[Sigia-l] RE: Do IA processes shorten time to launch?

[Sanchez, Mario]

Eric Scheid asked:
> do IA processes help to *shorten* time to launch
> and hence time to market?

Personal experience tells me that shortening time-to-market, while not an
uncommon occurrence, is **not** the most frequent benefit of IA processes
(and usability processes). However the following are the most frequent
benefits of these processes:
* Greatly reducing the **risk** of disastrous time-to-market delays (because
disastrous problems are identified when they are cheapest and quickest to
fix);
* Greatly reducing the risk of project failure (defined as the inability to
meet the most basic project goals), even when time-to-market goals are met;
* Reducing time-to-completion (defined not as the time until a project is
released, but as the time until all the project goals are met).

So o be a bit more precise, I'd say that IA processes gives the client the
following assurances, in this order:
1. Greatly reduces the risk of total project failure;
2. Greatly reduces the risk of time-to-market delays;
3. May or may not reduce actual time-to-market, but generally does not
increase time-to-market;
3. Greatly reduces the time and cost associated with full final completion.

When the common question is asked, "Do you want it done fast or done
right?"; IA tends to reduce that dichotomy, so you can do it right, and
probably just as fast.

Mario Sanchez
Fisher Scientific