Is there a development process for flexible product development?
It seems that we feel more comfortable having a process for completing things. If I have trouble with my computer, installing a video driver, for example, when I finally resolve the problem, I write myself a memo on how to do it—a process—so that I don’t have to struggle with this task again. As flexible development and its cousin, agile software development, mature, there is great temptation to turn it into an established process so that it is repeatable and predictable. Management often encourages more process (see our last Quick Tip). Unfortunately, more process often moves us toward rigidity, which is the very thing we seek to avoid with flexible or agile development. So how can we have a process without it becoming rigid? There are several things we can do. One is to standardize only for basic activities (for instance, installing a video driver), and leave upper layers open for change. I explain this on pages 206-207 of Flexible Product Development. Another is always to realize th
