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At 09:54 AM 1/5/2003 +1100, Christine wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>I wonder if there has been any
discussion on this list about the use of OS<br>
in the software development lifecycle? I have done a quick trawl of
on line<br>
resources and have not stumbled over anything yet.</blockquote><br>
More years ago than i care to remember -- and certainly before the
genesis of OSLIST -- I had as a client a large American
software/systems integration company. Each year they put on a weekend
"retreat" for their clients which consisted largely of Talking
Heads and a great deal of eating and drinking. Eventually the clients
objected (didn't come) and it was resolved to try something new -- OS to
be specific. The clients in question were major banks and other financial
institutions. The theme was, "Issues and Opportunities for building
IT support for the Financial Community." We had a whole day. When
the issues were posted, it became clear that most were from clients, and
constituted their "wish list." This is called market research.
As the groups convened, participants included not only clients, but also
"staff" from the host company (techies, sales, execs, etc.) And
there was a real buzzz. <br><br>
It quickly became clear that the groups were going way beyond just
<i>talking</i> about new products and approaches -- they were doing it. I
watched one group where the clients were actually writing software for
products they would eventually buy. This is called Co-Design -- or how to
get the client to do all the work.<br><br>
My clearest memory was of one of the VPs leaning against the door frame,
watching what was happening. He was shaking his head, and when I came up
he said something like, "Harrison, I think this may be immoral.
Pretty much like shooting fish in a barrel." I replied that I
thought it was just good business. <br><br>
By the end of the day something like 6 new products had been sketched
out, and 5 actually went to market. Indeed they had been "sold"
before we left, and all developmental costs covered. Not too bad for a
single day's work.<br><br>
Harrison<br><br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<div align="center">Harrison Owen<br>
7808 River Falls Drive<br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA<br>
phone 301-365-2093<br>
Open Space Training
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/" eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.com</a>
<br>
Open Space Institute <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/" eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.org</a><br>
Personal website <a href="http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm" eudora="autourl"><font color="#0000FF">http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm</a><br><br>
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