Collective Wisdom from the Experts 61
Each iteration† of work should include new business functionality, as well as a
sanctioned effort to refactor some of the hacks‡ that inevitably show up in the
code. This is neither a license to goof off, nor the sign of a bad team. It is sim-
ply a programming reality that must be routinely addressed with full support
from the executive stakeholders.
The organization must commit to tracking industry trends, acquiring tools,
and adopting practices that demonstrate productive influences on how pro-
grammers work. Encourage developers to expand their knowledge, both on
and off the clock. Playing around with new tools, being trained, attending
high-value conferences, and reading books and blogs are all necessary compo-
nents of the constant effort required by this field.
Organizing team lunches where members share knowledge and promote new
ideas is a great, inexpensive way to foster growth. Software engineers who feel
supported by their employers tend to be more loyal and willing to go the extra
mile. They are also more likely to be able and ready to respond to changes in
requirements and technical landscapes.
The software industry has a lot of work to do to help its practitioners be more
consistent in the delivery of high-quality, on-time releases. Organizations that
build software must be engaged in the process at all levels to improve their
own chances for continued, repeatable success.
† Iteration: A short period of time chosen by an agile project team (a week, two weeks, a month,
etc.) during which a key requirement chosen by the customer will be developed, tested, and then
delivered to the customer for approval or comment. The next iteration will then begin to develop
the next most important requirement and/or correct the work done in the preceding iteration.
‡ Refactoring a hack: Going back to reprogram a quick, workable fix created to get a software feature
working, but which needs further internal refinement to facilitate its long-term use and support.