Principles (Chapter 4) Flashcards
How many principles are there?
8
What are the eight principles?
- Focus on the business need
- Deliver on time
- Collaborate
- Never compromise quality
- Build incrementally from firm foundations
- Develop iteratively
- Communicate continuously
- Demonstrate control
Compromising on any of the eight principles will not introduce risk to the project. True or false?
False - compromising the principles WILL introduce risk.
What does Principle 1, ‘focus on the business need’, mean?
‘Begin with the end in mind’, i.e. establish a clear business case from the outset, ensure it is not diluted over time and that the project delivers what the business needs and when.
What does Principle 2, ‘deliver on time’, mean?
‘Tomorrow is too late’
Delivering on time is often the biggest success factor.
Late delivery undermines a project, especially when market and/or legal factors are involved.
Delivering on time (Principle 2) is the best way to demonstrate control over a project.
True or false? Explain your answer.
True - it builds stakeholder confidence.
What does Principle 3, ‘collaborate’, mean?
Teams that work with active collaboration and commitment will always outperform those that don’t.
What are the benefits of collaboration? (3 points)
What is the outcome?
- Encourages increased understanding
- Greater speed
- Shared ownership
The team’s performance exceeds the sum of their parts.
DSDM is a ‘team oriented’ (Principle 3) way of working. Why?
A team working iteratively can deliver quickly.
What does Principle 4, ‘never compromise quality’, mean?
The level of quality to be delivered is agreed at the start (before work starts) and all work is aimed at achieving it. The solution should be ‘good enough’.
Relating to Principle 4, ‘never compromise quality’, what does ‘good enough’ mean? (2 points)
The solution…
- Contains the MUST features
- The MUST features meet the agreed acceptance criteria
In DSDM, quality is variable. True or false?
False - it is fixed. This relates to Principle 4 (‘never compromise quality’).
What does Principle 5, ‘build incrementally from firm foundations’, mean?
Establish firm foundations for the project BEFORE committing to significant development.
We must first understand the scope of the business problem to be solved and the proposed solution (but not in too much detail).
Once this is agreed, incremental delivery starts.
Relating to Principle 5, ‘build incrementally from firm foundations’), what are the advantages of incremental delivery? (3 points)
- Increased stakeholder confidence
- A source of feedback for subsequent timeboxes
- Early realisation of business benefit
Relating to Principle 5, ‘build incrementally from firm foundations’), Agile is ‘EDUF’ - what does this mean?
‘Enough design up front’ - understand the project scope but not in so much detail that is paralyses innovation.
What does Principle 6, ‘develop iteratively’, mean?
It is rare to create something perfectly first time and it is important to recognise that projects operate in a changing world.
Relating to Principle 6, ‘develop iteratively’, what three things does DSDM combine to encourage timely feedback?
- Iterative development
- Frequent demonstrations
- Comprehensive review
Principle 6, ‘develop iteratively’, is about being responsive. True or false?
True.
What does Principle 7, ‘communicate continuously and clearly’, mean?
Poor communication is often cited as the single biggest cause of failure. DSDM is designed to increase communication effectiveness for both teams and individuals.
Which DSDM practices support Principle 7, (‘communicate continuously and clearly’)? (4 points)
- Workshops
- Modelling
- Timeboxing
- Daily stand ups
To uphold Principle 7, ‘communicate continuously and clearly’, how should you manage stakeholder expectations? (2 points)
- Be honest and transparent
2. Provide evidence to keep people informed
Ideally, what is the best way to communicate?
Face to face.
What does Principle 8, ‘demonstrate control’, mean?
It is essential to be in control of a project, the solution being created and to be able to demonstrate this at all times.
Regarding Principle 8, how might you ‘demonstrate control’? (3 points)
- Make plans and progress visible to everyone
- Measure success through the delivery of products (not completed activities)
- Use the appropriate level of formality and reporting
What is the point of the eight principles?
To direct and shape the attitude of the DSDM team.
‘Defer decisions about detail until the last responsible moment’ - which principle does this relate to?
Principle 6. ‘develop iteratively’
