agile commissioning a beginners view
DESCRIPTION
I collated this simply as a conversation starter at the Scottish Public Sector Barcamp on 27-03-09. In the event I didn't get the opportunity and so was able to put the material 'in the bank' for another time. But on reflection it seemed silly not to make it available anyway - you can do your own voice-over!TRANSCRIPT
Agile Commissioning
What’s that??
Caveat
• This is not an attempt to explain a new set of procurement rules– For that, go to places like– NESTA or the OGC
• It’s more about how you need to begin to think in this context – your mental framework
• First, we need to describe how we want to go about doing what we want to do(!)
Things Valued
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
Manifesto for Agile Software Development
http://agilemanifesto.org/
Principles• Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous
delivery of valuable software.• Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes
harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.• Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of
months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.• Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the
project.• Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and
support they need, and trust them to get the job done.• The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a
development team is face-to-face conversation.• Working software is the primary measure of progress.• Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers,
and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.• Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.• Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount of work not done--is essential.• The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing
teams.• At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then
tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly.Manifesto for Agile Software Development
Why bother? (+ve)
Collaborative working is the order of the day
With thanks to the Ontario Gov’t archives at http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/diaries/bigs/big_39b_barn-raising.htm
Why bother (–ve)
“When it comes to Web 2.0, by the time the [organisation] has established a programme board, hired a management consultant, logged the issues, mitigated the risks and approved the Project Initiation Document, users will have got bored and moved elsewhere.”
Web 2.0 in Local Government: Are We Ready To Lose Control?Stephen Hilton
http://www.headstar.com/egblive/?p=195#more-195
Context 1
?!??
!!!!
Context 2
“New concepts can be prototyped in less time than the meeting you’d have needed to discuss it in the first place”
Simon Willison, at the launch of the Guardian’s ‘Open Platform’ (11.03.09)
My Context
How might we do this? Plan A
Architecture
? Thinking & Description
Explanatory devices (Mock-ups/ storyboards)
[Online] Consultation & evolution
[SI] Camp! Winning working models supported
Organisational approach?
Event logistics
Participants: students, savvy SMEs, Volorgs, judges, sponsors
Literacies exercises development
• Adult• Child
!!!
Maybe need to think about this a bit?
Think 1 ‘what’s the Pitch?’
Knowing what you think: pitching as a design tool
– what is the important need that you aim to meet?
– what is your approach?– what are the quantifiable benefits from
your approach?– what’s the competition?
Boyd, F. (2007) How does innovation happen? Published by Creativity East Midlands for the Creativity: Innovation and Industry conference, 6th December 2007
http://www.cii.dmu.ac.uk/resources/frank/Boyd.pdf
Think 2 - Commissioning as the corollary of developmentHave a look at the Agile Software Development page on wikipedia
– And do a mental search & replace with ‘commissioning’
• Connection with Agile Manifesto• Useful points on
– Comparisons with other methods e.g. waterfall, cowboy coding etc.
– Suitability of the approach in different project contexts– Appropriate project management tools etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agile_software_development
Where & when might this be useful?
[ this isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach]
• ?
• ?
• ?• The point is that you need to think about it not just move from one
‘answer’ to another one…
Discourse available?
…on Agile Procurement at Google Groupshttp://groups.google.co.uk/group/agile-procurement?pli=1