Don’t Stop for Gas… We’re Already Late!
This is a Neal Ford quote that sums up so many software shops. We know we should be writing automated tests. We know that continuous integration is something we should run and keep clean. Peer code reviews? Uninterrupted work time? Check and check.
We know many, many practices we should use everyday. But we get caught up in the urgency of the moment. We fall into crisis management. Bug driven development. "Shut up and code!" becomes the unwritten rule of the shop. No one says that writing automated tests is bad, but everyone is constantly driven to add new features instead.
We confuse activity with progress.
Just because you're working hard doesn't mean you're heading in the right direction. It only means you're sweating. It takes a bit of time to step back and ensure you're headed in the right direction.
It's like driving to a meeting. It's an important meeting and you don't want to be late, so you drive as fast as you can without getting a ticket. You're running questionable yellow lights. Then at some point your spouse points out that the car is nearly out of gas and you've still got a long way to drive. Your response?
"We can't stop for gas. We're already running late."
It sounds dumb when we say it that way, doesn't it? Running out of gas takes far more time than re-fueling ever would. But that's how we develop software. We continue our mad dash and long hours until the team or project runs out of gas... and that's one of the big reasons 75% of all software projects fail.
Take the time to stop for gas. And even directions... (when's the last time you read a software book?). Call it stopping for gas or sharpening the axe... but do it! Tools like 6th Sense can be used to pick out practices for your team. So can a process coach, or a good talk at a conference.
If you focus too much on driving, you might not make it to your destination at all. Pull over and recharge.
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