Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Timeboxing
I was impressed again today by the simple idea of time boxing. This is a great first stage of iterative development. Instead of the classical waterfall approach, which overemphasises perfect requirements and detailed analysis, time boxing can allow a software development team a great 80-20 implementation. Most importantly, it focusses both the team and the customer on getting a good flow of valued software.
Our internal IT department, once the source of much scorn and complaint has moved from a very well documented (but rarely well executed) waterfall methodology to timeboxed bi-monthly iterations for one programme of work. Scope is agreed, but flexible. As the deadline of each iteration approaches, the development team is able and happy to push in some last-minute changes. However, the customer is happier to defer scope since he knows that there'll be another piping hot delivery of working software in just a couple of week's time.
Our internal IT department, once the source of much scorn and complaint has moved from a very well documented (but rarely well executed) waterfall methodology to timeboxed bi-monthly iterations for one programme of work. Scope is agreed, but flexible. As the deadline of each iteration approaches, the development team is able and happy to push in some last-minute changes. However, the customer is happier to defer scope since he knows that there'll be another piping hot delivery of working software in just a couple of week's time.
