PoorQuality

The quality of the product is not as good as desired

Description

The quality of the product is not as good as desired. The team is lacking the time, the ability, the feedback or the inclination to produce good quality

Discussion

You will not that I did not say the team is lacking “process” to produce good quality, yet process affects many areas that contribute toward quality. You should in particular consider any areas that directly address time (BadFitToSchedule), ability (LackOfExpertise), feedback (LateFeedback, LostFeedback), and inclination (try BurnedOutWorkers, LackOfVision). Perfection is not expected, and striving for perfection can be counter-productive. A product should be “good enough”, and some business plans opt for being first to market with something that is “barely good enough” or “nearly good enough”. I have an intense dislike for the latter approach, and I hate myself every time I buy such a product – yet I buy.

Prevention, Amelioration, Cure

Traditional

Traditional processes rely heavily on process to produce quality, they expect having a good, detailed process and ensuring adherence to it will produce quality. Yet their process tends only to ensure the stated requirements are met and the feedback is provided; heavyweight process often contributes to problems of time, ability and even inclination. Early estimates cannot hope to be accurate, and in many cases a bias toward optimism is built in (tell them the truth and the work may disappear). Where time gets squeezed, SizeTheSchedule or quality will be a casualty. Large processes require large numbers of people, and managing them is easier if they are well regimented. Yet large numbers of high ability people are not available, and would be expensive. The regimentation does not bode well for skills transfer. This situation can be somewhat ameliorated by GroupValidation, directly addressing problems in quality and learning lessons toward future prevention of these problems. Feedback on quality can be obtained if steps are taken to EngageQualityAssurance at an early stage.

Modern

Modern Agile approaches have flexible scheduling by variants of the WorkQueue; see also the PlanningGame. Time never squeezes quality, and workers work at a SustainablePace so inclination does not flag after prolonged pressure. Constant validation is achieved by approaches such as DevelopingInPairs, a process that also ensures good skills transfer, and customer validation is achieved by EarlyAndRegularDelivery and having the CustomerOnSite.