Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

People often choose a development method without any reason other than, “that is what everyone is doing now.” I urge a bit more thought. More thought on day one brings more time and energy the rest of the way.

Agile development is all the rage today. I know because I am unemployed and I read many job descriptions daily. The ones that deal with system development ask for experience with agile development.

Sometimes people ask me if I have experience with agile. I answer yes, and ask them why they are using agile. Most of the time, they have no answer. Those who do have an answer say, “because the customer told us to use agile.”

About ten years ago, the rage was “spiral development.” Again, I would ask people why they used spiral development, and there was no answer. No one could even tell me that Barry Boehm invented spirals or why he did.

There are many ways to develop a system. Each way has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Does the method fit your situation?

People hate to consider this question, at least that is my experience.

I understand the reluctance. Most people I meet are busy and tired – they simply don’t have the energy to consider yet another deep question. Then again, their failure to consider a “deep” question on day one of a project has led them down the wrong path and brought busy-ness and fatigue.