Should your Projects' Leaders be on Springer

摘要

This issue of CrossTalk focuses on software projects that fail. Process improvement programs can help a software program succeed. They can also help it fail. Process improvement programs face a number of challenges within an organization. These challenges can include fickle or uncaring sponsors, strange behavior, and process envy. Such dysfunctional behaviors reflect the personalities and culture of the organization. Any organization is a miniature version of society as a whole. To gain some insight into the effects of dysfunctional behavior in an organization, the author turns to the best demonstration of dysfunction in our society: The Jerry Springer Show. The author draws a parallel between the problems faced by process improvement programs to the experiences related on The Jerry Springer Show. He relates some of the dysfunctional behavior seen on the Springer show that sabotages relationships to the resistance and strange behavior that can sink a process improvement program.