A process by any other name

There are so many different development methodologies out there. I have worked with 3 steps and 4 phases and 8 cycles and 33 flavors. This does not include agile and user-centric methodologies. The names are changed to be unique and meaningful to those using the methodology and confuse those of us that need to work with more than 1.

When I was at EDS, I had to map the EDS 8 step System Life Cycle with the GM 4 phase System Development Process. They mostly matched up, but it took 6 months to get agreement.

I boil everything down to 3 buckets when laying out a project. Why are we doing this. What are we trying to do. How will it get accomplished. Another way to look at it is Think - Plan - Do. "Think" has been and could be called Phase 0, Discovery, Strategy, Concept or a Project Brief. "Plan" is answering the whats and developing "enough" detail to move on. "Do" is implementing the solution.

I will go into more detail for each of these in the coming days.