Re: Second Dimension of Object Oriented Modelling

From: Robert C. Martin (unclebob_at_objectmentor.com)
Date: 03/20/04 

Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2004 00:40:16 -0600

On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 16:47:31 GMT, JXStern <JXSternChangeX2R@gte.net>
wrote:

>On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 12:02:30 -0600, Robert C. Martin
><unclebob@objectmentor.com> wrote:
>>>I do not know the XP dogma well enough to know if the XP
>>>Release Plan is ever done before the first line of code is written
>>---snip---
>>>the entire XP mindset is to
>>>write code first, last, and always, whether it makes sense or not.
>>
>>Can you reconcile these two statement for me? I can't quite see the
>>conclusion from the premise.
>
>
>You snipped my guess at what and where the release plan is, and did
>not correct it.

No need to guess. The Release Plan practice is well known and well
documented in the XP materials. Once stories have been gathered and
estimated, the stakeholders and developers meet to plan the next
release. The release is typically 3 months worth of development
effort. The stakeholders will choose those stories that provide the
most business value, and whose estimates are compatible with the
release time frame.

>From those stories the stakeholders will then choose stories for the
next iteration. Once the iteration stories are chosen, development of
those stories can begin.

So, in fact, the release plan is in place before any significant
development work is begun.

>Anyway, the conclusion is known to be true, no matter
>what you think is a premise here.

I can't disagree with your statement since /you/ clearly know it to be
true. I simply don't agree with your "knowledge". XP is, first and
foremost, about doing the things that make the most sense at the most
opportune times.

>To be more specific, if a customer wants code written, I have never
>seen any XP advice to recommend against it, no matter how silly it may
>seem to the developer.

I don't believe that you have looked very closely at the XP materials.
XP makes a big deal out of separating customer responsibilities and
rights, fro mm developer responsibilities and rights. The customer
has the right to tell the developers what features they want, and in
what order they want them. The customer has no right at all to tell
the developers what /code/ to write. The developers have the right to
tell the customer what the features will cost to develop. The
developers also have the right to produce the best code they can, and
to use whatever tools or techniques that professionalism dictates.

It's long past time to get over the fear that XP is a hack and slash
technique, and to get over the negative reaction to the hype. XP is,
in fact, a highly disciplined and professional technique for
developing software.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: XP and Estimation
    ... > But how to estimate the first few stories of a project? ... The Customer and developers meet to write small ... The developers could just pick a technical break in that list ... The next iteration becomes more accurate. ...
    (comp.object)
  • Re: Second Dimension of Object Oriented Modelling
    ... The stakeholders will choose those stories that provide the ... The developers communicate risk in terms of their estimates for the ... customers to schedule when that risk should be resolved. ...
    (comp.object)
  • Re: XP Requirement Analysis?
    ... >> The developers will implement the stories as requested by the customer ... >> have agreed the stories in the first place. ... the second story is postponed as another totally unrelated story is ... the customer will have been present when the developers were ...
    (comp.object)
  • Re: OO Progress Metrics?
    ... >> completed with the time it took to complete the stories. ... SLOC is a metric that is easily correlated to and can be used to ... Bad managers and developers will do bad things. ... There is no reason to sacrifice development team metrics just because some ...
    (comp.object)
  • Re: Delphi 8 .NET and VCL, first impression
    ... machines that better reflect the production environment. ... restrict all developers to the same specced machines is ... The best way to bug Borland about bugs. ... You and your stories! ...
    (borland.public.delphi.non-technical)