Software craftsmanship is like life. Some people plan their lives to the hilt, load up with contingency plans, ready for anything. They save things for years – packed into closets, files and attics – just in case “I need them”. Let’s call these folks “pack rats”. Others take each day as it arrives, flexible in spirit and time to new opportunities without worrying about changing tons of plans and rearranging the calendar.
A full SDLC development process attracts pack rats. They plan and plan, establish contingency plans and stack the process so they don’t make a mistake. Along the way they pay huge “carrying costs” of keeping an inventories of plans, processes, documents, meetings and calendars. Their users are frustrated by not much delivered in lots of time.
Agile methods are the “just enough” approach. We do as much as we need to deliver great, usable software that delights our users and no more. We’re constantly open to change – able to turn on a dime, because we don’t have a fifty-page plan to revise and four levels of approval to obtain. Our users are thrilled because we spend our time focused on their needs rather than on “process”. We deliver maximum bang for the buck where bang is defined as usable software solving real problems. We have way more fun!
Are you a “just enough” craftsman or a “pack rat”?
I am most definitely a "just enough" developer. I despise charts, documentation and project plans. I like to start coding as soon as an idea pops into my head. The downside to that way of thinking -- is I'm more than likely destined to refactor the 1st attempt shortly after finishing it...
ReplyDeleteIt never surprises me when I refactor a couple of times before I'm "happy" (for whatever "happy" means!).
ReplyDelete