Sometimes we get so caught up in the details of complex things that we forget where we're going. Stephen Covey has it right when he exhorts us to begin with the end in mind. Try thinking of a software project (or any project for that matter) this way the next time you have to come up with a project plan or build an estimate. It will make it harder to leave out an important step.

When the dust settles in our perfect software delivery world...

* The organization is advanced by achieving its automation business goals

Which can only happen if...

* System users are highly productive

Before that can be true...

* Trainers educate users

And before they have anything to train on...

* IT deploys the release

Which can't happen until...

* Testers verify correctness

But not before...

* Developers code each feature in a phase

Which is preceded by...

* Designers specify how each feature should look and behave

Who get their marching orders from...

* Project Manager launches phase X development

Who got permission from...

* Stakeholders authorize phase X

Because he/she did this...

* Project Manager presents phase X plan to stakeholders

Using reasonable numbers from...

* Joint development team estimates phase X work

Having a defined scope of work because...

* Team prioritizes features and divides them into phases

Because this process went well...

* Analyst elicits desired features for each role

But only after gathering this list...

* Analyst identifies the audiences (roles) to be satisfied

Who was launched by these folks...

* Stakeholders approve requirements gathering phase

Because this person made the business case...

* Project manager works with analyst, designer, and lead developer to prove the feasibility and ROI of the project as a whole

And all because someone had a brilliant idea...

* Stakeholders envision a project and theoretical ROI

If you turn this list upside down and use only the bullets, you'll have a pretty good skeleton for your next software project. Don't forget the cake and ice cream celebration at the end (or was it the beginning?).