Effective Software Project Management

Chapter 35. The Extreme SDPM Monitoring and Controlling Phase

Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have.

—Emile Chartier (Alain) French philosopher and essayist

Chapter Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, you will: Understand the Monitoring and Controlling Phase of the Extreme SDPM strategy Understand the Extreme SDPM strategy for the INSPIRE model Understand the Extreme SDPM strategy for the Flexible model

The Extreme SDPM strategy opens yet another new perspective on systems development where even less is known about requirements than for those projects that follow an Adaptive SDPM strategy. The typical Extreme project will not have a clearly defined goal or may have a goal whose feasibility is not known. For example, curing world hunger is an admirable goal, but can it be done? Maybe not as stated, but perhaps it can be done in certain parts of the world. Can you do it? It’s a fair question to ask. Obviously these are high risk projects. The difference between projects that follow an Extreme versus an Adaptive approach is staggering and so are the accompanying strategies. Monitoring and controlling such projects is a true challenge. You are in the world of research and development, and in that world the monitoring of progress is difficult at best. Some might rather say, “Let’s not get in their way. Leave them alone so they can focus on the daunting task before them. If they come up with anything useful, we’ll be the first to know.” ...