写这篇东西其实是因为工作的关系。学习过一些xp的思想，学习过scrum, 但是研究的都不深刻。写的基本都是自己的想法和理解，所以一定有片面或者偏激的地方。但俺就是不爱抄别人的观点。写了老半天，发给老板居然连个comment都没有，没那么差吧？下面隐去了公司的名字。
I mapped agile manifesto with the 12 principles based on my understanding below
The mapping may be debatable. But it is obvious that the first item, “individuals and interactions over processes and tools”, is the key. I only talk about the three of related principles that I think great practical guidance here.
1.Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
The software product is indeed a result of intelligence. The product leads to success if individuals are fully motivated. Individuals with passion not only do their daily work, they also strive to improve the way how they work.
Years ago, a manager in my report line said that, people has to work at least eight hours every day. The working hour is more than eight hours if the time spent on the way counts. No matter you admit or not, work is part of your life. To live a happy life, you should work happily in a positive way.
That word is very impressive to me. To go a step further, let’s say, the attitude to the work is part of the attitude to the life. While a good working environment encourages good attitude of individuals, one’s attitude contributes back to the environment.
2. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation
Communication is highly emphasized in agile. It is the first value of agile in Kent’s XP book. On one hand, it is so obvious that communication is important. We work off-shore. The communication is especially crucial between Beijing and HQ. On the other hand, we should notice the communication costs. It is said, people need 15 minutes to get back to fully concentrated status after interruption. So the cost is the time the communication lasts plus 15 minutes. People should get prepared before contacting others. And to communicate at a settled time can be a good idea. Actions are needed to improve the efficiency.
Because of the time difference, we usually communicate with HQ through mails. And because of the same reason, the communication efficiency can be badly impacted. For urgent/complex issue, we can use moc. Speaking of moc, the note part of moc can also be used to communicate. It is like a broadcast.
Consider this:
Suppose we have shared Windows resource. Someone needs to access to the environment. No surprise, he just logs on directly, then there is a chance to log off others by accident. If it happens, the poor guy sends message to all members “who kicked me off just now? ”A note on moc may prevent this problem. To put the current task/sub-task on moc is also good for co-workers and supervisor.
It is just a supplement to update-status meeting, not a replacement.
Don’t blame someone if his note is ‘listening to the music’.
3. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
Individuals need to improve themselves. It would be regretful if looking back for one year and find oneself have not grown at all. People should be open to the world outside. There are ways of getting information:
1. Skimming over tech news/views on some websites, like www.theserverside.com, www.javaeye.com.
2. To get information from others, especially from colleagues.
Almost every tech guy does the first thing. Surfing the internet and finding stuff one interests in. Just a step further makes the second thing happen. Others can get useful information from the sharing.
The way of sharing can be knowledge share and just share the material. Personally, I prefer the latter. I just don’t believe in one-shot knowledge share. For instance, even if it is Gavin King, the designer of Hibernate, giving a three-hour lecture about hibernate. You don’t expect to master hibernate after the lecture. It is great that we have a library in XXX. I’ve been thinking a web –based application, like douban.com, would help in the same way. People talk about e-books, tools, open-source projects and rate on them. What is more, people share stuff on the platform. There are some benefits over real library:
1. Interaction is easier.
People comment on the stuff, rate on them, exchange notes based on them…
2. It is cheap
Some of the books in the library are easy to find electric version on line. That money could have been spent on other good books. What is more, ‘copy and paste’ of e-book doesn’t cost.
3. It promotes good atmosphere.
I believe reading changes one’s insight, and changes one from inside. It can be great if staff in XXX love reading and sharing.
Other thoughts:
There are useful techniques in agile methodologies. Scrum is agile process, and it got popular fast in China. You may have noticed ‘process’is mentioned in way of “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools”. Scrum is surely not silver bullet. Though many practices in scrum work well in many companies, it is not necessary to work well in a given team/company. It can serve as reference. A team needs to adopt the process in a proper way. Process is important. The thought behind the process is even more important. Just do whatever helps improve the product and low down the risk. And it is agile.
Agile in XXX
In XXX, ‘never lay off people’is kind of a principle, though it is not written in employee manual. It does correspond to the ‘individuals’ principle in the manifesto. If people do not need to worry about losing their jobs, they get a chance to work with whole heart and soul. I’m glad to work in such environment.
To adopt agile methodologies, individuals are required to be highly qualified. People need to be efficient and work in a professional way. It is best practice to limit the number of team members in a team, which reflects the fact that each member is expected to contribute enough.
Both ‘never lay off people’and requirements by agile call for fully qualified employee. When I joined XXX, there was paper test. But that process was abandoned later. In my opinion, to be strict in hiring is important to every company. Especially for a company with humanism culture, like XXX. I’m not saying we’d better adopt paper test again. I think we do need some hiring process to be extremely strict.