Herding Cats

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 →

Compendium of Works to Increase Probability of Project Success

Here's a collection of presentations, briefings, journal and conference papers, essays, book content used to increase the Probability of Project Success (PoPS) I've written and applied over my career in the software-intensive system of systems and other domains. These materials... 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 →

Vietnam War Veterans Day - A Real Story

Yesterday was National Vietnam War Veterans Day. I served in Vietnam from August 1969 to August 1970. This story (an actual one, with photos from my scrapbook), it's meant to honor those who have served and still serve our nation.... Read more →

What's Missing from the Agile Software Development Paradigm

Agile software development is framed by a manifesto, a set of 12 principles, several methods. These are all focused on developing software, delivering that software to those paying the developers. There is a fundamental critical success factor missing from this... Read more →

Quote of the Day

Just as there is no loss of basic energy in the universe, (1st law of thermodynamics) so no thought or action is without its effects, present or ultimate, seen or unseen, felt or unfelt. ― Norman Cousins Read more →

National Vietnam War Veterans Day

There are 6.4 million living Vietnam veterans and 9 million families of those who served in Vietnam., either in-country, in-theater, or stationed elsewhere during the Vietnam War period - between November 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975. I served in... Read more →

Quote of the Day

“The important question about methods is not ‘how’ but ‘why’” - Tukey Read more →

Agile for Project Managers

I rarely republish other blogs or presentations. But this one is timeless and needs to be restated at every opportunity. I've corresponded with John over the years. Here's the presentation. As well but John's books. Here's the one we use... Read more →

Quote of the Day

The course of conflict is not determined by the person who initiates but by the person who responds. Said by Duncan, in the third episode, "Silent Symphony" of the first season of the Amazon series "Mozart in the Jungle" and... Read more →

Quote of the Day

Expert judgment is typically the crux of cost and schedule estimates but in the spectrum of the risk management process, quantification of expert judgment is the weakest area - Fred Raymond, Acquistion Review Quarterly - Spring 199., pp. 147-154 Making... Read more →