I have had the opportunity of being part of scores of programs till date. However a recently completed program to develop a product for operation users takes the cake for being one of the best executed. The product was delivered in 11 months starting from conceptualization to production launch. It won exceptional reviews from sponsors and other stakeholders for the efficiency with which it was delivered. It was adopted by thousands of users in record time supporting a high volume of throughput. I have endeavored to summarize the key factors which made this program a success.
To get the basic out of the way, we followed the agile methodology for product delivery. Let me say it is a hybrid approach before the Agile evangelists vent out their ire on me. We leveraged the gems of Agile methodology like the delivery in shorter sprints, sprint reviews, backlog refinement etc. But we also had a dedicated team of quality analysts who were responsible for vetting the product before the release. And had milestones to achieve and deadlines to meet, which quite frankly, can never be wished away. And there were other processes that will be highlighted here which does not fit the Agile descriptions. Agile or not, the objective was to deliver and deliver well in a transparent manner.
The 5 factors which proved to be critical in the delivery were:
1) Clarity of purpose – “Clarity is power – The more clear you are about exactly what it is you want, the more your brain knows how to get there.” – Anonymous
From start to end we ensured that we were clear in what was required to be delivered. The program sponsor clearly laid out the objective of the program right at the beginning. The epics and stories that mapped to the overall objective was identified early. And these stories were constantly reaffirmed and shared with all sponsors, stakeholders, product, technology and testing teams. This helped creating a shared vision and understanding with everyone involved. The path to completion was well laid out through a set of stories.
2) Transparency – No product ever gets delivered by an individual alone. The iPhone was not delivered by Steve Jobs alone. He had an army of people working behind the scenes.
The problem with having an army of people is that confusion can creep in easily. And matters get worse when the teams and stakeholders are spread across multiple geographies. To avoid this and ensure there is transparency on the progress and target delivery, a governance process was created. There were two meetings set every week for managing every aspect of the delivery. The meetings focused on reiterating the target deliveries, refining the stories, demonstrating the work completed and highlighting the risks and issues. Every meeting was religiously attended by the primary sponsor, key operation stakeholders/representatives and team members from product, UX, technology and quality.
There were no silo talks, no hidden agendas, no cross talks. All updates and every discussion topic including risks and issues were tabled in these meetings. This resulted in transparency throughout the program and built trust among everyone involved.
3) Collaboration – “Collaboration equals innovation” – Michael Dell
Collaboration,in a way, was a by-product of transparent process that was followed. When every aspect of the product build process is clear as water, every participant knows exactly where his/her role starts and ends. There was mutual trust among participants and the trust translated into expressing openly and freely.
Collaboration provided us with great insights and suggestions from the participants. Individuals and teams were comfortable expressing ideas, issues, criticisms and suggestion. Every point was taken on its merit and resolved/incorporated.
It also ensured that each team had a clear idea and ownership of their responsibilities. This was very important. You can see the merits of collaboration when there is a seamless input/output from all teams involved
4) Be aware of the limitations – When we started with the product build, we were very clear about the limitations around which we need to work. For the start, the platform that we were building on had some inherent challenges. Deep knowledge of the platform enabled us to clearly articulate what was feasible and what was not. This meant that some of the wishful thinking and aspirational requirements had to be parked. The user experience input was considered for every requirement delivered. But due to platform challenges, we parked the idea of creating a visually stunning product for subsequent deliveries. The target was to deliver a minimum viable product which will solve a user problem and lead to adoption.
And we could deliver on the target by being aware of the limitations.
5) Swift Decision Making – ” Courage and Confidence are what decision making is all about” – Mike Krzyzewski
During the entire journey, the factor which helped greatly was quick decision making. As with any project, there were hundreds of instances where decisions had to be made on the go. These decisions were related to requirement, architecture, resources, testing, risks, issues,scope etc. The key sponsor and functionality expert, a very experienced and senior operations head, was spontaneous with the scope and requirement decisions. The leads from the product, technology and testing were empowered to take well deliberated yet fast decisions. And the factors that facilitated decision making are the 4 factors – Clarity of Purpose, Transparency, Collaboration and Awareness of Limitations- mentioned above.
These were the factors which helped us deliver a fit for purpose product on time and to stakeholder’s satisfaction. The product is helping thousands of users go about their work in a more efficient and organised way. And they are loving it. Now we are diligently working to deliver upgrades based on user feedback and next round of stories. And as we work on the upgrades, we continue to keep the 5 factors at the heart of the delivery.
In more than a decade of my involvement with the professional world, I have had the opportunity of working in various multinational organisations. These opportunities brought me face to face with various aspects of leadership. Herein I have tried capturing four key lessons on leadership which my experience has taught me. These are not attributes specific to one organisation but transcends corporations.
Mutual Respect –Many aspire to be a leader! But one thing that demarcates a true leader from namesakes is mutual respect. Respecting people requires empathy and understanding. Especially in scenarios where the globe is shrinking and organisations are becoming a cultural kaleidoscope, respect becomes the soul of collaboration. Respect helps to connect and get the best out of people.
Two ears and one mouth – Leaders do well when they use the hearing and speaking capabilities in the proportion in which human beings are blessed with these senses. While it is important to understand that leaders cannot practically consider everyone’s opinions, it would be suicidal to ignore them completely. I have always felt that everyone has a gem or two worth of ideas. Harnessing them does have the potential to change the dynamics of the game.
Giving credit where it is due – Great leaders love celebrating their team members’ achievement unequivocally. It is the secret of keeping a set of high performing individuals motivated and invested in common goals. Recognition helps the individual feel valued and builds loyalty. For an employee who spends a third of his life working for an organisation, recognition does become a key happiness factor. Again, it is important that individual’s specific contributions are recognised rather than passing a generic comment for a job well-done.
Standing up for your people – Great leaders back every individual who is relentlessly and passionately trying to deliver on organisational goals. Leadership – I would hope, would put people on the forefront when a game is won and have their back when the results are not favourable. Putting blame on others and trying to get a scapegoat in trying times undermines the essence of true leadership.
Leadership is not a destination but a journey. It offers constant opportunities to evolve, grow and become better. Each of us has a potential to be a leader, these attributes should go a long way in realising that potential.
“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humour, but without folly.” Jim Rohn
The OWASP Top Ten is a regularly updated list of the ten most critical web application security risks. It’s created and maintained by the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), a nonprofit organization focused on improving the security of software. The OWASP Top Ten serves as a valuable resource for developers, security professionals, and organizations to understand and mitigate common web application vulnerabilities.
The OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) Top Ten is highly important in the field of web application security for several reasons:
Risk Prioritization: The OWASP Top Ten provides a concise list of the most critical web application security risks. This prioritization helps organizations focus their resources on addressing the most significant threats, reducing the chances of a successful attack.
Awareness: It raises awareness about common web application vulnerabilities and attack vectors among developers, security professionals, and decision-makers. This awareness is essential for proactive risk mitigation.
Educational Resource: The OWASP Top Ten serves as an educational resource. It offers detailed information about each security risk, including examples and recommended countermeasures. Developers and security practitioners can use it as a reference guide to understand and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Baseline for Security Testing: Organizations often use the OWASP Top Ten as a baseline for security testing. It helps assess the security posture of web applications and identify vulnerabilities that need immediate attention.
Compliance and Regulations: Many industry regulations and standards reference the OWASP Top Ten as a benchmark for web application security. Complying with these regulations often requires addressing the vulnerabilities listed in the OWASP Top Ten.
Risk Mitigation: By addressing the vulnerabilities listed in the OWASP Top Ten, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage resulting from web application attacks.
Continuous Improvement: The list is updated periodically to reflect emerging threats and changes in technology. This encourages organizations to stay current with evolving security challenges and continuously improve their security measures.
Open Source and Community-Driven: OWASP is an open-source community-driven initiative. This means that the knowledge and resources provided by the OWASP Top Ten are freely accessible and constantly evolving with input from the global security community.
Cross-Platform Applicability: The OWASP Top Ten is technology-agnostic and applicable to various web application development platforms and programming languages. It provides guidance that can be adapted to a wide range of web applications.
Reduced Development Costs: By addressing security risks early in the development process, organizations can avoid costly security fixes and emergency responses after an application is in production. This leads to cost savings in the long run.
In summary, the OWASP Top Ten is a foundational resource for web application security. It helps organizations identify, prioritize, and mitigate the most critical security risks, ultimately enhancing the security posture of web applications and reducing the likelihood of successful cyberattacks.
Project management frameworks provide structured approaches and methodologies for planning, executing, and controlling projects, ensuring that they meet their objectives efficiently and effectively. Various project management frameworks have emerged over the years, each with its own set of principles, processes, and tools. In this introduction, we’ll cover some of the most widely recognized project management frameworks.
1. Waterfall: The Waterfall model is one of the oldest and most well-established project management methodologies, known for its sequential and linear approach to managing projects. It provides a structured framework for project execution, where each phase must be completed before the next one begins. This methodology is widely used in industries with well-defined requirements and minimal uncertainty, such as construction and manufacturing. Key Principles of Waterfall Project Management: – Sequential Phases: Waterfall divides the project into distinct phases, each building upon the previous one in a linear fashion. These phases are typically sequential, with no overlap between them. – Requirements Clarity: Waterfall assumes that project requirements can be clearly defined at the outset and will remain relatively stable throughout the project. Changes to requirements are discouraged after the project has started. – Documentation: A significant emphasis is placed on documentation at each phase, including detailed project plans, requirements specifications, design documents, and test plans. – Testing at the End: Testing and quality assurance activities occur primarily at the end of the project, after development is complete. This is known as the “testing phase.” – Customer Involvement: Customer or stakeholder involvement is typically higher at the beginning and end of the project, with less interaction during the development phases.
2. Agile: The Agile model of project management is a highly flexible and iterative approach that has gained widespread popularity in the software development industry and beyond. Unlike traditional, linear project management methods, Agile prioritizes collaboration, adaptability, and customer feedback throughout the project’s lifecycle. Agile projects are divided into small, manageable iterations or increments, often referred to as “sprints” in methodologies like Scrum. Each sprint typically spans a few weeks and results in a potentially shippable product increment. This iterative approach allows for continuous improvement and the delivery of functional pieces of the project at the end of each iteration. It enables teams to respond quickly to changes and emerging requirements. Principles of the Agile Model: – Iterative Development: Agile projects are divided into small, manageable increments or iterations. Each iteration typically lasts two to four weeks and results in a potentially shippable product increment. – Customer-Centric: Agile places a strong emphasis on customer involvement and feedback. It aims to deliver value to customers early and continuously throughout the project, adapting to changing customer needs and preferences. – Cross-Functional Teams: Agile teams are typically composed of cross-functional members with diverse skills, including developers, testers, designers, and business analysts. This diversity ensures that teams can handle a wide range of tasks and responsibilities. – Embracing Change: Agile welcomes changing requirements, even late in the project. It views change as an opportunity to deliver better value and encourages flexibility in response to evolving circumstances. – Transparency: Agile projects maintain transparency through daily stand-up meetings, frequent progress reviews, and highly visible project boards (e.g., Kanban boards or Scrum boards). This transparency helps teams track progress and identify and address issues quickly.
3. Scrum Methodology Scrum is a popular and widely adopted Agile framework for project management and product development, known for its iterative and incremental approach. Originally conceived for software development, Scrum has found applications across various industries due to its flexibility and ability to adapt to evolving requirements. In this comprehensive overview, we will delve into the core principles, roles, ceremonies, and artifacts that define the Scrum methodology Core Principles of Scrum: – Iterative and Incremental: Scrum embraces an iterative and incremental approach to development. It breaks down complex projects into smaller, manageable pieces called “sprints,” each typically lasting two to four weeks. At the end of each sprint, a potentially shippable product increment is delivered. – Empirical Process Control: Scrum relies on empirical process control, emphasizing that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is known at the time. Teams regularly inspect and adapt their processes to improve outcomes. – Collaboration: Collaboration is at the heart of Scrum. Cross-functional teams work closely together, sharing knowledge and skills. Open and transparent communication fosters collaboration among team members and stakeholders. – Customer-Centric: Scrum places the customer or end-user at the forefront. The product owner represents customer interests, prioritizes work items, and ensures the team is building the most valuable features
4. Kanban: Kanban is a versatile and widely adopted method for visualizing, managing, and improving workflows in various industries. Initially developed in the manufacturing sector by Toyota, it has since been applied to fields beyond manufacturing, including software development, healthcare, and marketing. Kanban, which means “visual card” or “billboard” in Japanese, relies on a visual system to track work items and optimize the flow of work through a process. In this overview, we’ll explore the core principles, practices, and benefits of Kanban. Core Principles of Kanban: – Visualizing Work: Kanban emphasizes the visual representation of work. A Kanban board, typically consisting of columns and cards, provides a visual snapshot of the workflow. Columns represent stages in the process, while cards represent work items or tasks. – Limiting Work in Progress (WIP): One of the central tenets of Kanban is the establishment of WIP limits for each column on the Kanban board. WIP limits define the maximum number of items that can be in progress at any given time. These limits help prevent overloading team members and maintain a smooth flow of work. – Managing Flow: Kanban aims to optimize the flow of work through the system. It encourages work items to move continuously and smoothly from one stage to the next. By managing flow, teams reduce bottlenecks, minimize wait times, and increase overall efficiency. – Making Process Policies Explicit: Kanban makes process policies explicit by defining how work items should move through the workflow. These policies clarify expectations and provide guidance for team members, ensuring consistent practices.
5. PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments): PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a widely recognized and widely adopted project management methodology used for planning, executing, and managing projects. Developed initially by the UK government, PRINCE2 has become a global standard and is known for its structured and process-driven approach to project management. In this overview, we’ll explore the key principles, components, and benefits of PRINCE2. Key Principles of PRINCE2: – Continued Business Justification: PRINCE2 emphasizes the importance of ensuring that a project remains viable and aligned with the organization’s objectives throughout its lifecycle. Projects should have a clear business case and regular assessments to validate their ongoing value. – Learn from Experience: PRINCE2 encourages organizations to learn from past projects by capturing and applying lessons learned. This promotes continuous improvement and the avoidance of common mistakes. – Defined Roles and Responsibilities: PRINCE2 defines specific roles and responsibilities for project participants, ensuring that everyone knows their role and what is expected of them. Key roles include the project manager, project board, and various project team members. – Manage by Stages: PRINCE2 divides projects into manageable stages, with each stage having its own defined objectives and deliverables. This approach allows for effective control, monitoring, and decision-making at each stage. – Manage by Exception: PRINCE2 sets predefined tolerances for each project stage and allows project managers to manage by exception. This means that they can take corrective actions when a stage deviates from the predefined tolerances without seeking constant approval from senior management. – Focus on Products: PRINCE2 emphasizes the importance of clearly defining and managing project deliverables (products). This ensures that the project’s output meets quality and scope expectations. – Tailoring to Suit the Project: PRINCE2 is adaptable and can be tailored to suit the specific needs and characteristics of each project, whether it’s large or small, simple or complex
6. PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge):The Project Management Institute (PMI) is a globally recognized organization that has developed a comprehensive framework for project management known as the Project Management Institute Framework or PMI Framework. This framework is described in the PMI’s flagship publication, the “Project Management Body of Knowledge” (PMBOK) Guide, which provides guidelines, best practices, and standard processes for managing projects effectively. In this overview, we’ll explore the key components and principles of the PMI Framework. Principles of the PMI Framework: – Project Management Knowledge and Practices: PMI emphasizes the importance of applying project management knowledge and practices derived from the PMBOK Guide to manage projects effectively. – Tailoring: The PMI Framework promotes tailoring project management processes to fit the specific needs of each project. One size does not fit all, and flexibility in application is encouraged. – Ownership: Successful project management requires clear roles and responsibilities for all project stakeholders, with an emphasis on leadership and accountability. – Adaptation: The PMI Framework recognizes that projects may require adaptation to changes in their environment and should be flexible in responding to those changes
7. Lean Project Management: Lean Project Management is a methodology that combines principles from Lean Thinking and project management to enhance the efficiency, productivity, and value delivery of projects. It aims to eliminate waste, optimize processes, and improve project outcomes by focusing on customer value, continuous improvement, and the reduction of non-value-adding activities. In this overview, we’ll explore the key concepts and principles of Lean Project Management. Principles of Lean Project Management: – Specify Value from the Customer’s Perspective: Define what is valuable to the customer and ensure that project activities align with these customer-defined values. – Identify the Value Stream: Map the end-to-end process of delivering value to the customer, identifying all steps and resources involved. – Create Flow: Streamline the process to create a smooth, continuous flow of work, minimizing interruptions, bottlenecks, and handoffs. – Establish Pull: Implement a pull system where work is initiated based on demand, reducing overproduction and excess inventory. – Seek Perfection: Continuously strive for perfection by eliminating waste, improving processes, and increasing the efficiency of value delivery.
8. Scaled Agile framework: The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a comprehensive and widely adopted framework for scaling Agile principles and practices to large organizations. SAFe provides a structured approach to implementing Agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban, across multiple teams, departments, and even entire enterprises. It is designed to help organizations deliver value more efficiently, improve quality, and foster collaboration at scale. In this overview, we’ll explore the key components and principles of SAFe. SAFe Principles: SAFe is guided by several core principles, including: – Take an Economic View: SAFe encourages organizations to make decisions based on economic factors, ensuring that investments in Agile development deliver value. – Apply Systems Thinking: Organizations should consider the entire value stream and understand how changes impact the system as a whole. – Assume Variability; Preserve Options: Embrace change and keep options open for as long as possible to adapt to evolving requirements. – Build Incrementally with Fast, Integrated Learning Cycles: Use short feedback loops to continuously learn and adapt. – Base Milestones on Objective Evaluation of Working Systems: Assess progress based on working solutions and deliverables. – Visualize and Limit WIP, Reduce Batch Sizes, and Manage Queue Lengths: Use principles from Lean manufacturing to optimize work processes and reduce waste.
Definition: Project management is the discipline of planning, executing, controlling, and closing a specific set of tasks or activities with a defined beginning and end to achieve a unique objective or deliverable.
Scope: Projects are temporary endeavors with well-defined boundaries, goals, and deliverables.
Responsibility: Project managers are responsible for managing individual projects, including scope, schedule, budget, quality, and resources.
Focus: The primary focus of project management is to deliver the project on time, within budget, and meeting quality standards.
Examples: Developing a new software application, constructing a building, organizing a marketing campaign.
Program Management
Definition: Program management is the management of a group of related projects and initiatives that are coordinated and managed together to achieve strategic objectives.
Scope: Programs are composed of multiple interrelated projects and initiatives that collectively contribute to a broader organizational goal.
Responsibility: Program managers are responsible for aligning the projects within the program with the organization’s strategic objectives, managing interdependencies, and ensuring efficient resource allocation.
Focus: The primary focus of program management is to ensure that the collective output of the projects in the program delivers the intended benefits and value to the organization.
Examples: Implementing an enterprise-wide IT system that includes multiple projects (e.g., software development, hardware deployment, training) or managing a portfolio of research and development projects.
Portfolio Management
Definition: Portfolio management is the management of a collection of programs, projects, and initiatives to prioritize and align them with an organization’s strategic goals and objectives.
Scope: Portfolios encompass all projects, programs, and initiatives within an organization, regardless of their size or complexity.
Responsibility: Portfolio managers are responsible for selecting, prioritizing, and managing a balanced portfolio of projects and programs that align with the organization’s strategic priorities.
Focus: The primary focus of portfolio management is to maximize the organization’s return on investment (ROI), ensure resource optimization, and maintain alignment with the strategic direction.
Examples: Managing a portfolio of projects and programs across various business units, such as IT projects, product development initiatives, and marketing campaigns.
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