Hybrid Manifesto - Does it exist?

Hi Abrachan,

members of all sects are happy and think there is a positive impact on them. All sects are divisive (vs other sects), without maybe the members noticing. We would not see so many pamphlets on waterfall vs agile otherwise.

I like your insight 'do whatever is required'. We all have our biases and experience, but we only can be successful in life if we can switch perspectives and mental models.

I like Peter's headline 'there is no hybrid'.

Working on an article titled 'If agile is predictive, and waterfall is flexible, is hybrid a hoax?'.

Who benefits from a mental model putting agile and waterfall as opposites? Not the world. All models are wrong, some are helpful. For whom?

Good discussion, thank you for starting it.

Hi Abrachan,

When I use the term "Hybrid" (as I did in my recent article which you so kindly commented on), I use it for its ambiguous quality, that is, "hybridity" represents something that is distinctly undefinable, as it is a unique mixture. So, there is no Hybrid approach that can be defined; it's just a statement (as you referenced) that all projects are unique in nature.

I remember an international project where I brought my North American team over to Europe for three-weeks of project-initiation-bonding with their counterpart team. On the first day of the event, we started discussing the project delivery approach, and their project leader looked at me and said, whoa, whoa, "you are talking about religion." Which, for many, is the unfortunate truth that they will never admit – at least out loud.

My article was "preaching" against the ideology of methodologic superiority, as I believe an experienced well-informed project manager can create the necessary life-cycles/processes and accountability structures under any delivery approach. And any delivery approach can be customized to meet the specific needs of a project. So, by that belief, everything is "hybrid," or maybe better stated, there are no pure delivery approaches or mindsets; there is only an approach/mindset called, "my projects specific needs."

George

Birth and early evolution of a project:- simplified based on Decision Tree concept

1) Company identifies business need
2) decision to proceed, yes or no?
3) within existing operation or stand alone project?

If stand alone project
1) internal or external team (or combination)

If internal or combo - Project Charter
1) PM with SME support or full PMO (or combination)?
2) Establish project organization and governance
3) select and develop processes

All decisions based on what's best for the company through Threat and Opportunity analysis NOT a preconceived project delivery theory. Earlier experience obviously considered but as experience not dogma.

Alternatively - "We always do it this way regardless of actual needs, conditions and constraints. My dad did it this way and what was good enough for him is good enough for me!"

Abrachan -

I'd suggest the ground you are covering has already been covered by:

1. Disciplined Agile
2. Agnostic Agile

Kiron

Hi Abrachan,

As Peter said, there is no such thing as "Hybrid". Please let's avoid that term because it's becoming too much misused on this site.

"All projects are unique in nature. Tailoring the processes to be followed in the project..."

I really think this is the wrong approach because the project should not be the determining factor. The Agile Manifesto is not about projects; it is all about how to do software development. Development of software products continues whether or not a project is deemed to be in effect and it's not usually realistic or helpful to expect people to change their way of working just to suit the temporary needs of a project. Of course teams should continually try to improve their methods of working but that ought to be a lasting improvement, not a project-centred one. If your software development teams are agile and responsive to change then arguably you may not need a "project" anyway.