Comments on: Agile is like… cooking??? http://www.agileforall.com/2009/03/31/agile-is-like-cooking/ Agile For All Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:11:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Pascal Thivent http://www.agileforall.com/2009/03/31/agile-is-like-cooking/comment-page-1/#comment-337 Pascal Thivent Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:30:08 +0000 http://www.agileforall.com/?p=590#comment-337 The cooking metaphor is a very good metaphor. Actually, the first time I saw this metaphor was in "Lean software development: an agile toolkit" by Mary and Tom Poppendieck. More precisely, in this book, the authors write about two very different cooking activities: <b>creating a recipe</b> and <b>following a recipe</b>. In the first case, the idea is to try many variations on a theme to find the best dish; it's a <i>development process</i>. In the second case, the idea is to reproduce an existing recipe with a minimum of variations; it's a <i>production process</i>. In the first case, "quality is fitness for use, variable results are good, iterations generate value". In the second case, "quality is conformance to requirements, variables results are bad, iterations generate waste (rework)". These are the differences between a development process and a production process. And obviously, creating a good software is more like creating a recipe; it's a development process. It is funny to see that this woman came to the same metaphor (to me, she was more referring to creating a recipe)... and that she perfectly captured the insanity of our industry. Very wise person :) The cooking metaphor is a very good metaphor. Actually, the first time I saw this metaphor was in “Lean software development: an agile toolkit” by Mary and Tom Poppendieck. More precisely, in this book, the authors write about two very different cooking activities: creating a recipe and following a recipe. In the first case, the idea is to try many variations on a theme to find the best dish; it’s a development process. In the second case, the idea is to reproduce an existing recipe with a minimum of variations; it’s a production process. In the first case, “quality is fitness for use, variable results are good, iterations generate value”. In the second case, “quality is conformance to requirements, variables results are bad, iterations generate waste (rework)”. These are the differences between a development process and a production process. And obviously, creating a good software is more like creating a recipe; it’s a development process.

It is funny to see that this woman came to the same metaphor (to me, she was more referring to creating a recipe)… and that she perfectly captured the insanity of our industry. Very wise person :)

]]> By: Richard Lawrence http://www.agileforall.com/2009/03/31/agile-is-like-cooking/comment-page-1/#comment-117 Richard Lawrence Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:06:53 +0000 http://www.agileforall.com/?p=590#comment-117 Great story, Bob. I love it when I talk with people outside software who get agile right away. So much of agile is common sense, but we've done things contrary to common sense for so long in software that it's easy to forget that. Great story, Bob. I love it when I talk with people outside software who get agile right away. So much of agile is common sense, but we’ve done things contrary to common sense for so long in software that it’s easy to forget that.

]]> By: Barry Silver http://www.agileforall.com/2009/03/31/agile-is-like-cooking/comment-page-1/#comment-102 Barry Silver Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:03:55 +0000 http://www.agileforall.com/?p=590#comment-102 I am a software project manager and I just took a course at UCLA in agile methodology. A light went off in my head (aha!) and I immediately thought of cooking (I am an amateur chef as well). I must say I smiled that knowing smile while reading your post and laughed out loud at the dead-on assessment by your septegenerian. Thanks for the levity. I am a software project manager and I just took a course at UCLA in agile methodology. A light went off in my head (aha!) and I immediately thought of cooking (I am an amateur chef as well). I must say I smiled that knowing smile while reading your post and laughed out loud at the dead-on assessment by your septegenerian. Thanks for the levity.

]]> By: Bob Hartman http://www.agileforall.com/2009/03/31/agile-is-like-cooking/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Bob Hartman Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:01:54 +0000 http://www.agileforall.com/?p=590#comment-81 Isaac, yes, professional chef and evening cook will do some pre-work. But in agile we do the same thing. We have to create a product backlog and get our logistics set up for success. I would equate that work with the chef determining what meal to create and making sure logistically (i.e. ingredients, stove, fridge, etc.) they are are ready to produce. Isaac, yes, professional chef and evening cook will do some pre-work. But in agile we do the same thing. We have to create a product backlog and get our logistics set up for success. I would equate that work with the chef determining what meal to create and making sure logistically (i.e. ingredients, stove, fridge, etc.) they are are ready to produce.

]]> By: Isaac Sacolick http://www.agileforall.com/2009/03/31/agile-is-like-cooking/comment-page-1/#comment-80 Isaac Sacolick Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:06:26 +0000 http://www.agileforall.com/?p=590#comment-80 I like the analogy being both an agile software advocate and a cook. But professional chefs do spend a lot of time w/ prep work and readying the mise en place. I guess the equivalent in software is having your development tools, sdlc, testing process, deployment process, etc. in reasonable order. I like the analogy being both an agile software advocate and a cook. But professional chefs do spend a lot of time w/ prep work and readying the mise en place. I guess the equivalent in software is having your development tools, sdlc, testing process, deployment process, etc. in reasonable order.

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