Software Process Improvement Network
(A-SPIN)
Organization Agility through Product Patterns & Agile Methods, by Jeff Smith, Titan Professional Services
To view Jeff Smith's October SPIN presentation, please click here.
Presentation Overview:
Agile methods are about becoming iteration-centric, lightweight, and fast... versus traditionally managed and controlled. Tom Peters, the management guru, suggested that most control is an illusion. The number of failed software projects helps us arrive at the same conclusion... Maybe we can't totally plan and control in the face of so much complexity. And programmers have long wished for approaches with less "baggage".
Agile methods are more programmer-oriented and about fast but solid turns on modest releases, closing the customer feedback loop, and reducing overhead. They depart from traditional methods somewhat... Gaant charts often go away, for instance. But do they work? If they do, why? How? And can we get there(agile) from here? Should we?
Opportunity also lies in software patterns. Product line approaches, tools, software that writes software - can make the developer much more productive and the quality more repeatable. Object-oriented programming was supposed to allow for great code re-use... but this is only true if we go further than a few obvious and mediocre low-level objects and libraries in our design efforts.
The CMM places optimizing later in the progression in software process improvement. But much optimization can be realized early. Between use of agile processes and leverage of software patterns, we might see the cycle-times and quality we seek. One question... Can you really change organizationally enough to pull it off? Because this isn't just about how you write code.
This presentation surveys agile methods, and opportunities that lie in product and software patterns. It addresses organizational trade-offs and challenges. The listener will have some new ideas to chew on and the daring organization may find new ways to operate.
About the Speaker:
Jeff Smith has worked many roles(Software Architect, Team Lead, Project Manager, Process Advisor, Developer, Release Manager) in large companies and fast-paced startups. Jeff has over 20 years experience in technology, initially taking his BSEE on the road as a hardware designer with LTV Aerospace & Defense, Recognition Equipment, and Amdahl Communications. After some graduate work in Computer Science and Organizational Behavior, he moved to Austin(1989) and redirected his career toward software development and process, working at Dell Computer, Trilogy, IBM, the Texas Attourney Generals Office, Journee Software, Expresiv Technologies, and Titan Professional Services.
Jeff lives in Austin, Texas with his male Akita and short-haired grey tabby, a huge drumset, a few odd plants, and too many books.