Why Are So Many CIOs Cool to Agile Software Development?
Scepticism is the word most often used when CIOs and analysts are asked why so many CIOs have been cool toward agile software development. They hear about it at a conference or in an article and it sounds good, but the 2006 "State of Agile" survey reports that only 5 percent of respondents cited the CIO as being the initial champion of agile development processes. Surprisingly, 11 percent said their president or CEO was driving agile acceptance.
Without the CIO's backing, as well as support from influential business stakeholders, agile's software development and project management time and cost efficiencies cannot be realized. "When companies don't have a VP-level or CIO-type executive driving adoption of agile, they will run into so many obstacles," says Forrester's Schwaber. At Farm Credit Services, Martin's agile move has grabbed the attention and support of his CEO. There are no obstacles (besides keeping up with project demand), he says.
The agile mentality has even proliferated throughout the rest of the organization. Martin knew he'd made the right move when he'd heard that business teams were holding daily stand-up meetings — mirroring IT's practices. "We've even got business units asking, How can we be more agile?" he says.
Martin's agile journey has come full circle. He's gone from being a CIO who didn't know anything about it or anyone doing agile, to an agile evangelist, spreading gospel at conferences, trade shows and CIO breakfast meetings. "I couldn't fathom going back to a waterfall methodology," he says.
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