For some work that I'm doing, I re-visited this past week an interesting article by Nick Malik on drafting RFTs for agile projects (how good is the internet!). Nick's recommended drafting methodolgy is aimed at ensuring payment is linked to the creation-of-value rather than the following-of-process.
Inside Architecture : Agile Vendor Management – removing waterfall from outsourced projects
First off, let me say that not all vendors perform all tasks. I am breaking down the tasks according to analysis, design, construction, and delivery, because it is the model that my former clients are familiar with, and because some vendor companies cannot do all of the steps. So, when reading each section, realize that each section stands alone. It can apply to a vendor hired to fulfill that role alone, or to a vendor that fulfills that role as part of a larger process.
However, if you do have one vendor creating requirements and another doing design, and potentially a third doing construction, you have to provide the facility (desks, computers, phones, server software licenses) for them to develop all of the artifacts in one place, because they will ALL be working AT THE SAME TIME.
This is absolutely key to success: the primary effort of analysis is not done until design has released an iteration and code is being delivered, and it has no positive impact if the developers don't meet, know, and trust the analyst(s).
Technorati Tags: RFT, RFP, Outsourcing, Agile development
