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>How would you build a rocket if you only thought about the next 2-4 weeks? We're not building rockets. We're building business software. And the requirements
by aphextron 6y ago
>How would you build a rocket if you only thought about the next 2-4 weeks?
We're not building rockets. We're building business software. And the requirements for that are not a hardline set of rules laid out by the laws of physics. They are soft and fungible. Beholden to the whims of a product manager, designer, or client. Generally almost nothing is truly understood about the shape and function of the resulting software at the beginning of a development process. And sticking to a "plan" that was laid out before these things have actually been discovered is a recipe for disaster. Better to build in tiny, discrete chunks of usable MVP that can be used as a guidestone to the next desired level of functionality.
- rubidium 6y agoIf you’re building business software then yes mostly. Change is cheap. If you’re actually building a rocket or any other physical thing with real world stuff (like some of us here) you need a real plan. The fits software engineers get into about agile is odd at times. I don’t really get it.
- talaketu 6y agoBusiness software projects can have very clear requirements known months in advance. Eg a project to ensure we comply with newly legislated tax regime. Yes, details will be discovered as the regulations are released, but to embark on that project with a 2-4 week planning horizon would be malpractice. "plans are useless, but planning is indispensible".
- pjmlp 6y agoExcept that we mostly are, unfortunately getting penalised for faulty deliveries still isn't as hard as it should be. Also not every department is agile and wants those 6 months delivery plan.