Re: OOP/OOD Philosophy

On Mon, 4 Jul 2005 13:10:22 -0700, "Nick Malik [Microsoft]"
<nickmalik@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>Note: I did not say that "Agile" is incompatible with "design." I believe
>it is incompatible with "Big Design."

Not quite. Agile methods involve much more design than "Big Design"
methods. However, the design is done on a different schedule. Design
is taking place all the way through the project, at every iteration.
This design is no less rigorous than a big design up front. Indeed,
it is *more* rigorous, because each design decisions is documented by
a series of unit tests and acceptance tests that must be written
*before* the code that makes them pass.

>I hope to have made it clear that I
>believe that you can (and should) perform MDA on an agile project. I've
>done it. I've seen it done.

MDA is perhaps different from what you think it is. MDA is the notion
of drawing diagrams and then automatically converting them to code
using some kind of translator. In a true MDA environment you would do
all of your programming by drawing diagrams.

>It appears that you've been told that agile
>methods leave no room for design. My guess is you heard that from a
>self-proclaimed XP evangelist. I rank them a notch below most TV Shopping
>Channel pitchmen in their respect for science, impartiality, or fundamental
>integrity.

Nick, I'd like you to name some names. Who are these self-proclaimed
XP evangelists who are a notch below...?

Frankly I don't see any. There are some folks out there who's
enthusiasm sometimes gets the better of them, but that's a whole
different matter. On the other hand, there *are* people out there
making utterly ridiculous negative assertions about XP and Agile.
Some have even written books about how bad XP is. It's clear that
these people have never done XP, don't know much about XP, and don't
care to know anything other than that they don't like it. They simply
bash for the joy of bashing. THESE are the folks who remind ME of TV
pitchmen.

-----
Robert C. Martin (Uncle Bob) | email: unclebob@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Object Mentor Inc. | blog: www.butunclebob.com
The Agile Transition Experts | web: www.objectmentor.com
800-338-6716


"The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom,
but to set a limit to infinite error."
-- Bertolt Brecht, Life of Galileo
.

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