Software in Kilograms

Software is by far different than tomatoes!

Software development depends heavily on the following factors:

Requirements clarity
Business complexity
Client maturity
Team understanding for the requirements
Team experience
Team productivity
People mood
Technology
Aiding tools availability
Company processes and strategy

Any of these factors or the combination of these factors can heavily impact the project and its estimate. I am not saying that we cannot estimate projects, I am saying that we cannot estimate accurately, and even if the estimate is accurate, given other circumstances, the same estimate may not be accurate.

The major difference between Software and other merchandises is that Software cannot really be measured. There were and are many efforts and theories trying to quantify Software and measure it, yet there is nothing accurate. Software can be measured by complexity, lines of code, effort, features, points… too many theories and models, yet none of them suggested measuring Software in Kilograms!

Grocery Model

Given the fact that no 2 developers with the same skill set and years of experience can develop the exact same application using the same requirements, clients don’t trust/believe the time and cost plans vendors provide for their projects and they always bargain these plans and push on vendors to reduce the cost and shorten the time duration whether it is acceptable and achievable or not.

Clients bargain as if they are at the grocer’s choosing tomatoes for dinner! They bargain as if they understand how Software is made. Unfortunately, many PMs allow their clients to behave in such a shaming manner and also encourage them to do so by the unethical tricks they use to manage projects and clients. Some PMs abuse their clients and use the intangibility of Software as a double edge weapon which the client can also use to fire back on vendors.

These PMs introduced the Grocery Model in the field of Software Development. The model is simple in definition, and at the same time very difficult to apply. The model totally depends on the bargaining power and negotiation skills, it has nothing to do with actual Software Development, processes or the proposed effort and cost.

The Grocery Model is driving the Software field into an abyss of no creativity and no serious work. This model empowers the Hit & Run concept and destroys vendors differentiators, reputation, and long term relationships where all parties benefit from the work done and produce good Software.

Comments

5 Reasons not to listen to a PM (for Managers)

Usually a PM cares about his projects and is keen to develop them as per the planned budget, time and scope. However, managers should not listen to their PMs for the following reasons: 1. PMs are Time Wasters PMs plan… They study and mitigate risks and project issues in proper ways to guarantee the smooth execution of the project. Planning is a bad practice that PMs should stop using and referring to whenever they discuss a project related issue. Plans are not really needed and in most of the times they are useless because no one follows them (all gratitude and respect reserved for PJs). Also, it is preferable to face risks when they fire. Anyways, who really cares for risk mitigation and contingency stuff! Let’s face surprises when they arise and use panic mode to push on teams to solve their issues! 2. PMs Forecast PMs track their projects and use trends, issues, project and client historical data to forecast project status and use corrective actions properly to maintain thei...

RPM Technique

I once used a very weird technique with my team to get things done in a short duration in a project that was very far away from being on schedule… For a while I’ve been asking my team for their progress, following up heavily and on daily basis, staying late with them in the office and sometimes staying till the next morning (online from home), trying to dig deeper by developing and testing with them…. And still we were very late in achieving any of our internal milestones… By time, I was empathizing them and I was trying my best to reduce the effect of the pressure under which they were put for a long time. We started a weekly game competition with some funny yet work-related rules, amongst which was “ each member in a sub-team should finish his work before the day of the competition ”… it went fine for about 3 weeks, then the situation became worse… and we all stopped participating in the competition… I then tried another technique… I started buying them either lunch or dinner in ...

To PMP or not to PMP?!

That is the question! As implied by its name PMP (Project Management Professional), to obtain such a certificate you should be a professional in the field of Project Management… To my surprise, almost 95% of the people I met holding this certificate know nothing about Project Management!! They think that studying for this certificate and obtaining it means they are professional, although they should be professional to deserve such a certificate. I understand that one of the prerequisites to get this certificate is to have some practical experience in the Project Management field. But for some odd reason, I discovered that the people I am talking about, which are a majority in the field now, don’t really have experience, some of them are even fresh graduates… I once had a very aggressive argument with a “ kid ” in my team, and by the word “ kid ” I am referring to his age and his attitude in despising my knowledge and experience due to his ignorance, he was very aggressive and arrogant...

A Project Manager's Diary

Search This Blog