Re: agile/xp question (formal analysis)

From: Ron Jeffries (ronjeffries_at_acm.org)
Date: 12/03/04 

Date: Thu, 02 Dec 2004 21:29:06 -0500

I understand that you were able to do what you describe. I can think
of two other ways for the second pass feature to have been done:

1. You might have done it. I'd wager that you'd have had less learning
to do than another person.

2. You might have worked in a closely-knit team so that everyone on
the team knew enough about the module to do the work.

Either of these approaches might well need less documentation, and
might well take less time overall.

Of course, if what you're doing is working well enough, I'd not
recommend changing. But I've worked by transmitting documents around,
and by sitting together with people, and to my taste the latter is
more efficient and effective over a wide range of problems.

But again, I don't work on the thousand-person project you do, and
even I wouldn't want to work in a room with 999 other people. Even
though it does feel that way at Panera sometimes ... :)

Regards,

Ron

On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 10:08:20 +1200, AndyW <foo_@bar_no_email.com>
wrote:

>I'll give you an example.
>I had to create a server side module for an application in a
>distributed environment. So I sat down and knocked up the prototype
>in word. Flicked it to a collegue using the documentation management
>tool, then went to lunch.
>
>Came back and the document had been modified using the old change
>feature, so I chatted to the guy about some of the changes, then
>implemented them in the doc.
>
>I have two machines, one I keep the docs and do other management type
>work, one I cut code on. So I knocked up the code and made a couple
>of tweaks to the doc where I had needed to deviate. Installed the
>server side code on the server, then placed the doc back under doc
>control, flicked an email to the client developer in another city that
>the server routine was ready, and where to locate the doc that gave
>them the instructions to implement it.
>
>At the same time that happened the doc went to the customer so their
>BAs were brought up to date, and part of the doc was circulated to the
>marketing team.
>
>Two months later the marketing team sent a modified version of the doc
>back with some required changes and another developer implemented them
>for me without requiring my involvement. Since the business rules
>were clearly marked in the document and annotated by the BAs, the
>marketing department had been able to identify some changes due to
>changing market conditions, and add in the extra rules without any
>extra effort in trying to track down who, what and why of an existing
>bit of code.
>
>The main difference is that the developers around me have learned to
>express their ideas in a word document (and design tools) rather than
>going to code first, then bitching because the are being pressured to
>write docs and dont have the time. 

-- 
Ron Jeffries
www.XProgramming.com
I'm giving the best advice I have. You get to decide if it's true for you.

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