When we hear about not wanting to do something on a project. Say not wanting to estimate cost, schedule, and future performance. Or we don't need to discover the requirements, we'll just start coding and let them emerge, or my favorite planning is a waste of time.
I'm reminded of the domain distinctions between mission critical and enterprise and work focused on self.
In the Mission Critical and Enterprise domain the project participates are the basis of success. The right people, in the right jobm, with clear roles and responsibilities is the basis of success. But the mission is the reason they are doing the work. It's beyond the just the customer. There is a bigger goal. Increase revenue, fly to Mars, enroll people needing health insurance. The mission is the primary reason for the work.
In the Self domain, individuals see their work as self actualizing. It's about me. Doing any work outside that boundary is considered a waste. The favorite waste of course is estimating the work. For the self-focused project that is likely true.
For the mission critical - enterprise project knowing the cost and schedule up front to some degree of confidence is part of governance. The level of confidence depends on the business, the appetite for risk, the value at risk, and many other probabilistic and statistical processes that drive projects.
But when we don't make this distinction, confusion results about the applicability of processes to manage the spend of our customers money. It may be your own money. Or it may be the corporations money. But money is being spent and knowing what governance processes - from None to ITIL V3.1 - is the first place to start
