Rob Drysdale blogs about a session he attended:
Mike Gorman gave an interesting presentation about some of the problems that can happen on a project when it is not properly managed or the methodology understood and followed.
First of all, Mike reviewed the various SDLC's that can be followed, namely Waterfall, Spiral, CMMI and Agile. CMMI is not really a methodology by itself, but an audit process to make sure you are following the steps you say you are supposed to. Mike gave a real life example of a project he was involved in where the process was supposed to be Agile. However, the project really followed a Waterfall methodology, but called it Agile simply to avoid the documentation associated with the Waterfall process. The presentation really showed some of the problems that can happen with projects and how they can fail based on the people involved and how they are managed.
On a personal note, Mike did say it is his 67th birthday this coming Saturday. Happy Birthday, Mike.
________________________________________________________________
Waterfall Meets CMMI Meets Agile: A Report from the Battlefield
Michael Gorman
President
Whitemarsh Info Systems
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
01:15 PM - 02:15 PM
Level:
Intermediate
This presentation identifies, describes, and indicates the interrelationships among the key competing forces that have impacted this large main-frame database project. That is, Waterfall, CMMI, and Agile. This presentation shows the conflicts, the progress, and the setbacks as these three methodology forces have competed to dominate the very fabric and progress, and products, of this key enterprise project. Finally, this presentation identifies the two components that were missing but had to be done "underground," and how these two "off the record" efforts affected the project's outcome.
During 2007, there has been a very high profile project that affects the very fabric of this multi-billion dollar business. Key segments of the entire executive and technical organizations have been keenly focused on the new project. This presentation identifies and describes the key successes, failures, and conflicts. It identifies the key personalities that helped and hurt the effort.
• Can a project successfully meld key methodology components from Waterfall, CMMI, and Agile? Each is examined, compared, and the effects of each on the project are listed.
• Are these components able to be brought together with both new and old technology?
• What were the problems and conflicts? Who were the players?
• How has constant project planning and replanning affected the outcomes?
• What was missing? What helped? Was this effort successful? What were the lessons learned?
Michael M. Gorman has been involved in data processing for over 40 years. Mike has been Secretary of the ANSI Database Committee for 30 years. He co-authored all theSQL standards. Mike has worked for System Development Corporation which, with MITRE and Lincoln Labs, invented data management. Mike worked for MITRE during the early 1990s. He was a Federal Systems Manager and brought Database Management Systems into Federal Agencies including the Army, Navy, Air Force, EPA, HUD, Commerce, and Agriculture.
Mike owns Whitemarsh Information Systems Corporation, which provides consulting, methodologies, books, courses, workshops, and CASE/Repository software, and during the past 25 years, Mike has delivered data management consulting and training to a number of Fortune 100 companies, as well as State and local governments.
Mike has authored numerous books and publishes regularly on The Data Administration Newsletter. Mike has taught at a number of Universities, at Data Management Association Chapters, and at their International Conferences 2000 through 2007.