Saturday, July 31, 2010

As we think



As we think, work reduces

As we think, work reduces.
Why don’t we think?
Because we have to complete the work,
We can do that by doing it, and not by thinking.


Thinking process validates,
Why something needs to be done.
5 times? good practice.


What is appropriate,
to achieve the “intent” behind the work?


What is conflict in needs,
that skewed the requirements,
making main goal de-focused.


Deep inside business requirements are simple.
The derived means to attend requirements are skewed at every hop.


Time commitment stops us thinking. 
Pressure makes it worst.


Left Brain
Systematic thinking shall deduce the things to its simple form.
If not, non productive emotions dominate,
confusion, blankness suspends further analytical process.

Unanswered “How to?”, “Why did”, “What is”...
are analytical paralysis triggers.


Unanswered questions due to unresolved logical consistency,
block the brain.


Mind can only recover with strong emotions, often negative,
still can not solve the problem further.


Right Brain
Creative options provide multiple simple solutions.
Under constraints, creativity shines,
if not, negative emotions take over,
locking left brain further.


Why don’t we face similar problems while playing video games?
Why don’t we fail blocked?
Because we enjoy.

The critical thing about problem solving and work is to enjoy,
as if you are playing a Video Game.


Sunday, July 11, 2010

Regarding COST and Schedule


Regarding COST and Schedule
Tuesday, June 22, 2010


How do we make products 
competitive, better, cheaper and in short period?

OR

How do we do build products in reasonable time?






As a person joins an organization, his senses of cost and time ($ + T) evaporate.

Simply because,
it is his Job to do his “Job”,
sadly “Job” definition does not cover the clause “in the required budget”.


When same person has to get things done for himself, 
out of his pocket and time,
all of a sudden he becomes rational about $ and Time.





Why it takes time to build products?
Because scope inflate.

Minor reasons also exists.



Why scope inflates?
Because there is poor self disciplinary intention.


Our natural intension of “being in safer situation” is stronger.
Adding more buffers in the plan and demanding further more resources.
Both Time and Resource inflate $ cost.



How to control scope inflation?
You have to force,
to make it in time, 
with available resources, 
with good quality and 
with less rework.

Two places scope inflates, 
  • Product Management / Analysts and 
  • Engg. the development part





The Product Delivery Head

Product Delivery Head must build,
complete and quality product in a defined $ + T budget.

We (the organization) must buy the product 
from Product Delivery Head 
as if it is internal outsourcing organization.

We must buy not as a user, 
but as a buyer who is business maker,
buying it to make profit out of it.



In my experience with various organizations,
Having Product Manager or a Analyst as the Product Delivery Head,
takes organization down turn and 
Engg becomes a common target,
for not being able to deliver the killer ideas to product.

Having Engg Head as the Product Delivery Head,
takes organization down turn and 
Analysts becomes a common target,
for not being able to understand the killer technical aspects that builds the product.


It is required that,
Product Delivery Head is one who understands the business.

Essence of making money out of the work
got done from various skills and people types.


The Product Delivery Head, 
must be responsible for both Product Management and Engg functions together.


Making Product Management responsible for $+T,
will cause bad relations with Engg and same if Engg made responsible.


In absences of Product Delivery Head,
best could be both Product Management and Engg made responsible together

Making Product Manager know per day $ burning cost and budget left can significantly force individuals to look for better, smarter and cheaper alternatives.

It will force to be careful and design before building.
It will force to be careful on requirements before hesitantly building.
It will force to make resources utilized effectively.

This is an effective approach.





Business owners often wonder 
why employees do not have focus on delivery 
and rather inclined to grand things

Ownership forces $ + T dimension referenced all the time.

Employees do not “own”, nor can you make them to have same sense of “ownership” as you have.



Whats the way out? 
Force.
By tracking per day $ burnt and budget remaining.



Product development has two phases,
  • Building the product and
  • Maintaining the product



Maintaining the product shall take 5% of costs rate of building the product.
Maintaining the product can never end. Every day burning cost shall be reduced significantly over a period.

Building cost can be considered for cost till making the product available to market with its first two GA releases.