Approvals
Also Known As
- Authorization
- Full-Kitting (in TameFlow)
- Governance
- Inspect and Adapt (in Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe))
- Oversight
- PI Planning (in Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe))
- Quality Gate
- Review and Sign Off (in Waterfall Development)
- Sign Off
- Sprint Review (in Scrum)
- Validation
Related
Addresses / Mitigates
- Implementation Risk: Ensures that work meets the required standards and specifications before progressing.
- Communication Risk: Provides formal communication of acceptance and readiness.
Attendant Risks
- Schedule Risk: Waiting for approvals can introduce delays in the project timeline.
- Coordination Risk: Requires coordination among stakeholders to provide timely sign-off.
- Process Risk: Adding approvals to a process increases the number of stakeholders involved and can impact process performance.
Used By
- Extreme Programming: XP involves customer approval during frequent releases and continuous customer involvement.
- Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe): SAFe uses Program Increment (PI) Planning events where objectives are agreed and approved by stakeholders.
- Scrum: Scrum requires approval during sprint reviews and at the end of each sprint.
- TameFlow: Full-Kitting ensures all approvals are obtained before work begins, preventing interruptions.
- Waterfall Development: Waterfall emphasizes formal reviews and sign-offs at the end of each phase to ensure that all stakeholders agree on the work completed and the plans for the next phase.
Description
"Approval is the action of officially agreeing to something or accepting something as satisfactory." - Approval, Wikipedia
Approval / Sign Off in software development involves getting formal approval from stakeholders at various stages of the project. This practice ensures that the work meets the required standards and specifications before progressing to the next phase, providing a formal communication of acceptance and readiness.
Variations
| Approval Type | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Quality Gate | Checkpoint where deliverables must meet defined criteria before proceeding. | Quality Gate, Wikipedia |
| Peer Approval | Review and sign-off by colleagues at the same level. | Peer Review, Wikipedia |
| Executive Sign-Off | Formal approval from senior leadership for major decisions or releases. | Project Governance, Wikipedia |
Used By
Extreme Programming
An Agile software development methodology that emphasizes customer satisfaction, teamwork, and frequent delivery of small, functional software increments.
Why: XP involves customer approval during frequent releases and continuous customer involvement.
Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
A set of organization and workflow patterns for scaling lean and agile practices across large enterprises.
Why: SAFe uses Program Increment (PI) Planning events where objectives are agreed and approved by stakeholders.
- PI Planning
- Inspect and Adapt
Scrum
An Agile framework for managing and completing complex projects.
Why: Scrum requires approval during sprint reviews and at the end of each sprint.
- Sprint Review
TameFlow
A management approach for knowledge work that integrates Theory of Constraints, Kanban, and Agile principles to optimize the flow of work, information, and value.
Why: Full-Kitting ensures all approvals are obtained before work begins, preventing interruptions.
- Full-Kitting
Waterfall Development
A traditional linear and sequential development methodology where each phase must be completed before moving on to the next.
Why: Waterfall emphasizes formal reviews and sign-offs at the end of each phase to ensure that all stakeholders agree on the work completed and the plans for the next phase.
- Review and Sign Off