Process

Understanding what the business users are trying to achieve can significantly help you focus the project on things that really matter. In this excerpt from Gojko Adzic's book Specification by Example, the author offers some tips for effectively collaborating on the project scope when you don’t have high-level control of the project.

I am writing a book about agile program management. I have some portion of the first draft written. I don’t know how much, because I have not had any review. When I write, I can’t tell how much I’ve written until I have my first review. Then I will know how much I have that is good and how much is throw-away. (When I write a book, I have to write enough so my reviewers have enough context to review, but not so much that I’ve gone too far. I find it difficult to know how much to write before review.)

A knowledge transfer session is the least-sought-after activity in a project. The intention is to get rid of your current responsibility and move on, no matter what mess you leave behind. But, while watching a relay race, Rinku Sahay realized how crucial it is to have a successful “pass.”

When we don’t understand what the words we use could mean to our customers and business stakeholders, we can trigger misunderstanding or strong emotional reactions that impair working relationships. To be successful, we either need to speak our customers’ language or, when we don’t speak their language, act with conscious intent.