
Is it possible to be agile in a complex, real-time, embedded environment?
And how does agility fit with the heavily regulated, ISO 15504/CMMI, product-safety-oriented processes increasingly demanded by OEMs?
An Old Misunderstanding
In my presentation at the Embedded World conference in February 2012, I argued that the difference between “agile” and “rational, controlled” project organization is an age-old misunderstanding.
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Being agile does not necessarily contradict being process-oriented. The marketing-driven argument suggests this conflict is obsolete.
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Decision-making processes are rarely purely rational. Modern brain science shows that we always decide empirically.
Projects Are Not Isolated
Another misconception is the fixation on projects as isolated entities. This view has proven disastrous in many organizations.
Why? Because the nature of product development changes with each subsequent product release. Projects must therefore adapt at every stage of the product life cycle.
Projects as Organic Systems
Project organizations are not machines. They are organic systems.
They require the right genes—the appropriate DNA—to develop the abilities needed to move from the agile, pre-release stage to rational, quality-oriented product development.
The Bottom Line
Integrating both dimensions—the project as an organic system and the project’s lifecycle-centric DNA—renders the debate “Should we be agile or heavyweight in our process orientation?” obsolete.
With the right, DNA-like project management pattern, systems-developing organizations can:
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deliver product releases successfully,
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preserve team motivation, and
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satisfy their customers.
What’s Next
This presentation is the first article in this series. In the following posts, I will share relevant slides and further insights.
👉 See the presentation here: Rational Agility
Enjoy—and feel free to share your thoughts on the idea.
Let’s start a conversation on LinkedIn or X.com (formerly Twitter).
I am a project manager (Project Manager Professional, PMP), a Project Coach, a management consultant, and a book author. I have worked in the software industry since 1992 and as a manager consultant since 1998. Please visit my United Mentors home page for more details. Contact me on LinkedIn for direct feedback on my articles.
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