Which approaches are feasible to use in order to collect information about a new project, compile it and communicate this to the decision makers for the go/no-go?

At the London Scrum Gathering this October Bent Myllerup will share great ways in initiating projects by describing and estimating the backlog, forming the release plan and getting the project approved. Scrum teams are interested in deliver valuable functionality by compiling user stories (estimated in story points) with their technical excellence. Decision makers are interested in sales numbers, launch dates and the investment in $$$'s. How do we bring this together?

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The software industry has achieved great results by introducing agile methods like Scrum. Agile methods create outcomes that benefit customers as well as management and employees of the business. The results have been proven in the form of increased employee satisfaction, higher efficiency and functionality that meets customer needs with greater success. But is it possible to transfer those methodologies into product development projects that also include electronics and mechanics? The nature of such projects, including activities like sourcing, manufacturing of prototypes and so on, does not exactly go hand in hand with methods that use short iterations with frequent deliveries. Anyway, the answer to the question asked is actually: "YES". So far, several Scandinavian companies have benefited greatly from implementing Scrum in their product development departments and I have been so fortunate to work with a good number of them.

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