When I started my professional career in software development over ten years ago, I never imagined where we'd be today with technology. Even though, just a decade prior (1990's - 2000), I had seen the web transition from a cobbled together group of HTML web pages to a serious programming platform. Now, we are in the era of Web 2.0. Through the use of AJAX and other platforms, our web applications are getting increasingly more complex and now even pose a threat to many desktop applications. Reference the rise of Google and the demise of Microsoft. OK, maybe the last part hasn't happened yet (or will never happen), but the rise of credible open platforms is giving closed systems a run for their money. It's an amazing thing.
That said, through all this change, what has not changed is the need to satisfy a company's ability to compete in their market. This is true of all industries where competition occurs. Over the years, this challenge has not gotten any easier. We communicate much faster than we did even five years ago. Twenty years ago when the web and email were in their infancy, feedback loops were much shorter, product development cycles lasting a year or more were not uncommon and companies could compete by releasing within that time frame. Fast forward to today and we've moved way beyond email. In the era of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and many other social networks, millions of consumers can make their voices heard in a matter in minutes (maybe even seconds)! A company's product can go from hero to zero with lightening speed if they release a product that is not in tune with the needs of their customers. Today, organizations need to be even more responsive to their customers.
This blog is first and foremost about Agile Project Management (APM). I did not coin the term and don't claim any specific rights to it. However, I've learned through my experiences both in the U.S. and overseas, that the one thing that my clients want is flexibility. They need adaptability in the face of unrelenting competition from an increasingly fickle market. I leave it to the purists to debate the hypothetical and theoretical implications of forcing the use of one process over another. My goal, is to communicate my own experiences (from multiple projects, in multiple countries, across multiple industries) and thoughts on a wide ranging list of topics related to APM.
I hope you enjoy my postings and I welcome your feedback. If you wish to make a comment on a post, please remember that this is a professional forum and I ask that you keep your comments professional in nature. If your comment requires a response, I will respond at first chance I get.
Thank You!
Alan
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