The Effect of Values on System Development Project Outcomes
Abstract
To understand why organizations make certain decisions and target certain outcomes, it is useful to understand their priorities and preferences, commonly referred to as "values." This research explores the relationship between the technical values held by system development teams and the operational effectiveness of the systems those teams produce. Specifically, it examines the impact of a value set called FIST (Fast, Inexpensive, Simple, Tiny) on Department of Defense (DoD) and NASA system development projects, and investigates the correlation between the FIST values and operational outcomes. The findings show that the FIST value set enhances project stability, increases the project leader's control and accountability, optimizes failure, fosters "luck," and facilitates learning. These benefits of the FIST approach all support the goal of ensuring that the organization delivers systems that are "available when needed and effective when used." FIST is therefore recommended as an effective approach to system development, and several heuristics are provided to facilitate understanding and application of these values.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA496358
Entities
People
- Daniel B. Ward
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology