Empirically controlled?

The creation of software-based business solutions, also known as application development, could benefit a lot from specific kinds of development processes; in particular those controlled empirically, like those with an iterative and incremental kernel inside, like Adaptive, Crystal Clear, DSDM, Scrum, FDD, Lean, XP, and others.

What does it possibly mean to be empirically controlled? Well, to start with, it should mean that a process is not controlled by «a priori» rationalizations alone —which is still a major trend in today industry, with big up-front architectures, Gantt charts with timelines expressed in months or years, and fear-based strategies and tactics for risk management. Instead, on the other hand, an empirically controlled process springs from «a posteriori» strategies and tactics executed continuously and in batches of small size.

One example of such strategies and tactics are found in musical performances. If you are interested in an increased level of performance within application development projects, then «rehearsal, rehearsal, rehearsal! » is a basic tenet of excellent performances both, in musical performances as well as in creative performances of software-based business solutions. For example, as deployment is an important part of a value stream in a software delivery performance then let’s execute, early and often, a rehearsal for such a procedure in a realistic way before touching the end-user.

More, much more, about this is coming...interested?