Iterative Development in an imperfect world

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Iterative Developmentin an imperfect world

• Janea Triplett
• March 27, 2007

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Word Survey(Sample of cited words in Observing
the User Experience)
Issues
Problems 170 pages
Stakeholders
Stakeholders
Decisions 28 pages
Conflict 5 pages
Director 7 pages
Tension 1 page
Company 164 pages
Focus Groups 155 pages
Change 103 pages
Testing 96 pages
CEO 8 pages
Resolve 10 pages
User 333 pages
Schedules 76 pages
Teams 99 pages
Meetings 25 pages
People 416 pages
Resolution 6 pages
Project Management 14 pages
Organization/al 7 pages
Culture/al 40 pages
Designers 33 pages
Manager 27 pages
Staff 31 pages
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Cultural Challenges
Source IBM DeveloperWorks
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Challenges to Iterative Development

• Difficult to implement
• Entrenched procedures
• Resistance to change
• Understand company culture
• Collaborative
• Control
• Compete
• Create

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Sources of Conflict

• Structural issues
• Miscommunication
• Harmful behaviors
• Interpersonal differences
• Personal characteristics
• Negative history
• Difficult issues
• Individual emotions

Source Barsky (2002) Conflict Resolution
Quarterly.
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Misperceptions Conflict
Their piece is too BIG!
Conflict
My piece is too SMALL!
Lenses Shaping Our Perceptions
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Not all conflict is the same

• Affective Conflict
• Individual-oriented
• Distrust, hostility, cynicism, apathy
• Low effectiveness
• Cognitive Conflict
• Issue-oriented
• Different ideas and perceptions
• Open communication
• Builds understanding and commitment

Source Amason et al. (1995) Organizational
Dynamics.
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Not all conflict is negative
?
?
Source Amason et al. (1995) Organizational
Dynamics.
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Take home point

• Before Iterative development
• Organizational Culture
• Trust
• Collaborative
• Proactive
• Curious
• Empathetic
• Empowered
• Execution-oriented

Source IBM DeveloperWorks