Lining It Up That Way (Rant)

The reason it’s so important for you to see 100 lines of code on your screen is that you have arranged the code so that 100 lines seems like a sane quantity. What you’re doing is working against your own capability.

The reason it’s so important that no one interrupts you for six-hour blocks is that you have arranged the code so that six-hour blocks seem like a sane amount of concentration. What you’re doing is working against your own capability.

The reason it’s so important that you keep your code from being at head for days or weeks at a time is that you have arranged the code so that feature branches seem like a sane amount of safety. What you’re doing is working against your own capability.

The reason it’s so important you have tests to prove to your customer that you’ve hit their their target is that you have arranged your process so that it seems natural for them to doubt it. What you’re doing is working against your own capability.

The reason it’s so important to define all your requirements before you begin is that you have arranged your software so that it can’t be changed at will. What you’re doing is working against your own capability.

The reason it’s so important to assign work to individuals and track it is that you have arranged your workplace so that you have no direct experience of trusting your people. What you’re doing is working against your own capability.

The reason everything has to be a meeting is that you have arranged your decision-making so that it must breach broadly understood consensus and must be enforced by formality. What you’re doing is working against your own capability.

An old joke: There was a queen who had a thousand consorts, each more beautiful and brave than the next. But, you know, only if you line them up that way.

What you’re doing is lining up your system to work against your capability and your team’s capability.

Beck taught me this a million years ago, it’s a bit from a famous vaudeville comedy duo.

“Doctor, doctor, it hurts when I do this.”

“Well…then, stop doing that.”


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