9. Consider the information below and prepare to write an explanation for the phe- nomenon depicted. Base your response on information from this chapter as well as your own insight.
Eric Verzuh, author of The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, conducted a study of project complexity at Adobe Systems, a software company headquartered in San Jose, California. He found that when the number of software developers assigned to a project increased beyond a certain point, the complexity and time required to coordinate the project and handle rework increased as well. The graph below shows that for a particular type of project, using two developers instead of one can dramatically reduce project duration. However, the marginal effect of adding a third developer is not as great, and returns diminish after that.
a. Write a paragraph explaining how and why such a phenomenon could occur, using concepts from this chapter and your own insight.
b. Write a paragraph explaining what you would say to a key decision maker about this phenomenon. Assume this person is attempting to persuade you to add resources to a programming activity.