Wednesday 18 September 2013

Cutting corners has a price…


Problem: Risk impact discussions can be problematic


Someone posted this picture at Linkedin, and that made me think of the iron triangle. While working with quality you often have to talk about the cost of quality. Quality is fluffy, and hard to explain, especially when talking quality in large projects. As a tester you have valuable input for the risk logs and risk meetings - Make sure that you get the point across to the receiver.


Solution: Use the iron triangle to illustrate the consequences of a risk to your peers

I often use the iron triangle when talking impact of risks and issues. The reason for this is that it is simple and speaks a language that most project managers will understand.

This is how I do it:

Every time I identify something that threatens quality, I think about the triangle, and ask the question; where will this hurt the most? Cost, Scope or Schedule? I really like this angle on risk analysis, as it gives much to the risk index from traditional risk management.

The thing this approach adds, is easier prioritization amongst risks based on the overall project goals, as most project managers will be able to say which of the corners of the triangle he can afford to cut. Furthermore, it links the risk impact score directly to something that project members can relate to.

Give it a try – I bet it will raise awareness about risk impact in your project. At least it will give you a nice discussion on what corner your project will cut off the triangle when things gets though.

One last thing: Cutting corners always costs quality...

Have a nice day & Happy testing!

/Nicolai

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