Comments on: How quickly can you evolve? http://dannorth.net/2006/06/how-quickly-can-you-evolve It's all behaviour Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:08:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: George Rudolph http://dannorth.net/2006/06/how-quickly-can-you-evolve#comment-356 George Rudolph Tue, 17 Oct 2006 18:02:41 +0000 http://dannorth.net/archives/24#comment-356 I have have heard of projects that started out trying to figure out what they should do, went through rigorous design phases and implementation phases and were quite successful--even as long as 2 years after I had left the project. I know, because I have led them, and been on them, and done those things. If, by major software project vs niche project you intend to say something about the size of the project, I think you ought to be more specific. And what is a "nice lifecycle"? We all know that lifecycle models are an abstraction, and that abstractions are inherently wrong, if you are expecting one to be correct at every level of detail. You are correct--software isn't designed. GOOD software is designed, and redesigned, and redesigned... I have have heard of projects that started out trying to figure out what they should do, went through rigorous design phases and implementation phases and were quite successful—even as long as 2 years after I had left the project. I know, because
I have led them, and been on them, and done those things.

If, by major software project vs niche project you intend to say something about the size of the project, I think you ought to be more specific.

And what is a “nice lifecycle”? We all know that lifecycle models are an abstraction, and that abstractions are inherently wrong, if you are expecting one to be correct at every level of detail.

You are correct—software isn’t designed.
GOOD software is designed, and redesigned, and redesigned…

]]> By: Brugge Blog » Blog Archive » Evolvability http://dannorth.net/2006/06/how-quickly-can-you-evolve#comment-62 Brugge Blog » Blog Archive » Evolvability Sat, 24 Jun 2006 02:43:09 +0000 http://dannorth.net/archives/24#comment-62 [...] A blog post by Dan North has some great bits on agile software processes, using the analogy of evolution. the various flavours of agile development, such as XP, Crystal, Scrum, Lean and DSDM, are all trying to solve the same problem, … they are trying to make software delivery evolvable. This ensures that delivery isn’t wrong-footed by a change in the project’s ecosystem or environment. [...] [...] A blog post by Dan North has some great bits on agile software processes, using the analogy of evolution. the various flavours of agile development, such as XP, Crystal, Scrum, Lean and DSDM, are all trying to solve the same problem, … they are trying to make software delivery evolvable. This ensures that delivery isn’t wrong-footed by a change in the project’s ecosystem or environment. [...]

]]> By: silk and spinach http://dannorth.net/2006/06/how-quickly-can-you-evolve#comment-61 silk and spinach Fri, 23 Jun 2006 18:53:47 +0000 http://dannorth.net/archives/24#comment-61 evolvability... When an organisation needs to acquire adaptability, the best strategy is to evolve towards it... evolvability…

When an organisation needs to acquire adaptability, the best strategy is to evolve towards it…

]]> By: silk and spinach http://dannorth.net/2006/06/how-quickly-can-you-evolve#comment-60 silk and spinach Fri, 23 Jun 2006 18:19:16 +0000 http://dannorth.net/archives/24#comment-60 post-agilism... Recently more and more people are reporting unease at what appears to be the entrenched dogmatism of Agile (with a capital 'a')... post-agilism…

Recently more and more people are reporting unease at what appears to be the entrenched dogmatism of Agile (with a capital ‘a’)...

]]> By: Colonel Nikolai http://dannorth.net/2006/06/how-quickly-can-you-evolve#comment-58 Colonel Nikolai Wed, 21 Jun 2006 03:36:35 +0000 http://dannorth.net/archives/24#comment-58 Linus Torvalds weighs in on Agility, too (without his using the term) > The question is whether Linux can still be designed at > current scale. Trust me, it never was. And I will go further and claim that _no_ major software project that has been successful in a general marketplace (as opposed to niches) has ever gone through those nice lifecycles they tell you about in CompSci classes. Have you _ever_ heard of a project that actually started off with trying to figure out what it should do, a rigorous design phase, and a implementation phase? Dream on. Software evolves. It isn't designed. The only question is how strictly you _control_ the evolution, and how open you are to external sources of mutations. And too much control of the evolution will kill you. Inevitably, and without fail. Always. In biology, and in software. Amen. -Linus Torvalds (from http://kerneltrap.org/node/11) Linus Torvalds weighs in on Agility, too (without his using the term)

> The question is whether Linux can still be designed at
> current scale.

Trust me, it never was.

And I will go further and claim that no major software project that has
been successful in a general marketplace (as opposed to niches) has ever
gone through those nice lifecycles they tell you about in CompSci classes.
Have you ever heard of a project that actually started off with trying
to figure out what it should do, a rigorous design phase, and a
implementation phase?

Dream on.

Software evolves. It isn’t designed. The only question is how strictly you
control the evolution, and how open you are to external sources of
mutations.

And too much control of the evolution will kill you. Inevitably, and
without fail. Always. In biology, and in software.

Amen.

-Linus Torvalds (from http://kerneltrap.org/node/11)

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