Topics
- Earned Value Management (RSS) (12)
- Estimation and Pricing (RSS) (14)
- Older Topics (RSS) (32)
- Agile Software Development (RSS) (16)
- News (RSS) (16)
- People Skills (RSS) (12)
- Understanding ourselves (RSS) (2)
Expertise versus Pair Programming
Let’s start this post with a thought experiment. Not in software development, but in playing chess.
Imagine two novice chess players, working as a team. (We’ll assume their opponent is a computer, so it can’t overhear them talk.) Our two novices will benefit greatly from their collaboration. They’ll discuss all… Read more
Bayes’ Theorem Demystified
Bayes’ Theorem is an important tool when analysing probabilities. It helps us to avoid cognitive traps and make better decisions. However, it is usually presented as something difficult, or even controversial. The typical article on Bayes’ Theorem stresses how difficult it is, and then goes on to bemoan the… Read more
Estimation Summary for Agile Projects – Nov 2011
It’s over 7 years since my first post on contracts for agile projects. During the years since I’ve worked almost exclusively on agile projects with fixed scope, learning some real-life lessons along the way.
So here are some of the key points that now I keep in mind when considering… Read more
Enjoying Meetings, part 1
I’m reading the book “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when the Stakes are High”. It’s absolutely excellent. And not just for conversations when the stakes are high – but also when the stakes are rather more mundane, such as your typical day-to-day business meeting. I’ve been consciously trying to… Read more
Looking for beta testers for agile tool
After years of thinking about it, and months of actually developing it, I’m now looking for beta testers for a brand new agile tool. If you like the sound of “Story Mapping + Big Visible Charts + Simplicity”, send me an email (address here), and I’ll reply with a… Read more
Encyclopedia Article now on Sale
After some delay, my Encyclopedia Article on Earned Value is now available here. The article aims to be
An accessible and comprehensive introduction to Earned Value (EV). [It] makes extensive use of graphical charts, instead of mathematical formulae, and is suitable for readers with no prior knowledge of
Key Resources
Here’s a brief summary of the key Earned Value resources on this blog:
- Earned Value in two sentences: Earned Value in a Nutshell
- Introduction, from a Agile perspective: Agile Charts
- Introduction, from a classic Earned Value Management (aerospace/DoD) perspective: Software Tech News article (was
Converting Apples to Oranges
There are two common errors when forecasting the final cost of a project. One is to compare actual cost with planned cost. The other is to compare actual progress with planned progress. Both are wrong.
Earned Value teaches us that the only valid measure is to compare actual… Read more
10 Years Agile – a perspective from outside the room
Recently Alistair Cockburn invited 32 agile practitioners to join him at the Snowbird ski resort, for a retrospective on the agile movement as a whole. I followed the event via Twitter, sitting under a sun umbrella here in the southern hemisphere, reading the tweets from the snow.
The event… Read more
Rules of the Green Line
I draw usually draw Earned Value charts with the cost (AC) line in red, and the progress (EV) line in green. In this post, I’m going to outline some basic rules for getting a good “green line”. The recommendations in this post are for people doing “lite” Earned Value as… Read more