mcottmeyer's blog
Okay… I am unexpectedly out on a client site this week and I have not had time to think, let alone write, let alone write anything interesting or worth reading. So, in lieu of a writing a meaty blog post, I am going to tell you guys a little story.
Earlier today I was talking with a traditional project manager trying to get her head around what it will mean to make the switch to agile. Keep in mind, I have been on this client's site the past two days. We have been breaking down traditional notions of requirements, engineering practices, quality assurance, organizational structure, and team structure. We have discussed self-organization, empowerment, and individual accountability.
As we were wrapping up this afternoon I could see that this lady was struggling. This transition was really going to impact her job and force her to reevaluate her management style and approach to project leadership. We talked briefly again about the idea of empowerment and self-organization and how she was going to have to learn to let go.
She turned to me and said… but Mike… they like it when I tell them what to do.
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Most software project managers have very little power in an organization. They are on the hook for delivery, but have very little control over the actual resources required to get the job done. Project managers have to broker agreements, hold people accountable, and get people to do things that they are not otherwise incented to do.
Fixed Constraints and Up Front Design
Requirements documents are created early, and often with little input from the delivery team. Budgets are set and timelines negotiated, prior to the project team even being engaged.
In other words… project managers are in a pretty bad spot. They are trying to manage in a situation where the triple constraints are all set for them, they have little direct control over resources, and the resources they have are matrixed across several projects with competing priorities and differing agendas.
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Last post we explored some ways to introduce agile concepts to traditional project managers and how to make a case for agile in a way that has a chance to really resonate. We explored how to discuss time, cost, and scope… talked a little about dealing with uncertainty… and a little about the factors that are really constraining our projects.
If you are interested in catching up with the conversation, go back and take a look at my post "How to Talk to Project Managers" at http://agilesoftwaredevelopment.com/blog/mcottmeyer/how-talk-project-man...
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This week, I have had the distinct pleasure… the rare opportunity… to attend the PMI Global Congress in Denver, Colorado. I missed the deadline to propose a talk but there are at least 5 agile presentation happening over the course of the event. That is really good news. The PMI crowd is interested and trying to understand what this agile stuff is all about.
This week, I am working the VersionOne booth, so while I have a full conference pass, I will probably not going to make any of the talks… bummer.
Talking to Project Managers
It has been really fun talking to all the folks that have come by to see our software. The people that stop to talk to us have already been exposed to agile on some level, so my perspective might be biased, but there are many more agile friendly people that I expected. Again… people are interested and want to know more.
After my first full day of meeting and greeting the conference attendees, there is one thing I would like to share with the agile community. When you talk to a traditional PM about agile project management, you need to be prepared to speak their language. While teamwork and collaboration are important, that is not the language of the PMI crowd. Empowerment is essential but can be very threatening to someone that is accustomed to being "in control".
I've found that a good place to start is with a discussion of the triple constraints.
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A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to read a book by Hal Edward Runkel called Scream Free Parenting. The title is a little misleading because the book is not really about screaming and the lessons Hal teaches go beyond just parenting. The book is about controlling your anxiety so you can build healthy relationships.
The key idea of the book is that anxiety is at the root of much our conflict. Think about it… we want better behavior from our kids, we are not getting it, and not getting that desired behavior stresses us out. When we yell at our children, we are really saying "I want to be calm, you are not allowing me to be calm, I demand you change your behavior so I can be calm".
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This week I am in London attending the Agile Business Conference. A few weeks ago I got to attend Agile 2008 in Toronto. Over the next few weeks I will be at the APLN Leadership Summit in Atlanta, the PMI Global Congress in Denver, the Vancouver Agile Conference, and the Better Software Conference down in Orlando.
That is a lot of conferences, a lot of speakers, and a lot of presentations.
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In my last post "Secretaries Make the Best ScrumMasters", I made the point that ScrumMasters and Agile Project Managers need to be held to a higher standard. Tracking impediments is not enough. Helping the team remove impediments is not enough. We need project leaders than can help the team anticipate impediments and work to make sure those things never become impediments in the first place.
Project leaders should be able to understand what the team is building, what technologies they are using, and the impacts of using those technologies. We don't' need to be experts but we need to be able to keep up in a conversation. We need to understand what the business needs and what they are trying to accomplish. Project managers and ScrumMasters should be asking questions and digging into places where people disagree.
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Okay everyone. First I want to say that I am happy to be here writing for Agile Software Development. I appreciate Artem reaching out and giving me this opportunity. I really hope you guys enjoy what I've got to say. I promise, I am not short on opinions, and I am never content with the status quo. So… to get started, let's kick this thing off with a question… are you ready?
Do you believe the title of this post?
If you do, don't feel bad, you are not alone. I have been working in project management and around project managers for years. Over that time, I have worked in traditional environments and agile environments. I have worked with PMPs and CSMs. It consistently amazes me the number of people that are converted into project managers for the sole reason they are good at following people around and asking them when they are going to be done.
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