Scientists build to learn; Engineers learn to build.
The hardest single part of building a software system is deciding precisely what to build.
Product procedure...must securely protect the crown jewels, but, equally important, it must eschew building high fences around the garbage cans.
Consensus processes starve innovative design by eating the resource.
Process improvement is most valuable in raising the floor of a community's practice.
The management question, therefore, is not whether to build a pilot system and throw it away. You will do that. Hence plan to throw one away; you will, anyhow.