Herding Cats

Agile At Scale for Software Intensive Systems

There's a popular notion - and many times wrong - in the agile community that Agile at Scale is an anti-pattern, an oxymoron. I'm here to tell you it's not an anti-pattern, it's a different pattern. It's an important pattern... Read more →

What Does Done Look Like?

One source of project failure in any domain is the failure to have the answer to What Does Done Look Like? The answer to this question has to be in units of measure meaningful to the decision makers. Here's a... Read more →

Thanksgiving

Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have - Charles Dickens Read more →

Estimating Software Intensive Systems

Estimation and the measurements that result are critical success factors for Sofware Intensive Systems. Software development projects exist to design, build, and test products and to provide services from those software systems to customers. These products and there services include... Read more →

Debunking: The Five Laws of Software Estimating

The Five Laws of Software Estimating contains several Bunk ideas. let's look at each of the Five 1. Estimates are a Waste Time spent on estimates is time that isn’t spent delivering value. It’s a zero-sum game when it comes... Read more →

Decision Making in the Presence of Uncertainty

Just back from the Integrated Program Management Workshop in Bethesda MD these week, where the topic of Agile and Earned Value Management occupied 1/3 of the conference speaks and training - I was one speaking and training. I'm current working... Read more →

Immutable Laws of Software Development

A 2013 webinar at Cyber Security & Information Systems Information Analysis Center, presented some Immutable Laws of Software Development. These are worth repeating every time there is a suggestion hat some method or another, or some new and untested idea... Read more →

Immutable Principles of Managerial Finance When Spending Other Peoples Money

One of the primary responsibilities of management is to make decisions during the execution of projects so that gains are maximized and losses are minimized. Decision analysis is critical for projects with built-in flexibility, or options. when these choices operate... Read more →

Misuses a Valid Concept

It's common these days to re-purpose a quote or a platitude from one domain into another and assume it's applicable to the second domain. My favorite recent one is "Layers of redundancy are the central risk management property of natural... Read more →

Veterans Day 2015

For all who have served. For those I know directly in my professional and personal life. For all who have served throughout our United States. Let's celebrate our service. Read more →

Marine Corps Birthday

Having served with Marines, Happy Birthday. Having had Marines on my work teams, Happy Birthday Semper Fi Read more →