What Was The First Model You Used?

Craig from Better Projects asked me and other PM / BA bloggers a question that took me almost 3 weeks to answer (Am I getting slower? Approaching almost 40 so …:):

“Recall the first and last analysis model you used at work.

The first model I can recall using was a SWOT analysis back in my first year at Optus in a business process improvement team. I can’t really remember the details but I’m pretty sure it had something to do with PayTV billing cycles.

The last model I used was an affinity diagram where I linked business case goals to a requiements spec’s top level feature set (which was derived using a product breakdown/functional decompostion.)”

Photography by t3rmin4t0r.

Hmmmm.

The first one I used was the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) to assess a Software Development and Project Management organization within a large company. This was also my defining moment where I found out that having procedures doesn’t automatically mean people will follow them.

Most recently I performed a stakeholder analysis to map people and interests surrounding a project.

“I’m keen to see what you guys put up – what models are we using and how?”

And when answering, please link back to the original article, so Craig can check you out.