Herding Cats

Deconstructing the Hertz and Accenture Debacle

A recent lawsuit by Hertz Rental Car against Accenture has turned into a rallying cry by Agilest and No Estimates advocates. Of course, No Root Cause analysis has been performed by these advocates, but it makes good click bait for... Read more →

Quote of the Day

People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.... Read more →

Quote of the Day

“As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” — Harrington... Read more →

Quote of the Day

Complex systems usually come to grief, when they do, not because they fail to accomplish their nominal purpose. Complex systems typically fail because of the unintended consequences of their design … I like to think of system engineering as being... Read more →

Quote of the Day

People don't leave jobs, they leave toxic work cultures - Dr. Amina Aitsi-Selmi Read more →

Quote of the Day

“At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child... Read more →

Quote of the Day

Understanding First Principles is the basis of all understanding - Dr. Kaye Remington, PGCS, Canberra Australia, 14 August 2018 Without first principles, immutable first principles actually, any suggested improvement of anything is just wishful thinking uninformed by any governance, boundary... Read more →

Quote of the Day

There’s no limit to how complicated things can get, on account of one thing always leading to another. — E. B. White Read more →

System of Systems and Capability Based Planning

A critical missing component of software development, especially agile software development, and even more especially agile software development is the notion of a System and a System of Systems. The majority of the literature based on traditional and agile development... Read more →

Quote of the Day

Wrong does not cease to be wrong just because the majority share it - Leo Tolstoy When we hear cockamamie ideas being tossed around and lots of supporters of those ideas, and those ideas are clear violations of established principles... Read more →

Quote of the Day

Operational Excellence Through Deliberate Speed! - Mouse Pad text at a National Asset site on my business computer The critical success factor here is deliberate speed. To have deliberate speed we need a Plan that delivers the needed Capabilities, at... Read more →

Risk Management is How Adults Manage Projects

In a recent exchange in social media, it was clear the notion of risk and the sources of risk, the consequences or risks and managing in the presence of risk was in very unclear, when it was conjectured, we can... Read more →

Quote of the Day

But to us, probability is the very guide to life - Bishop Joseph Butler (1756) Read more →

Program Management Office Situational Awareness

I'm starting a new engagement next week at the same place I'm working now. It's for the Program Execution Officer for nearly a Billion $ of construction and operations My colleague, Pat Barker, just released a collection of PMO guides... Read more →