There is no Bug
Thursday, December 27, 2007 at 8:26 [Angry rant alert!]
Author of the blog "Hyper Agile Thinking" (oy vey!) in his article "There is no Bug. It is not the Bug that Bends, it is Only Yourself" argues that:
Only when you realize that “there is no bug”, that the problem lies
within, can you change your behavior (process) such that no bug is
reported on the software that you deliver. I’m not saying that real
software with zero bugs is an attainable goal, only that you consider a
change of perspective in order to bend the spoon a bit....The problems lie within. Only when we acknowledge this and accept it can we hope to affect real change. Agile development is an excellent platform for seamlessly incorporating the required introspection and continual improvement.
Oh, there's no bug, you bet! But behind all those big words you are missing another important problem - there is no program and there is no process either. It is all an illusion (if you follow the original logic of "there's no spoon")! So, while I wholeheartedly agree that it is more accurate to treat bugs like something internal (and really, let's call them defects already?), it doesn't really change anything. Because bugs only "appear" when internal reality collides with external and there is nothing you can do about it. Agile or not, you still have to go outside and test your theories on the harsh real world. You know, by actually giving your shit to people and hoping nothing explodes.
And while I am at it, don't you think that "agile methodology" is an oxymoron?!
Reader Comments (4)
Of course there is a bug! Using the framework of the Matrix is just a fun way to look at things from a different perspective. My point is that Agile provides a better platform for preventing defects and removing the root causes of those defects.
I'm not sure why "Agile methodology" is an oxymoron unless you are saying that Agile is somehow the opposite of methodology. There's always a methodology, even if it isn't written down or expressed. The simplest methodology would be: get idea, decide it is worth doing, think a bit about how to do it, write some code, test it, repeat from "think a bit" until done, deliver. There's always a methodology, it is a question of degree.
Damon, whereas you obviously believe that it is possible to have some agile methodology that is going to save us all, in my opinion, being truly agile means thinking on the spot and not relying on any predetermined or spontaneously formed procedures. In other words, being agile means creating a new methodology every time ad hoc. Something like that.
But what truly pisses me off about Agile fad, is that it's all merely common sense turned into a religion. First it professes flexibility and then goes out of its way to set certain rules in stone and expects people to follow them to a tee. As if one could not be agile without "pair programming" or something.
George, actually I don't believe that there are any silver bullets out there. However, I do believe that there are always new ideas being introduced that increase our productivity. After all, that's pretty much the whole idea of software in the first place or we'd be out of jobs.
I have no problem with spontaneity. But consider that there is an overarching pattern to traditional development made up of all of those individual actions. It is that overarching pattern which I believe has problems, not necessarily the individual actions.
My initial impression of Agile was: small teams pair programming in an open area and shuffling 3x5 cards around, guided by overzealous religious fanatics. It is unfortunate that this is a common initial impression. However, IMHO, there really is something significantly new, different, and worthwhile lurking in there and it doesn't require small teams, pair programming, working in an open area, 3x5 cards, or fanaticism.
Thanks for spending the time to comment on my recent post. I hope that you will read some more and that you'll find a different perspective on Agile than what it sounds like you've experienced so far.
I get a strong feeling the "agile" fad stems from a lot of upset business owners, ivory tower trade writers, and project managers that have amassed enough money to spend free time instructing others on the path to some harmonious efficiency that doesn't exist. It feels like a religious, transforming answer to definable, concrete issues every organization faces. "Why can't I make my software faster, cheaper, and better than the competition using less people?"
Just like in our own lives, some folks rely on religion to address real issues. And just like in our own lives, the zealous ones can be REALLY friggin annoying.