I'm at the Scrum Gathering in Munich this week.
On Monday the 19th, I'm re-running my session on Agile Contracting called "The Prisoner's Dilemma: Applying Game Theory to Agile Contracting".
For those of you who missed this session at Agile 2009 I propose that the larger issue with Agile Contracts is not that we don’t know how to write them.
After all we know how to deliver Agile projects, so a contract can simply describe that process.
The problem is with making an Agile Contract commercially competitive; against suppliers who are offering the promise of delivering the perfectly predicted dream.
This is a prisoners dilemma, with organisations driving themselves towards a sub optimal solution.
Through game theory I guide the group to explore ways in which to improve the appeal of the agile offering.
Later this year and into 2010 I'll be publishing paper(s) in support of the ideas I cover in this session as well as doing a partner session which focuses more on purchasing / procurement side of the agile contracting equation, directly addressing risk and how people can see the value in having options. I'm very happy to be able to combine both Game Theory & Agile. Next stop is User Experience (where I still don't see the problem)
Speaking of risk, my friend and colleague Mark Summers is also speaking at the Munich Scrum Gathering this week with a brand new presentation specifically on managing risk with Scrum. The two sessions dove tail nicely into each other.
Lastly there is also a session specifically covering "Ten Agile Contracting" forms by Peter Stevens.