OUR METHODS

You know how to eat an elephant right?  Yep, one bite at a time.

Even the simplest of technology products can seem overwhelming to those who aren’t used to managing them.  Fortunately, we are.  Our project management methods, PMBOK® and Agile, mean that we can take your technology product from concept to completion.  And, we’ll do it bite by byte.

PMBOK®

Yes, there really is a place called the Project Management Institute and, yes, they are just as fun as you think.  Plus, they’ve got the best process for completing projects that we can find. Our Project Management Framework is build around the Project Management Institute Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) framework as well as guidelines set for by the State of Washington – Department of Information Services (DIS) management framework.

No matter the size of your project, we use these methods to make sure it gets completed in the right way, by the right people, and right on time.

PMBOK consists of five process groups that intersect with nine knowledge areas.

Process groups:

  1. Initiating
  2. Planning
  3. Executing
  4. Monitoring and Controlling
  5. Closing

Knowledge Areas:

  1. Project Integration Management
  2. Project Scope Management
  3. Project Time Management
  4. Project Cost Management
  5. Project Quality Management
  6. Project Human Resource Management
  7. Project Communications Management
  8. Project Risk Management
  9. Project Procurement Management

Click here to learn more about PMBOK

AGILE AND SCRUM DEVELOPMENT

The best meals always have several courses.

The food for a multi-course meal should always be served in the right order, at the right time and at least one course will require a fancy fork or some strange tiny spoon.  A long-term IT project works in a similar way when using Agile Software Development.

The Agile Approach and the Scrum cycle

The Agile approach means pretty much what you think it might:  being flexible and responsive while working quickly and smartly.  It’s a team-centric approach that maximizes productivity, cooperation, and communication.

Based on iterative and incremental development, this approach means we plan each stage of a project to fit into a Scrum process.

Scrum Development Cycle

The Scrum cycle breaks projects up into iterations called “sprints” that last for a couple of weeks to a month.  At the end of each sprint we end up with a demonstrable portion of the project completed. These demonstration sessions allow everyone on the project team an opportunity to review, interact and provide feedback to the development team on the progress.

Key Benefits of a Scrum Development Cycle

  • Early review and interaction with the work product
  • Increased ability to identify issues early
  • Smaller more manageable units of testing
  • Easier communication and collaboration by the project team

Click here to learn more about Agile Software Development