The Agile Sure Step Project Type: New Options for Implementing Microsoft Dynamics

An excellent introduction to a highly-relevant topic, my good friend. Unquestionably, SureStep has made major advances in each successive revision, and you have concisely highlighted many of the advantages and pitfalls of its foray into agile project process. In proper context, however, SureStep is a high-caliber methodology; a narrow focus adaptation of project framework (PMBOK in this case). How much of the additional weight of making SureStep a complete project solution, without diminishing its ease-of-use mission, remains to be seen.

Specifically, SureStep in its current incarnation is overwhelmingly a partner tool. This is understandable, given both its intended audience and the Microsoft channels for disseminating such tools. Critical elements of what PMBOK refers to as the Initiation and Planning stages of a project are assumed to have been completed by the client before the SureStep process begins. Those of us who have seen projects aimlessly meander for lack of a clearly articulated (and accepted) charter, executive endorsement and stakeholder vetting may surely grasp the signifigance of these "missing pieces."

Adaptation of agile (agile SCRUM in your example) further tax these deficiencies. Strong client-side grasp of the principles and usage of project process AND SCRUM application may be viable within sophisticated, process-mature client environments. The client-side "spectator" role that often exists within waterfall deployments is likely incompatible with such approaches. Whether this constraint qualifies or disqualifies mid-market Dynamics users from a particular project deployment strategy is probably best evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The underlying question where agile strategies are being contemplated, however, is often one of whether a client is "adept enough to be agile."

Vjeko, you've correctly cited many of the departures from generally-accepted partner approaches inherent in an agile SureStep strategy. Surely a reliance upon multiple iterations of user acceptance testing-- a frequent project bottleneck-- is beyond the current SureStep approach. This is, matters of practicality aside for the moment, curious as the textbook definition of "project" includes a mandate for reiterative capabilities. Correctly stated is that further refinement of the SureStep "big bang" deployment is needed before an incremental (read as "genuinely agile") project strategy may be accommodated.

Being in full agreement that the SureStep foray into agile project strategies is a very promising work-in-process, I look forward to reading your further blogs on this topic.