Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change [Paperback]

Parts of Kent's recommended practice - including aggressive testing and short integration cycle - make a lot of sense. I've shared the same beliefs for years, but it was good to see them clarified and codified. I really have changed some of my practice after reading this and books like this.

I have two broad kinds of problem with this dogma, though. First is the near-abolition of documentation. I can't defend 2000 page specs for typical kinds of development. On the other hand, declaring that the test suite is the spec doesn't do it for me either. The test suite is code, written for machine interpretation. Much too often, it is not written for human interpretation. Based on the way I see most code written, it would be a nightmare to reverse engineer the human meaning out of any non-trivial test code. Some systematic way of ensuring human intelligibility in the code, traceable to specific "stories" (because "requirements" are part of the bad old way), would give me a lot more confidence in the approach.

The second is the dictatorial social engineering that eXtremity mandates. I've actually tried the pair programming - what a disaster. The less said the better, except that my experience did not actually destroy any professional relationships. I've also worked with people who felt that their slightest whim was adequate reason to interfere with my work. That's what Beck institutionalizes by saying that any request made of me by anyone on the team must be granted. It puts me completely at the mercy of anyone walking by. The requisite bullpen physical environment doesn't work for me either. I find that the visual and auditory distraction make intense concentration impossible.

I find revival tent spirit of the eXtremists very off-putting. If something works, it works for reasons, not as a matter of faith. I find much too much eXhortation to believe, to go ahead and leap in, so that I will eXperience the wonderfulness for myself. Isn't that what the evangelist on the subway platform keeps saying? Beck does acknowledge unbelievers like me, but requires their exile in order to maintain the group-think of the X-cult.

Beck's last chapters note a number of exceptions and special cases where eXtremism may not work - actually, most of the projects I've ever encountered.

There certainly is good in the eXtreme practice. I look to future authors to tease that good out from the positively destructive threads that I see interwoven.

XP also demands the obliteration of office politics and the institutions that harbor power. Kent describes managers as guides not as enforcers, because no one likes to be told what to do. Being told what to do is counter productive. I agree! XP diffuses and replaces power with functionality and the byproduct is productivity. However again for this to work ego has to go and the project is place above the individual.

I can see why those who love institutions, structure, those who love power, office politics, bureaucracy and build their careers on concrete absolutes would hate and denounce Extreme Programming. Extreme Programming short circuits the long time tested built pillars of "so-called best practices". Why would these PHD's, experts and long time die hards put their careers at stake? It would be like a hard core evolutionist, embracing creationism in forum of instituionalized evolutionists. The answer is because change means that they are no longer viable, if they do not change. Change will wreck everything! So, its better to stay in the horse and buggy age as long as it puts money in my pockets and puts food on my table. If there is ever a threat to interupt the institution which I support then all that oppose my security must be denounced.

I agree with Kent Beck, let's "EMBRACE CHANGE"

I really enjoyed the short and consice chapters. It's extremely easy to follow.