Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
6.20 You Can't Just Use Another Organization's Processes
and Get the Intended Value
When processes are developed as described in this topic, the real intended
value is achieved. However, the related consequences must be understood.
While I was helping GEAR (discussed later in the topic), the VP of Engineering
said that he was also responsible for another group the parent company had
acquired. He wanted them to use the processes we were developing for GEAR
so they could get to CMMI level 3 as well. The other group produced a differ-
ent product from GEAR and was located in a different part of the country.
The problem is effective processes have value because they reflect how work
is actually done in a
specific
organization. What gives the
stakeholder matrix
value is that it provides specific guidance related to who needs to be
involved and in what activities, such as who needs to review and approve a
design document. This kind of information is
unique
to each organization.
Refer to the example relevant stakeholder matrix provided in Chapter 5. The
more specific you can make this matrix with respect to the roles and products
in your organization, the more effective it becomes at clarifying process
expectations for your people.
I have seen large organizations raise up the process documentation so it can
be reused across different groups by eliminating a level of detail. This leads
to processes looking more like policies. While they become more reusable
across a wider range of groups in the organization, they also become less
valuable. This is one of the reasons we often hear from workers in the
trenches at large high-tech companies say their company processes are too
high level to add value to the work they really do. This is why you can't just
pick up another organization's processes and gain the intended value.
6.21 Another Example of Formalizing Informality
In the following paragraphs, another example of formalizing informality is
provided.
Measurement Flow Down
In the BOND case study I provided an example of how an Agile organization
can “formalize informality” through the “Doorway” Risk Management
