]
Complexity is good – or is it bad?
December 6, 2011
The next time you hold a complicated piece of consumer electronics in your hand – such as your mobile phone – take a moment to reflect on its complexity and its simplicity. Encapsulating one of these in the other is an art.
Business, Academia, Government – do we have the same problems?
August 10, 2010
Communicating with high-tech people is a challenge. Not only do they speak their own brand of jargon, they also tend to be very literal.
Typically, when the first working model of a new software system is shown to the people who asked for it, their reaction is: “Oh. I see what you have here, but what I really want is something different.”
Ask to be shown a working prototype often, so you can do course-corrections frequently. Prioritize the key features or results you need, and ask for frequent demonstrations of a working system.
Metrics of success in development – Part 2
January 26, 2008
Last time we listed the first three questions of a self-assessment questionnaire for Development managers. Those first three related to project completion, staff turnover, and how well the initial functional or feature list was met. If you are having problems delivering products, most likely you will experience problems in one or more of these initial […]
Metrics of success in development – Part 1
January 26, 2008
How do you find out if your development organization is functioning well? Naturally, if you are getting products out on time, consistently, and the world around you is happy with the results, you have nothing to worry about. But what if there ARE complaints? Can you determine whether you’re hearing gripes that have little to […]
Constant Reinvention = Survival
January 26, 2008
Nothing lasts forever. Even the best-conceived business strategies eventually become constraints on growth. Consider Dell. “Dell succumbed to complacency in the belief that its business model would always keep it far ahead of the pack.” But the competitors got better while Dell failed “to invest in new business lines, talent, or innovation that could provide […]
Loss Leader
January 26, 2008
My colleague Joel Harrison is good at encapsulating learnings from his experience. In 2006, while I was visiting him at his startup company, Abrevity, he said, “You can’t justify a new product based on a cost analysis of the first-generation product. You have to have a vision.” Joel and I had experienced the frustration of […]
Shifting the focus to longer term
January 26, 2008
Startup organizations are typically unsustainable and barely stable, because: 1. The pressures to develop and market a first product require taking some expedient shortcuts, such as hiring the most capable, but not necessarily the most team-oriented individuals; placing all priority on getting a workable product out the door, rather than building the product for maintainability […]