Tuesday, May 12, 2009

The Root Cause

Have you ever been in a meeting where developers were talking about what frustrates them? That's a tough meeting to go to. You often hear similar types of complaints:
  • The requirements changed at the last minute?
  • A developer would like to make sure the work he is doing is the right work?
What is the source of all of these "bad smells"? I typically try to dig down to the root of the problem by always asking "Why?" 3 times. So let's give it a shot:
  • Why did the requirements change at the last minute? - Some executive swooped in to give their two cents?
  • Why did the executive swoop in? Because they thought they knew better
  • Why did they think they know better? Because they don't trust the folks they hired to do the right job
Next time you think something smells a bit funny, just ask why 3 times :)

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