Re: [extremeprogramming] The principle behind How Test-Driven Development Works

The mathematics of the argument don't matter as much as the self-similarity
of the argument. When they see Waterfall turn into Lean Startup, it's hard
to argue against the value of incorporating feedback.

What about the math literally argues for top-down pre-design? I've never
seen that argument.

On Mon, Nov 4, 2019 at 3:43 PM Steve Gordon <[email protected]> wrote:

> If your audience gets OO programming, a few good TDD session makes dynamic
> KISS compelling, especially on whatever they are currently working on
>
> If your audience does not get OO programming, all the compelling
> mathematical arguments in the world won't stick after they leave the room
> (or put down the article).  In practice, they will still fall back to
> planning the whole thing out the first time they find themselves doing any
> rework.
>
> I love a good mathematical explanation (having a math degree and having
> many times taught all the math courses in the CS curriculum), but the math
> literally argues for top-down pre-design when I know in my heart that
> effective software development is dynamic because it is about human
> interaction, not the math.
>
> On Mon, Nov 4, 2019 at 7:25 AM J. B. Rainsberger <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, Nov 4, 2019 at 3:09 PM Steve Gordon <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> Beware that in the hands of rigid thinkers, this kind of thinking can
>>> easily lead to Gant charts, critical chains, critical paths, and other
>>> forms of over-planning.
>>>
>>
>> I understand your impulse, but I'm not worried about that. And it hasn't
>> happened in the past 10 years. :)
>>
>> The whole point of the article is to show the exact opposite: that
>> small-batch rework is the antidote to the statistical fluctuations and
>> that's why TDD works. When I give the corresponding talk, I turn the
>> "Waterfall" diagram into an something similar to
>> http://www.zeroplayer.com/tdd.png in a handful of iterations of the
>> applying this idea.
>>
>> Keep things dynamic and simple.  TDD with good unit test coverage
>>> facilitates just doing things in whatever order the user story slices and
>>> their priorities lead.
>>>
>>
>> If my audience had found that compelling, I wouldn't have invented
>> anything else. :)
>> --
>> J. B. (Joe) Rainsberger :: https://tdd.training :: http://www.jbrains.ca
>> :: http://www.thecodewhisperer.com
>>
>> 
>
>

-- 
J. B. (Joe) Rainsberger :: https://tdd.training :: http://www.jbrains.ca ::
http://www.thecodewhisperer.com

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