XP Requirement Analysis?

From: kurth (kurth_at_avanade.com)
Date: 09/14/04 

Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2004 23:40:13 -0600

I often read that in XP you should not create a lot of documentation - that
its all temporary stuff to help one understand the system. First off I
applaud XP's desire to actually help the developers understand the domain
for the system they are building but I think this is the wrong way of
"helping them understand" for a couple of reasons: Many domains such as
accounting, manufacturing, supply chain, are well understood with a wealth
of existing documentation. Rather then trying to figure things out as you
go wouldn't it be best to train up developers on the business domain before
jumping into a (possibly incomplete poorly defined) scenario and rewriting
it over and over until you've captured all the requirements?
I'm not saying that's all bad; I would rather have developers understand the
domain they are implementing even if it is piece by piece then to be handed
a set of specifications (that are always missing something or just plain
wrong) and like zombies do exactly what it says without question. My
biggest complaint however is that how do you go to the customer and say this
wasn't a requirement of the original agreement, you will have to increase
the project budget, extend the timeline, etc.. if the requirements have not
thoroughly been analyzed, documented, and signed?

- Kurt

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