Winning new business based on a proven track record of delivering quality projects is admirable and something to be proud of. Being entrusted to deliver a project for a client is a big commitment for them to make and this is of course why contracts and legal's play an important part, but from an emotional point of view the client doesn't want to be disappointed or let down and project teams don't want to be seen as failing to deliver. Honesty and managing expectations improve everyone's chances of making it through unforeseen delays or issues. Delivering quality projects is about the final product which is achieved by having a team focused on delivery rather than pure design and never leaving the whiteboard. However, without detailed designs and the famously used whiteboard sessions your delivery is hampered.
Delivering your project in iterations
Putting methodologies aside for one moment, one way of achieving the right mix of design and delivery is to deliver your projects in iterations by:
- Designing what you need to get your project off the ground
- Delivering what you need to demonstrate your competencies
- Delivering what you need to prove the initial concept works
- Delivering what you need to satisfy the clients' expectations
Fail fast
How many times have you bought the perfect colour paint for your house only to find that with the light and other atmospherics it's way off what you envisaged? The same can be said for anything, like delivering a development project for example. Delivering in iterations allows you to (if necessary), 'fail fast'. This is a positive thing, you've avoided wasting excessive time and money and (from an emotional point of view) being a disappointment. Would your client prefer to know 2 weeks into a project that it's not forming as they foresaw or 18 months? Redesigning, amending and rebuilding causes delays and is hard work, not to mention expensive! The longer you leave it the worse it becomes.
The A Team
Lead specialists that share a common responsibility is one way you can ensure all bases are covered. Using overly complex and multi tiered levels of management on a project doesn't aid delivery. If you take lead specialists within each work stream on a project and give them the responsibility of simply communicating with each other and noting what dependences or blockers there are on each team, you can keep a project from losing momentum. These regular checkpoints mean impediments can be avoided or worked round before everything comes to a grinding halt. The client is also assured that the project team they've invested in is always moving forward and the 'down tools' nightmare doesn't become a reality!
How do you sell the idea of delivering projects in iterations? - Featuring Zak Holdsworth
Generally speaking, delivering projects in iterations isn't mainstream for everyone and can feel like a leap of faith for the client to buy into. The client needs time to adjust and trust you but how do you do this when the normal rules of bidding for new business apply? My colleague Zak Holdsworth is an Agile Coach and has put a timely blog together that takes you through his own experiences of how this was done successfully. Click here for Zak's blog.
For more information about delivering projects in iterations, feel free to contact us: matt.mould@conchango.com