Comments on: Process is Supposed to Help Teams http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html Management, especially good management, is hard to do. This blog is for people who want to think about how they manage people, projects, and risk. Fri, 18 May 2012 15:02:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jim Ward http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html/comment-page-1#comment-4392 Jim Ward Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:56:38 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html#comment-4392 The reason that experienced and talented people succeed is that they understand process and how to apply it. Ad hoc never works. Inexperienced people need process to guide them, and benefit from marching in lock step until they gain the experience and understanding. Untalented people are doomed to suffer until they find something that matches their talents, although process may keep them out of trouble to a degree (or maybe it's the customers of untalented people who suffer). The reason that experienced and talented people succeed is that they understand process and how to apply it. Ad hoc never works.
Inexperienced people need process to guide them, and benefit from marching in lock step until they gain the experience and understanding.
Untalented people are doomed to suffer until they find something that matches their talents, although process may keep them out of trouble to a degree (or maybe it’s the customers of untalented people who suffer).

]]> By: Steven Romero, IT Governance Evangelist http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html/comment-page-1#comment-4344 Steven Romero, IT Governance Evangelist Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:23:28 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html#comment-4344 Being a Certified Process Master, I loved seeing this posting and the numerous responses. Now I must deal with the dilemma of adding something meaningful, without getting on my soap box. I will start by saying most organizations are not very good at process. We have managed over the years thanks to the creativity, ingenuity and heroics of the capable people in our charge. If enterprises could conquer the discipline and excel at process design, succeed at process implementation, master managing the process lifecycle, then people would embrace processes. Good process is liberating, enabling and empowering. Good process makes work possible and practical. Being a Certified Process Master, I loved seeing this posting and the numerous responses. Now I must deal with the dilemma of adding something meaningful, without getting on my soap box. I will start by saying most organizations are not very good at process. We have managed over the years thanks to the creativity, ingenuity and heroics of the capable people in our charge. If enterprises could conquer the discipline and excel at process design, succeed at process implementation, master managing the process lifecycle, then people would embrace processes. Good process is liberating, enabling and empowering. Good process makes work possible and practical.

]]> By: Dwayne Phillips http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html/comment-page-1#comment-4330 Dwayne Phillips Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:40:20 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html#comment-4330 Alistair Cockburn touches on a similar topic in his blog this week (see link below). Yes, Process, the evil P-word scorned by many before they even ask, "What process are you advocating?" I tend to use the same process in all situations: 1. Think about what you are trying to do 2. Pick a process that fits this situation (there are many alternatives) 3. Adjust as necessary http://alistair.cockburn.us/index.php/Why_can%27t_people_deliver%3F Alistair Cockburn touches on a similar topic in his blog this week (see link below). Yes, Process, the evil P-word scorned by many before they even ask, “What process are you advocating?”

I tend to use the same process in all situations:

1. Think about what you are trying to do

2. Pick a process that fits this situation (there are many alternatives)

3. Adjust as necessary

http://alistair.cockburn.us/index.php/Why_can%27t_people_deliver%3F

]]> By: Claude Emond http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html/comment-page-1#comment-4328 Claude Emond Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:31:22 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html#comment-4328 Right on ! Right on !

]]> By: Greg http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html/comment-page-1#comment-4325 Greg Thu, 07 Feb 2008 07:35:43 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html#comment-4325 The thing that's hard to the point of impossibility is to hit the mythical "sweet spot" of process that is situated somewhere between ad-hocracy and bureaucracy. Perhaps the reason that the sweet spot is so hard to locate is because it varies based on situation and individual perception. Or maybe it's simply because it doesn't exist. The thing that’s hard to the point of impossibility is to hit the mythical “sweet spot” of process that is situated somewhere between ad-hocracy and bureaucracy.

Perhaps the reason that the sweet spot is so hard to locate is because it varies based on situation and individual perception. Or maybe it’s simply because it doesn’t exist.

]]> By: Joshua http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html/comment-page-1#comment-4322 Joshua Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:20:32 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2008/02/process-is-supposed-to-help-teams.html#comment-4322 I would agree with your synopsis of process. The problem that I see in organizations is that they don't get the balance. I either see NO PROCESS proponents that don't think we should have any process or it isn't agile, or I see people who follow the process blindly thinking that it will deliver a quality product. Some agile consultants seem to push agile techniques and sell it as part of the Agile process (using buzzwords like Scrum) when in reality, the agile processes are often frameworks to use your own processes. The only issue with using experienced people to create these processes is that usually, they are experienced, but they aren't knowledgeable. They do things the way they learned, but don't know about the latest industry best practices, etc. I would agree with your synopsis of process. The problem that I see in organizations is that they don’t get the balance. I either see NO PROCESS proponents that don’t think we should have any process or it isn’t agile, or I see people who follow the process blindly thinking that it will deliver a quality product. Some agile consultants seem to push agile techniques and sell it as part of the Agile process (using buzzwords like Scrum) when in reality, the agile processes are often frameworks to use your own processes. The only issue with using experienced people to create these processes is that usually, they are experienced, but they aren’t knowledgeable. They do things the way they learned, but don’t know about the latest industry best practices, etc.

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