Author Archives: paulg
50% Development = 100% Project Success?
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Filed under Uncategorized
Unlike the construction industry, which hails from engineering lineage, software development is a craft that hails from mathematics. Profession benchmarks like estimating tables, universal best practices, common lexicons of customer and vendor language are only now becoming standards in software development.
Take the phased estimating of a software project, for example. While a civil engineer might use industry standards like “20% cost for feasibility and design, 60% cost for procurement and construction”, the software world has no heuristics like this.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
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Filed under Corporate Culture
Patrick Lencioni is a consultant with some sage thoughts on group performance. Patrick suggests that there are 5 dysfunctions that are common to project teams and sports clubs:
1) Absence of Trust.
2) Fear of Conflict.
3) Lack of Commitment.
4) Avoidance of Accountability.
5) Inattentiveness to Results.
Sound familiar? Join us after the cut for more details…
‘Busy’ Is Not a Badge of Honour.
Filed under Corporate Culture
When people ask you how work is, do you reflexively respond ‘work is busy’? While you likely have many outstanding tasks on your plate and projects that need your diligent attention, ask yourself these two questions:
1) Is ‘being busy’ part of your self identity?
2) Does ‘being busy’ mean that you are also productive?
Paul Andrew, a blogger with theLeadershipCoach.com, suggests that if being busy = part of your self concept, then something is amiss.