What Can I Do?
Ken Schwaber, Jeff Sutherland · 2012
This chapter discusses the empirical practices and outlooks that management can help them become aware of. The degree of success one has with empirical software development largely depends on the leadership in organization and how they lead everyone in the changes. Empirical software development plans are created just in time. A goal is established, and then the team moves toward that goal, iteration by iteration. The plan is modified as needed based on experience. The path to the goal may be different from what is anticipated, but it is tailored and optimized to the realities that are encountered. The project is complete when the return on investment is optimized. For instance, a project may be ended after two iterations when you discover that the goal is unattainable at a reasonable cost. That is a success-a successful avoidance of more wasted money. However, software development is unpredictable. The past does not predict the future, since software development is different each time. The database would not be useful. Everyone needs certainty, but it is often unobtainable. However, one can act intelligently, make good decisions, and constrain the risk. That is empirical software development in a nutshell and why short iterations reduce risk.