onsdag 22 februari 2012

Why do we keep doing things which we know don't work?

In any organisation, some working practices simply don't work. Unfortunately the knee jerk reaction to this seems to do more of what doesn't work.

We've tried document driven system development - it doesn't work. The solution is not more documents.

We've tried up front analysis and design - it doesn't work. The solution isn't more up front analysis and design.

We've tried enforcing enterprise wide architecture - it doesn't work. The solution isn't more enforced architecture.

We've tried detailed project plans - it doesn't work. The solution isn't even more detailed plans and estimates.

We've tried enforcing pre-defined processes to systems development - it doesn't work. The solution isn't more process.

We've tried acceptance testing as a final step before production setting - it doesn't work. The solution isn't more late acceptance testing.

There are so many things that "Agile" has proven do work. Why is it so difficult to get organisations to do more of the things that work rather than more of the things we know don't work?