This document discusses why the #NoProjects movement is trending in agile environments. It notes that projects are typically temporary endeavors with defined start and end dates, but questions whether this fits well for long-lived software applications that continuously evolve. The document outlines some indications that projects may be a misfit, such as frequent scope changes and continuous delivery. It advocates shifting to a product focus with sustainable teams, assessing teams based on outcomes rather than budgets or utilization, and focusing on reducing technical debt. Overall, the document questions the traditional project model for software development and proposes an alternative approach centered around products and teams.

1. #NOPROJECTS
B Y
S R V S U B R A H M A N I A M
WHY IS IT TRENDING IN AGILE
WORLD?

2. S R V Subrahmaniam
Enterprise Agile Coach
Scaled agile specialist, with substantial transformation
experience in global corporations.

3. How often have you seen a
successful project in
software development?
RARE?

4. PMI definition
PROJECT
"It's a temporary endeavor undertaken to create
a unique product, service or result. A project is
temporary in that it has a defined beginning and
end in time, and therefore defined scope and
resources."

5. triple constraints
TIME BUDGET
Deadline for delivery Requirements which
the project must
deliver
SCOPE
Finite amount
available to
deliver given
scope within given
time

6. Are there multiple projects
within the same
application?
Analyze
01
Is scope change really
undesirable?
Describe
02
Delivery is something which happens at one go
or many times over the project duration?
If some requirements remain unfinished at end
of project, is the project considered a failure?
Plan & Develop
03
INDICATIONS
O F
P O T E N T I A L
M I S F I T

7. IN A LONG-LIVED APPLICATION
ARE PROJECTS TEMPORARY?
Continuous
delivery?
Product flow?

8. PROJECT GOVERNANCE
Command and Control. Little buy-in
TEAM PARTICIPATION
force certainty. Control or exploit?
CERTAINTY
Expansive & Expensive set-up
STRUCTURE
Compliance to Plan. Non-value added
METRICS
Too much upfront. Sets stage for future
failure
ESTIMATION

9. GET DISBANDED
TEAMS
HOW DO PRODUCTS EVOLVE

10. W A Y F O R W A R D
T E A M
F O C U S
O U T C O M E S
B U D G E T
P R O D U C T
F O C U S
Teams remain central to delivery.Do not move
people to work, move work to teams.
Assess on outcomes (and value generated)
rather than on utilisation or budgets.
Variable scope helps to retain the product
centric view. Technical Debt reduction /
environment & tooling get importance.
Budget for capacity (and overheads). Move
away from scope based exercise.

11. KNOWLEDGE
INTENSIVE
PRODUCTS
Software product space
has to be provide for
innovation and
collaboration
DO NOT FOCUS ON
UTILIZATION
Utilization or budget
burn-up does not indicate
output quality
FOCUS ON VALUE
Focus on outcomes.

12. More at
INFOQ EBOOK ON # NOPROJECTS
EVAN LEYBOURN
HTTP://NOPROJECTS.ORG/

13. THANK YOU
FOR PARTICIPATING!
LET US KEEP IN TOUCH
@ SRV_ SUBBU
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