Inspect And Adapt

EmpiricalProcess control models require regular inspections of the process, and constant adaptations to steer the direction of the process based on those inspections.

In the ScrumProcess, there are two opportunities for this. There is a monthly ScrumSprint cycle, beginning with the SprintPlanningMeeting, and the DailyScrum.

Great chefs use this model. Watch Emeril cook: he adds seasoning, tastes, and then adds more seasoning. He didn't know how much to add at first. He had to inspect (taste) and adapt (add more).

I've actually heard a chef, Wolfgang Puck maybe, say that the biggest difference between home cooks and professional chefs is that home cooks don't taste the dish often enough as they prepare it. They just follow the recipe step-by-step, without getting that feedback along the way.

Of course only some dishes (like soups) can be tasted at all before they are cooked. Fried foods, woks, and batter for example are less suitable for this. Some parts of the process may still allow for taste testing. Most parts will allow for smelling and observing colour changes, though.