Jonathan Crossland
Posts: 630
Nickname: jonathanc
Registered: Feb, 2004
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Jonathan Crossland is a software architect for Lucid Ocean Ltd
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Software: LackOfEvolution
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Posted: Mar 18, 2009 7:38 AM
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This post originated from an RSS feed registered with .NET Buzz
by Jonathan Crossland.
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Original Post: Software: LackOfEvolution
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The majority of Software is quite multicellular. This sounds quite good, but in fact, its not even a small insect yet. or one could argue they are at the bug stage. Software tends to be rude, uncultivated, and unevolved, mainly due to LackOfEvolution.
One of the significant aspects of this, is that focus is granted to the development of the initial project, and then a handful of people (or if you are unlucky, just you), who are burdened with supporting it afterwards. This basically means "bug fixes until death" and lots of phone calls and emails later, you lose the lack of thought and action, but the software does not evolve. Software suffers from LackOfEvolution
Why do I say this
I say this because the vast majority of software only undergoes one full life-cycle. It may then get a smaller cycle of a patch or update, but most do not go to version 2 with the same code base. Version 2 tends to have very little of the original team members, and the code may very likely have completely rewritten areas. Version 3 even less of anything original. It may even have a new technology or language that it uses. Developers also enjoy writing their own code, rather than using other code, so this makes it easier to rewrite.
solution?
The problem is that the software does not get time to age, mature and be cultivated.
We need that extra time. An extra cultivation iteration is needed in all software teams, on any project. Create a planned version 1.1. Get your full team to conduct a special maturing cycle, where they add a few features, refactor code, shuffle things around. Plan it properly just as you would the first life-cycle.
LackOfEvolution for Teams
Software Teams can suffer from LackOfEvolution also. Developers can sometimes get caught in a project and not learn new things while they are busy on a project. You get to the end of a two year development and realize a few things have passed you by.
solution?
It is vital to stimulate debate about code, to have a trainer in for a day, to get show and tell sessions by members of the team, and other useful activities to counter act the stagnant waters. If you don't do SCRUM, have a SCRUM week, where you follow SCRUM for the week and evaluate it. Have a CompetencyFramework fro all developers with a plan on their evolution within a project and technology. We all need evolution, of character, skills and understanding, it is how we get better.
Read: Software: LackOfEvolution
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