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            There are so many things that today’s project leaders can pay attention to during software development projects.  The dictionary defines ‘agile’ as ‘nimble or active: quick-moving and supple’.       Statistical process control methods have a long history, going back to the work of W. Edwards Deming some 50 years ago. The Comet system uses explicit representation and reasoning with commitments to aid the software design and development process-in particular, to lead software developers to make decisions that result in reuse. They represent very different mindsets about how that is to be accomplished, though.  Is it ever appropriate to apply Six Sigma to a software development process? Compare the way an Agile software development project typically runs with the way Six Sigma approaches the problem of improving an existing business process. It is important to understand the characteristics of the business operation to be measured in order to choose an appropriate method. While the cost model for most agile development projects is fairly straightforward, “cost per iteration” is not something that many organizations have either experienced or understand. Whereas context defines overall circumstances, course defines direction and progress. In a typical environment, upper management wants to know when each phase is completed such as design, code, or test. Time and again, project management by teams has proven its ability to make impossible deadlines possible. The key is to focus on the fewest things that matter, simplifying and streamlining those aspects of software development [outside of working software which should be a given that deliver the greatest value to the business and the team. You can see that the restaurant example cited earlier in this article represents a very different problem in a very different business context, although both examples have something to do with food service. Management is also responsible for ensuring reward program software that decentralization is genuine. Teams, and people, generally get good at what they practice. In an organization that uses both predictive and adaptive methods for software development depending on the characteristics of a given project, the assessment is still more variable. Longer-term software plans serve as a roadmap for important interim business and project decisions. While the physical time required for actually planning and tracking a project may lessen, the time commitment associated with coordinating, Communicating, and guiding in a rapidly evolving environment can be amplified exponentially. An implication is that developers need to be concerned about creativity. Let people take the initiatives that are best for their customers – in the famous microprocessor case, a Japanese calculator firm which wanted a set of Intel chips for its latest machine. The process of software development is a business operation in its own right only for primary technology companies; for all others, it is simply a support function. This is another paradox, but the agile corporation thrives on paradox. Team remits may well extend beyond the boundaries of the corporation, into the territory of customers, suppliers or even competitors.  Anyone who has ever been responsible for managing software development projects knows that software is not easy. Another decision point is whether the problem is the result of a repetitive process. The difference lies in the implementation; the end goal is the same. We have already explained that software development is not a repetitive process in the same sense as a manufacturing process. In software development there is absolutely no assembly line process, since any given piece of software is only developed once. That is only to be expected. For some time, management thinkers (and thinking managers) have been stressing the urgent need for radical new approaches to the corporation.             Agile development is definitely not for the faint of heart. In addition, the understanding of terms varies depending on the background and area of focus of the person reading the flowchart. The consultancy that is helping us implement Six Sigma has a simple decision flowchart to help with the selection of Six Sigma projects. In answer to the failure of heavyweight process controls to assure IT project success, Six Sigma imposes even heavier process controls in order to gain a thorough understanding of cause and effect. This was certainly wise, and indicated that the oracle was not a fool, whatever might have been thought or said of its questioners.” It is very easy for the questioner to fool himself by asking the wrong question, or by asking the right question in the wrong way, or by being too eager to interpret the answer in the way he desires. Leadership of teams can pass from hand to hand, depending on whose authority of expertise is most relevant. Based on the preceding discussion, any process that is both a business process and a manufacturing process may benefit from the Six Sigma method of quality control. Figure 2: Does Six Sigma fit a business process improvement idea? Creating Software is one of the most creative activities that humans undertake. That is simply part and parcel of professional software work, and does not represent an “unknown” that requires statistical analysis.  To try and measure the software development process at a tertiary technology company is tantamount to measuring the manufacturing process at the company that makes your telephone, and then believing the information will give you insight into the quality of your own business processes, which have nothing to do with making telephones.  That is a basic principle of kaizen, the continuous improvement mentioned above, and the essence of Total Quality Management. Many agile teams  have worked with achieve a much higher degree of predictability than with traditional methods. In agile development, change is accepted and even fostered for business reasons, so in addition to delivering early and often, be prepared to communicate early and often. Reality has proven that rarely does time get made up on software projects.              Make a concerted effort at least every iteration to revisit objectives, reconcile overall direction, review time-frames and deadlines, and communicate variances. In a primary technology company whose core business model includes software development along with marketing and/or consulting services, the software development process is a business process. The agile corporation relies on people doing what comes naturally, intuitively and voluntarily. By focusing on removing obstacles that get in the way and allowing this rhythm to emerge, agile leaders set the stage for improvement, predictability, and success.  Hierarchy has very little place in an organization which depends on free-thinking, self-managing innovators at all levels. In a service operation it may make sense, too, depending on whether it is important to minimize variation in some factor (remember that the main purpose of Six Sigma is to minimize variation). For example, if we are working in a tertiary technology company and we are assessing a software development proposal, as opposed to a business process improvement proposal, then “Solution Known” means we can assess uncertainty and urgency to choose either a predictive or an adaptive approach to software development. Whether or not companies use TQM or its close relative, Six Sigma, the agile principle is the same: give individuals control over their own work and its improvement, individually and in the group.  1.              To early practitioners, this team rhythm is a goal to strive for as early as possible.             Similarly, teams’ deep grasp of iterative and incremental delivery in its complete sense can serve as significant risk mitigator. Iteration, milestone, and release plans remain critical components in planning and measuring progress.  Many business processes rely on telephone technology as well as on business application software. The Agile approach is based on an entirely different philosophy; reducing formal controls in order to give qualified professionals the freedom to apply critical thinking skills and creativity to unique problems. One remedy was well expressed by one CEO, who wanted to replace his supertanker by a fleet of decentralized motor-boats, speedy and powerful autonomous units that (unlike the unwieldy supertanker) could turn on a dime as they pursued their opportunities and repelled their threats. The approach to discovering the right solution to a business process improvement problem is to apply Six Sigma or a similar method.       If software development is a core business practice and the development follows an approach based on documentation and checkpoints, then yes. It is more analogous to the construction industry, in which certain well-known engineering principles are applied to every project, and certain well-known design patterns may be applied, but each project is unique — with the exception of manufactured housing components, there is no assembly line process on a construction project. Additionally, the degree of visibility afforded these priorities can serve as a foundation for managing conflict and stakeholder negotiations. What makes such agility possible? 4.      Integrating Project Management Into a Six Sigma System,By Tony Jacowski- 5. Corporate arthritis followed when the messaging machinery became more important than the message. A key foundation is a large and well-nurtured base of customers who respect the supplier. The challenge, and advantage, of agile development is the opportunity to justify the cost with business value and customer benefit throughout the process, as opposed to once at the very end. This inevitably hinges on using new technologies to the full – above all those of information and communication. Hierarchy, dominant market share, vertical integration and economies of scale were the traditional means of mastering the complexities of large organizations – for ever. An engineer named Ted Hoff earned immortality by wondering why all the circuits couldn’t be placed on a single piece of silicon. A website dedicated to the application of Six Sigma to information technology includes an article by Gary Gack, a founding partner of Six Sigma Advantage, summarizing the Six Sigma approach to software implementation projects. Their customized RUP process is transparent to customers (they can view the bug tracking system directly), is based on frequent, direct communication among all team members, and enjoys the advantages of iterative development. David J. To experienced practitioners, this rhythm greatly simplifies the task of leading agile development efforts.  For example, consider the software firm S1, specializing in enterprise software for the banking industry. There are obstinate, talented people like Ted Hoff inside every organization: the supreme test of agility is whether the organization frustrates that individual talent or thrives on its expression.

Although most people would ascribe to the idea that software development is a creative activity, few people think that they are really creative. An interesting point, and one we should not overlook, is that the author distinguishes between software development and software implementation projects. The Improve in DMAIC means just what it says. Of the many SPC methodologies, the best known and most widely applied have been Total Quality Management, Kaizen, and Six Sigma.             Even agile development cannot escape the associated financial implications of software development.             With much of the fundamental project infrastructure (scope, priorities, estimates, schedules, risks, etc.) in a state of flux, it has never been more important to steer and manage actions and decisions within an overall business context. Formerly impregnable market shares have been undermined by aggressive newcomers in many markets. Central management’s role in the agile corporation is partly to lay down exacting standards and to see that they are met. In this type of environment, unexpected loose ends greatly diminish, defects are much easier to manage, integrated builds are second nature, and production deployment becomes much more streamlined and foolproof.       The value of the answer one receives from an oracle, whether ancient or modern, depends on the formulation of the question. To a business professional, it does not seem quite so secure. To the former, “Solution Known” means that the entire end game is fully understood, and therefore there is no need to apply Six Sigma or a similar method to learn how to improve the business process. In agile development, planning, estimating, testing, and delivery, occur every few weeks as opposed to once every year. Yes. It uses its powers where they are helpful to ensure that its powers are not used where they hinder. While functional value can oftentimes drive the details of a project, business values need to help drive project goals. More often, the limits are less specific, compounded of several elements, including competitive actions and reactions, market trends, organisational responsiveness, environmental factors, etc. Taking the long view, the limits seem almost arithmetical: a corporation aiming to grow its earnings per share by 15% compound will have to double in five years, quadruple in ten and octuple in fifteen.  Software Creativity occurs when we take time to explore the design space of possibilities, rather than immediately fixating on the first solution that comes to mind. The new changeability is demanded in every major area of corporate strategy and tactics. The author claims Six Sigma is an effective method for software implementation projects in particular; not for software development projects. The first and paradoxical answer is that agility rests on stability: just as Olympic divers need a solid diving platform to launch their acrobatics, so a corporation must be solidly based in order to perform strategic twists and turns at speed. The main limitation in software is the Human Imagination, and the limits on that are all self imposed. But it is a predictive process overall, since the product line must meet known regulatory requirements, support industry best practices, and interface with other mainstream banking software products. An example often used in Six Sigma training is a pizza delivery service that wants to keep delivery times within the bounds promised to customers and ensure the pizzas are all consistent — height of shell, evenness of diameter, color of shell. For secondary and tertiary technology companies, software development is only a supporting activity, and not a business process in its own right. Unless the company is a primary technology company, the software development process is not a business process in its own right; it is only a supporting function. For a long time, to many conventional managers, TQM seemed foreign in both senses – an unwelcome and uncomfortable import from Japanese control freaks. Objectively, however, there is no fundamental conflict between the two. To the latter, “Solution Known” may only mean that the approach to discovering a solution is known. Six Sigma focuses on satisfying customer-defined requirements by applying rigorous process controls.  The Whitewater Interactive System Development with Object Models (Wisdom) addresses the needs of small development teams who are required to build and maintain the highest quality interactive systems (Nunes & Cunha, 2000). They could: other engineers took over and their prototype gave birth to great fortunes. Many teams document answers to the above on a single page or project web page, and keep them visible throughout the life of the project.  3. etc.). A set of conceptual modeling notations that support the modeling of functional and nonfunctional components. Now if they can only come out with a Java or C++ version. The effect of this on software development is drastic. Especially in an arena of high-change, rapid delivery, and continuous feedback, the need for leadership has never been greater. Yet individuals with the desire to change the fundamental rules of the software game and accept the empirical nature of software development are faced with numerous opportunities. This is especially true in the world of agile development.             Context and course are complementary ideals. In fact, TQM sprang from the work of an American, the remarkable W. Edwards Deming, who believed passionately in setting workpeople free from authoritarian controls so that they could do their jobs better – much better. Finally, we have shown that the underlying philosophies of Agile development and Six Sigma management are different. • Agile development methods do not scale. 2.    Six Sigma as the Agile Future? It is important in this case to understand the differences between business processes and software development processes. For example, the assessment of a project idea is different if the idea pertains to business process improvement than if the idea pertains to a software development project. Software implementation and software development are not the same type of problem.  The second answer is decentralization; diffuse authority to where it is most needed and can be most effectively applied. In that case, “Solution Known” may mean even less than in the simpler cases.             Also one of the four primary values identified in Kent Beck’s Extreme Programming Explained, courage takes on a much broader and more strategic meaning outside the boundaries of programming. The Control in DMAIC is analogous to the Agile concept of continuous learning, well known in organizational science as double-loop organizational learning. It sounds like an awesome task. Organizations have always been machines for controlling and distributing information. Like it or not, every corporation belongs in a web (or webs), an eco-system of alliances, partnerships, sub-systems, processes, lines of business, collaborators, etc., none of which is guaranteed any permanence. This obstructive mass mentality reinforces the corporation’s role as guardian of the status quo. The team thus bypasses formal structures and can create its own modus operandi.  The same reasoning applies to the business application software that supports those business processes.  Leading projects in an environment that embraces both rapid delivery and change can prove even more daunting. A back office operation that processes human resources requests or handles paperwork for loan servicing uses telephone technology extensively. This does not mean that project management won’t ultimately be simplified, but rather that any new way of doing business requires practice and hard work. Six Sigma and Agile development are both dedicated to reducing failure rates and improving customer satisfaction. Where once top managers could focus on their own concerns, with little need for peripheral vision, they now view a constantly changing pattern of shapes, sizes and colours, from which they must try to make sense. One can define three different relationships that companies have with information technology: A primary technology company creates new hardware and/or software, a tertiary technology company uses those products to support its own business operations, and a secondary technology company helps tertiary companies figure out the products offered by primary companies. Sometimes these limits are immediately obvious, like shortages of production capacity, or component supply, or unsaturated markets to exploit. As a result, teams quickly develop a rhythm. None of these changes is more important than the spread of multi-disciplinary, cross-functional teams which are formed to tackle projects and which last only as long as the project. He flowchart appears straightforward, but in reality it is subject to a great deal of interpretation. We do not need to know anything about the software vendor’s development process. A good example of this is my current favorite development tool, Borland Delphi with it’s tightly integrated code and graphical editors, allowing a developer to make changes either via the text editor or any of the other tools. Instead, it sounds as if a great deal is still not known. But we still don’t have a final answer. What do we need to know about the telephone system to help those operations improve quality? Fortunately, many consulting companies and software organizations have made the transition to a simplified project costing model, multiplying the approximate cost per person for the entire team by the length of an iteration to derive ongoing financial impact (i.e., $80,000 per iteration). Just because some agile approaches reference not looking in detail beyond one to two iterations, do not be lured into believing that longer range planning is not necessary or valuable.             One can consistently use the concept of cadence, or rhythm, to communicate one of the most beneficial effects of agile development. Also uses agile development methods. For decades, the big business has been compared to a supertanker, which can only be turned at lugubrious speed.

However, a business process improvement initiative may be inspired by a problem in a repetitive process, and the solution may, in turn, spawn a software development process. There is often a cultural conflict between adaptive/Agile software groups and process improvement groups in organizations that are trying to implement a method such as Six Sigma. The Measure in DMAIC means to keep track of which causes are contributing to which effects. The management metaphor has moved from telescope to kaleidoscope. We have also shown that software development is a business process only when the core business of a company is software development. We need to know that the software supports the features the workers need to do their jobs efficiently.  All truly agile corporations share this positive attitude to change and the future.

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            There are so many things that today’s project leaders can pay attention to during software development projects.  The dictionary defines ‘agile’ as ‘nimble or active: quick-moving and supple’.       Statistical process control methods have a long history, going back to the work of W. Edwards Deming some 50 years ago. The Comet system uses explicit representation and reasoning with commitments to aid the software design and development process-in particular, to lead software developers to make decisions that result in reuse. They represent very different mindsets about how that is to be accomplished, though.  Is it ever appropriate to apply Six Sigma to a software development process? Compare the way an Agile software development project typically runs with the way Six Sigma approaches the problem of improving an existing business process. It is important to understand the characteristics of the business operation to be measured in order to choose an appropriate method. While the cost model for most agile development projects is fairly straightforward, “cost per iteration” is not something that many organizations have either experienced or understand. Whereas context defines overall circumstances, course defines direction and progress. In a typical environment, upper management wants to know when each phase is completed such as design, code, or test. Time and again, project management by teams has proven its ability to make impossible deadlines possible. The key is to focus on the fewest things that matter, simplifying and streamlining those aspects of software development [outside of working software which should be a given that deliver the greatest value to the business and the team. You can see that the restaurant example cited earlier in this article represents a very different problem in a very different business context, although both examples have something to do with food service. Management is also responsible for ensuring reward program software that decentralization is genuine. Teams, and people, generally get good at what they practice. In an organization that uses both predictive and adaptive methods for software development depending on the characteristics of a given project, the assessment is still more variable. Longer-term software plans serve as a roadmap for important interim business and project decisions. While the physical time required for actually planning and tracking a project may lessen, the time commitment associated with coordinating, Communicating, and guiding in a rapidly evolving environment can be amplified exponentially. An implication is that developers need to be concerned about creativity. Let people take the initiatives that are best for their customers – in the famous microprocessor case, a Japanese calculator firm which wanted a set of Intel chips for its latest machine. The process of software development is a business operation in its own right only for primary technology companies; for all others, it is simply a support function. This is another paradox, but the agile corporation thrives on paradox. Team remits may well extend beyond the boundaries of the corporation, into the territory of customers, suppliers or even competitors.  Anyone who has ever been responsible for managing software development projects knows that software is not easy. Another decision point is whether the problem is the result of a repetitive process. The difference lies in the implementation; the end goal is the same. We have already explained that software development is not a repetitive process in the same sense as a manufacturing process. In software development there is absolutely no assembly line process, since any given piece of software is only developed once. That is only to be expected. For some time, management thinkers (and thinking managers) have been stressing the urgent need for radical new approaches to the corporation.             Agile development is definitely not for the faint of heart. In addition, the understanding of terms varies depending on the background and area of focus of the person reading the flowchart. The consultancy that is helping us implement Six Sigma has a simple decision flowchart to help with the selection of Six Sigma projects. In answer to the failure of heavyweight process controls to assure IT project success, Six Sigma imposes even heavier process controls in order to gain a thorough understanding of cause and effect. This was certainly wise, and indicated that the oracle was not a fool, whatever might have been thought or said of its questioners.” It is very easy for the questioner to fool himself by asking the wrong question, or by asking the right question in the wrong way, or by being too eager to interpret the answer in the way he desires. Leadership of teams can pass from hand to hand, depending on whose authority of expertise is most relevant. Based on the preceding discussion, any process that is both a business process and a manufacturing process may benefit from the Six Sigma method of quality control. Figure 2: Does Six Sigma fit a business process improvement idea? Creating Software is one of the most creative activities that humans undertake. That is simply part and parcel of professional software work, and does not represent an “unknown” that requires statistical analysis.  To try and measure the software development process at a tertiary technology company is tantamount to measuring the manufacturing process at the company that makes your telephone, and then believing the information will give you insight into the quality of your own business processes, which have nothing to do with making telephones.  That is a basic principle of kaizen, the continuous improvement mentioned above, and the essence of Total Quality Management. Many agile teams  have worked with achieve a much higher degree of predictability than with traditional methods. In agile development, change is accepted and even fostered for business reasons, so in addition to delivering early and often, be prepared to communicate early and often. Reality has proven that rarely does time get made up on software projects.              Make a concerted effort at least every iteration to revisit objectives, reconcile overall direction, review time-frames and deadlines, and communicate variances. In a primary technology company whose core business model includes software development along with marketing and/or consulting services, the software development process is a business process. The agile corporation relies on people doing what comes naturally, intuitively and voluntarily. By focusing on removing obstacles that get in the way and allowing this rhythm to emerge, agile leaders set the stage for improvement, predictability, and success.  Hierarchy has very little place in an organization which depends on free-thinking, self-managing innovators at all levels. In a service operation it may make sense, too, depending on whether it is important to minimize variation in some factor (remember that the main purpose of Six Sigma is to minimize variation). For example, if we are working in a tertiary technology company and we are assessing a software development proposal, as opposed to a business process improvement proposal, then “Solution Known” means we can assess uncertainty and urgency to choose either a predictive or an adaptive approach to software development. Whether or not companies use TQM or its close relative, Six Sigma, the agile principle is the same: give individuals control over their own work and its improvement, individually and in the group.  1.              To early practitioners, this team rhythm is a goal to strive for as early as possible.             Similarly, teams’ deep grasp of iterative and incremental delivery in its complete sense can serve as significant risk mitigator. Iteration, milestone, and release plans remain critical components in planning and measuring progress.  Many business processes rely on telephone technology as well as on business application software. The Agile approach is based on an entirely different philosophy; reducing formal controls in order to give qualified professionals the freedom to apply critical thinking skills and creativity to unique problems. One remedy was well expressed by one CEO, who wanted to replace his supertanker by a fleet of decentralized motor-boats, speedy and powerful autonomous units that (unlike the unwieldy supertanker) could turn on a dime as they pursued their opportunities and repelled their threats. The approach to discovering the right solution to a business process improvement problem is to apply Six Sigma or a similar method.       If software development is a core business practice and the development follows an approach based on documentation and checkpoints, then yes. It is more analogous to the construction industry, in which certain well-known engineering principles are applied to every project, and certain well-known design patterns may be applied, but each project is unique — with the exception of manufactured housing components, there is no assembly line process on a construction project. Additionally, the degree of visibility afforded these priorities can serve as a foundation for managing conflict and stakeholder negotiations. What makes such agility possible? 4.      Integrating Project Management Into a Six Sigma System,By Tony Jacowski- 5. Corporate arthritis followed when the messaging machinery became more important than the message. A key foundation is a large and well-nurtured base of customers who respect the supplier. The challenge, and advantage, of agile development is the opportunity to justify the cost with business value and customer benefit throughout the process, as opposed to once at the very end. This inevitably hinges on using new technologies to the full – above all those of information and communication. Hierarchy, dominant market share, vertical integration and economies of scale were the traditional means of mastering the complexities of large organizations – for ever. An engineer named Ted Hoff earned immortality by wondering why all the circuits couldn’t be placed on a single piece of silicon. A website dedicated to the application of Six Sigma to information technology includes an article by Gary Gack, a founding partner of Six Sigma Advantage, summarizing the Six Sigma approach to software implementation projects. Their customized RUP process is transparent to customers (they can view the bug tracking system directly), is based on frequent, direct communication among all team members, and enjoys the advantages of iterative development. David J. To experienced practitioners, this rhythm greatly simplifies the task of leading agile development efforts.  For example, consider the software firm S1, specializing in enterprise software for the banking industry. There are obstinate, talented people like Ted Hoff inside every organization: the supreme test of agility is whether the organization frustrates that individual talent or thrives on its expression.

Although most people would ascribe to the idea that software development is a creative activity, few people think that they are really creative. An interesting point, and one we should not overlook, is that the author distinguishes between software development and software implementation projects. The Improve in DMAIC means just what it says. Of the many SPC methodologies, the best known and most widely applied have been Total Quality Management, Kaizen, and Six Sigma.             Even agile development cannot escape the associated financial implications of software development.             With much of the fundamental project infrastructure (scope, priorities, estimates, schedules, risks, etc.) in a state of flux, it has never been more important to steer and manage actions and decisions within an overall business context. Formerly impregnable market shares have been undermined by aggressive newcomers in many markets. Central management’s role in the agile corporation is partly to lay down exacting standards and to see that they are met. In this type of environment, unexpected loose ends greatly diminish, defects are much easier to manage, integrated builds are second nature, and production deployment becomes much more streamlined and foolproof.       The value of the answer one receives from an oracle, whether ancient or modern, depends on the formulation of the question. To a business professional, it does not seem quite so secure. To the former, “Solution Known” means that the entire end game is fully understood, and therefore there is no need to apply Six Sigma or a similar method to learn how to improve the business process. In agile development, planning, estimating, testing, and delivery, occur every few weeks as opposed to once every year. Yes. It uses its powers where they are helpful to ensure that its powers are not used where they hinder. While functional value can oftentimes drive the details of a project, business values need to help drive project goals. More often, the limits are less specific, compounded of several elements, including competitive actions and reactions, market trends, organisational responsiveness, environmental factors, etc. Taking the long view, the limits seem almost arithmetical: a corporation aiming to grow its earnings per share by 15% compound will have to double in five years, quadruple in ten and octuple in fifteen.  Software Creativity occurs when we take time to explore the design space of possibilities, rather than immediately fixating on the first solution that comes to mind. The new changeability is demanded in every major area of corporate strategy and tactics. The author claims Six Sigma is an effective method for software implementation projects in particular; not for software development projects. The first and paradoxical answer is that agility rests on stability: just as Olympic divers need a solid diving platform to launch their acrobatics, so a corporation must be solidly based in order to perform strategic twists and turns at speed. The main limitation in software is the Human Imagination, and the limits on that are all self imposed. But it is a predictive process overall, since the product line must meet known regulatory requirements, support industry best practices, and interface with other mainstream banking software products. An example often used in Six Sigma training is a pizza delivery service that wants to keep delivery times within the bounds promised to customers and ensure the pizzas are all consistent — height of shell, evenness of diameter, color of shell. For secondary and tertiary technology companies, software development is only a supporting activity, and not a business process in its own right. Unless the company is a primary technology company, the software development process is not a business process in its own right; it is only a supporting function. For a long time, to many conventional managers, TQM seemed foreign in both senses – an unwelcome and uncomfortable import from Japanese control freaks. Objectively, however, there is no fundamental conflict between the two. To the latter, “Solution Known” may only mean that the approach to discovering a solution is known. Six Sigma focuses on satisfying customer-defined requirements by applying rigorous process controls.  The Whitewater Interactive System Development with Object Models (Wisdom) addresses the needs of small development teams who are required to build and maintain the highest quality interactive systems (Nunes & Cunha, 2000). They could: other engineers took over and their prototype gave birth to great fortunes. Many teams document answers to the above on a single page or project web page, and keep them visible throughout the life of the project.  3. etc.). A set of conceptual modeling notations that support the modeling of functional and nonfunctional components. Now if they can only come out with a Java or C++ version. The effect of this on software development is drastic. Especially in an arena of high-change, rapid delivery, and continuous feedback, the need for leadership has never been greater. Yet individuals with the desire to change the fundamental rules of the software game and accept the empirical nature of software development are faced with numerous opportunities. This is especially true in the world of agile development.             Context and course are complementary ideals. In fact, TQM sprang from the work of an American, the remarkable W. Edwards Deming, who believed passionately in setting workpeople free from authoritarian controls so that they could do their jobs better – much better. Finally, we have shown that the underlying philosophies of Agile development and Six Sigma management are different. • Agile development methods do not scale. 2.    Six Sigma as the Agile Future? It is important in this case to understand the differences between business processes and software development processes. For example, the assessment of a project idea is different if the idea pertains to business process improvement than if the idea pertains to a software development project. Software implementation and software development are not the same type of problem.  The second answer is decentralization; diffuse authority to where it is most needed and can be most effectively applied. In that case, “Solution Known” may mean even less than in the simpler cases.             Also one of the four primary values identified in Kent Beck’s Extreme Programming Explained, courage takes on a much broader and more strategic meaning outside the boundaries of programming. The Control in DMAIC is analogous to the Agile concept of continuous learning, well known in organizational science as double-loop organizational learning. It sounds like an awesome task. Organizations have always been machines for controlling and distributing information. Like it or not, every corporation belongs in a web (or webs), an eco-system of alliances, partnerships, sub-systems, processes, lines of business, collaborators, etc., none of which is guaranteed any permanence. This obstructive mass mentality reinforces the corporation’s role as guardian of the status quo. The team thus bypasses formal structures and can create its own modus operandi.  The same reasoning applies to the business application software that supports those business processes.  Leading projects in an environment that embraces both rapid delivery and change can prove even more daunting. A back office operation that processes human resources requests or handles paperwork for loan servicing uses telephone technology extensively. This does not mean that project management won’t ultimately be simplified, but rather that any new way of doing business requires practice and hard work. Six Sigma and Agile development are both dedicated to reducing failure rates and improving customer satisfaction. Where once top managers could focus on their own concerns, with little need for peripheral vision, they now view a constantly changing pattern of shapes, sizes and colours, from which they must try to make sense. One can define three different relationships that companies have with information technology: A primary technology company creates new hardware and/or software, a tertiary technology company uses those products to support its own business operations, and a secondary technology company helps tertiary companies figure out the products offered by primary companies. Sometimes these limits are immediately obvious, like shortages of production capacity, or component supply, or unsaturated markets to exploit. As a result, teams quickly develop a rhythm. None of these changes is more important than the spread of multi-disciplinary, cross-functional teams which are formed to tackle projects and which last only as long as the project. He flowchart appears straightforward, but in reality it is subject to a great deal of interpretation. We do not need to know anything about the software vendor’s development process. A good example of this is my current favorite development tool, Borland Delphi with it’s tightly integrated code and graphical editors, allowing a developer to make changes either via the text editor or any of the other tools. Instead, it sounds as if a great deal is still not known. But we still don’t have a final answer. What do we need to know about the telephone system to help those operations improve quality? Fortunately, many consulting companies and software organizations have made the transition to a simplified project costing model, multiplying the approximate cost per person for the entire team by the length of an iteration to derive ongoing financial impact (i.e., $80,000 per iteration). Just because some agile approaches reference not looking in detail beyond one to two iterations, do not be lured into believing that longer range planning is not necessary or valuable.             One can consistently use the concept of cadence, or rhythm, to communicate one of the most beneficial effects of agile development. Also uses agile development methods. For decades, the big business has been compared to a supertanker, which can only be turned at lugubrious speed.

However, a business process improvement initiative may be inspired by a problem in a repetitive process, and the solution may, in turn, spawn a software development process. There is often a cultural conflict between adaptive/Agile software groups and process improvement groups in organizations that are trying to implement a method such as Six Sigma. The Measure in DMAIC means to keep track of which causes are contributing to which effects. The management metaphor has moved from telescope to kaleidoscope. We have also shown that software development is a business process only when the core business of a company is software development. We need to know that the software supports the features the workers need to do their jobs efficiently.  All truly agile corporations share this positive attitude to change and the future.