10.1. Introduction

Throughout this book I introduce a number of ideas, approaches, techniques, and examples that encourage the reevaluation of enterprise software delivery. Each can offer important improvements in delivery for those involved in software supply chains or those who confront challenges in global software delivery. However, it’s essential that I also discuss the limitations and challenges of how to introduce them appropriately and provide a deeper understanding of the context for their use.

For global enterprise software delivery, a primary challenge concerns balancing the pressure to increase agility and flexibility to be able to change and adapt to emerging needs, on the one hand, with the pressure to ensure continued control, predictability, and governance to reduce risk and maintain efficient accountability in the use of resources, on the other hand. In previous chapters I examine this balance from several dimensions and describe techniques for how it can be established. Here I further examine this balance by analyzing the different factors that must be taken into account for practical success. The primary hypothesis I explore is that viewing enterprise software delivery through the lens of a global supply chain becomes v....