In a traditional development life cycle, users see the specifications for a system and then forget about it for 18 months or more as development proceeds without them. A major characteristic of fast development is that users are involved at every stage. Furthermore, because the elapsed time for development is short, users can see the results of activities they initiate, and thus are generally more interested and more committed than they would be in a lengthy, traditional life cycle.
Another problem with traditional life cycles is that the managers who initiate a development project often leave before the new system s cut over. If the system fails or appears poorly designed, the new managers can happily blame the previous regime. With fast development, the managers who start a project are more likely to be there when the new system becomes operational, and thus are more easily held accountable for its adequacy. They also have a strong incentive to make the new system useful.
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Section Overview : People
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