Are Methods The New Waterfall?

This is one of those posts. I really don't know if I'm "right", "wrong", or somewhere in the middle but I'm writing it on instinct. It was over four years ago when I received my coveted box of IDEO Method Cards.  I devoured them.  I instantly fell in love with them.  They're so smart—they're almost sexy.

And now I wonder if that's an issue.

Continue reading at Experience Matters

Comments

[@dirkmshaw]

It seems like anytime an approach is written down it becomes linear. Creativity can not be put into a box or a set of hours on a project which makes it an elusive "process" to manage in a continuous manner.

I too believe in using structured tactics to execute a strategy but Culture is my creativity stimulator not methodologies (waterfall, user centered design, agile), tools/techniques (brainstorming, card sorting, personas) or technology.

This is the conundrum many large businesses find themselves in, they are trying to systematize creativity to differentiate. hence the growth in tools for idea/innovation management. I say spend more time developing people than processes.

[Bud Caddell]

Everything IDEO touches is sexy.

I have to agree with you David. I've worked in many many startups already, and I've definitely been there many times when growth lead to a need for process, nay, a pain for process.

In most cases, growth itself was not handled well. The team was added to because more lines of code HAD to be created, just more seats to fill.

Somewhat related, I'm running a very short 5 question survey on project management. If anyone is interested please follow this link, I'll share the results with anyone that's interested:

http://www.polldaddy.com/s/5B44527EA5468B35/

[Graham Hill]

David

What a coincidence. I was just reading another blog post that made the excellent suggestion that we should spend less time concentrating on methods themselves and more time on using said methods to generate great ideas.

In other words, if using your IDEO Cards still enables you to extract insightful, creative, useful ideas out of the ether then you should continue to use them. Until somebody thrusts something better into your hands that is.

It is a constant wonder to me why the professions spend so much time thinking about how they do stuff, rather than getting on with doing it!

Graham Hill
Independent CRM Consultant
Interim CRM Manager

[Fake Diego]

Yes. It's absolutely true. Everything at IDEO is fabulous — especially the people. Geniuses all around.