While working on-site for a client, I noticed something interesting. On the walls of some of my client’s “users” offices, along with other more classic credentials, are certifications from Microsoft… SQL Server 2005 query language certifications.
I’ve heard a lot about the lines between IT and business blurring. We talk a fair amount about it back at HQ.
Interestingly, this case is a clear mid-tier layer between classic IT (app development, data management, advanced reporting) and business in the form of ad hoc SQL querying and cube analysis. In many ways, it’s simply a “power-user” layer.
The most interesting part about it is the certification, itself. The credentials that used to qualify an IT role are now being used to qualify non-IT roles.
Another trend I’m seeing is development ceremony expectations varying depending on the risk of the project. Projects that are higher risk are expected to proceed more like a waterfall ceremony. Lower risk projects proceed with more neo-“agility”.
The project I was on was apparently considered “medium” risk. The way I saw this play out was that all of the documentation of a classic waterfall methodology was expected, but the implementation was expected to develop along with the documentation.
In many ways, it was prototyping into production. Interestingly, this project required this approach: the business users simply did not have time to approach it in a full waterfall fashion. Had we been forced into a full-fledged classic waterfall methodology, we might still be waiting to begin implementation, rather than finishing UAT.
