Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

We often use a simple yet silly algorithm for ranking requirements. It is easy. I guess that is why we use it.

We have a lot of work to do. We have more work than resources. Hence, we have to rank requirements to work the more important ones first.

Well, maybe we should rank the requirements to work the more important ones first.

Well, sometimes we rank the requirements to work the more important ones first.

Well, actually, we, uh, er, sort of work the requirements that we remember.

Uh, you know, uh, the ones that someone told us yesterday. I suppose, uh, er, those were the last ones in, the last ones we scribbled on the white board. Well, maybe we didn’t even scribble them on the white board. We sort of remember them because someone just told us about them, so uh, er, we’re working on them.

Too bad. We work by a simple yet silly process, uh, let’s say “algorithm” as that sounds more scientific and systematic. The last thing someone told me in the hallway is what I will work on today. That way I don’t have to bother with other thoughts.

Besides, no one is paying attention to what we do, right?