tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503929716328427531.post1743147514180150351..comments2011-03-16T19:54:29.837-07:00Comments on The Fad Free Developer: Post Agile - Moving beyond Fads, Really this time!Paul Beckfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16046651614960778254noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503929716328427531.post-4424477496639736272011-03-16T19:54:29.837-07:002011-03-16T19:54:29.837-07:00Hi, just realized my comment may seem too cynical ...Hi, just realized my comment may seem too cynical :-)<br /><br />On a more positive note, as with many things in life, the cure for fads is very simple: do the basics really well at whatever you do. Like a sports player, if your basic skills are really strong and practiced repeatedly, it doesn't matter what the latest styles or fads are, you will be a great player.<br /><br />Of course, the rather large caveat is that it all depends on motivation and intent.Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05444400484504613942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503929716328427531.post-15596574279706488682011-03-16T19:46:17.904-07:002011-03-16T19:46:17.904-07:00Hi Paul, great post! I have been through many fads...Hi Paul, great post! I have been through many fads which typically ended up costing the customer more than necessary and often being the root cause - or a major contributor to - a failed project. <br /><br />Why do fads create a spellbound community? Maybe a part of the community likes moving from fad to fad. Personally it irritates me, but many I have seen over the years have enjoyed the boost to their technical egos.<br /><br />There may be several different classifications of fads which are driven by the basic motivations of those concerned, such as<br /><br />Organizational - <br />Fads are driven by the enterprise to fuel the next income stream, sometimes because a current fad is evaporating, others just to diversify. They are often heavyweights with a serious budget to technically drown out the competition and sell at the CIO or head-of-department level. Their very existence may even be due to the fads they sell and like an organism under threat they will put up a serious fight to keep their offspring alive.<br /><br />Personal - <br />1. Ignorance - I don't mean this in a bad way, but you really don't know what you don't know. It is very easy for people who aren't working directly at the cutting edge to believe that to buy into the fad must be the right move, since everyone is talking about it. There is an inherent impedence mismatch in the software industry in that many who make the purchasing decisions are the least qualified to do so. Unless you are deep in the technical details, it is impossible to know what the best choices are for the technical team.<br /><br />2. Fear - this one often emanates from technical managers who are not hands on. They want to believe that a fad can make their lives easier, thus reducing risk and helping them to meet their own targets. Failure to meet their obligations can sometimes lead to unpleasant repercussions. Although less common, managers sometimes believe that a fad will reduce their costs by allowing them to 'dumb down' their developer skill sets - another form of risk reduction. This is often manifest by the use of 'tools' that claim to operate at a higher level.<br /><br />3. Egoism - sometimes found in technical individuals, it is often manifest by the desire to prove their abilities to themselves and others. People in technical positions often enter their chosen profession because they do not excel at dealing with other people or in social situations. Such types make life more complicated than necessary to gain self-esteem and embrace new technology as a valid avenue to justify the cost.<br /><br />So, in other words, I think fads are a large part of human nature, in all walks of life. Perhaps it is more exasperating in software development because it is so easy to hide in amongst the complications, confusion and relative youthfulness of the discipline.Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05444400484504613942noreply@blogger.com