Interesting paper by Alistair Cockburn – “A Methodology Per Project“.
Abstract:
Looking at “what a methodology consists of”, we can see the inevitability of different methodologies. “Optimal” differs for different projects. More than that, people have different biases based around their experiences, fears and principles. Three variables are key to the selection of a methodology: team size, project criticality, and project priorities. Team cultural values and individuals’ personalities play in the result. This paper describes the framework and project experiences that made use of it.