NASA - Warning: Projects May Be Closer Than They Appear

Here's a great case study of software projects from NASA's ASK (Academy Sharing Knowledge). It explores the fine balance between software experimentation and needing to meet the targets of a project. Some key lessons, according to the case study are:

• When tailoring a COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) software product, you
  should recruit developers who have an in-depth understanding of the intricacies of the product.
• Establishing open communication with your customer is not only intended to
  understand customer requirements but also to convey challenges you face on the project.

Both valuable lessons indeed.

The first would seem obvious, but many people attempt to customize or integrate purchased software without having experts who have "been there and done that" with that particular piece of software and know where the mine fields are. This can be a dangerous oversight.

Likewise, many talk about the importance of communicating with the customer to understand requirements and share "good news," but it's equally critical to engage the customer in meeting challenges and risks.

In addition to the above lessons, the case study also points out three key points:

• Be sure to articulate the business need to software developers
• Understand people, not just processes and technology -- all three must be present. For intance, we must get developers to apprciate the need to schedule and budget, and we must get customers to understand risks and constraints.
• Stay out of the weeds and delegate more - otherwise you can't see the whole field. If you find yourself getting so bogged down that you can't manage the project - consider what can be delegated (perhaps including project administration).
• Given a tight target date and unknown territory, go for phased milestones.

For the full case study, read on...

NASA - Warning: Projects May Be Closer Than They Appear