Chapter 1. Know the System

This is not a book about process improvement or about the adoption of any particular process model to power information technology (IT) businesses. But a look at the techniques used by Hollywood production companies to manage their projects will clearly show the value that process brings to the table. Motion picture production is a process-driven system, and it’s been that way since about 1920. In the 90 years since, the entertainment industry has refined and matured this process so that today, not only is it common for an $80 million, two-year project to come in on budget, on schedule, and according to script, but it’s expected as well.

Things are different in the much younger technology industries. Software, systems, ...

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