BugBears

BugBears are bugaboos. Bugaboos are recurring or persistent problems.

What are yours?

-- PhilStubbington 2003-09-15

Overly optimistic schedules. Typically I forget about little things like wife, family, possible problems, incomplete specs, and the fact that I am NOT perfect. DonGray 2003.09.18

Meeting leaders that go to the trouble of creating an agenda and assigning a timekeeper, but then ignore them both!

RobWyatt 2003.9.18

Ensuring that quality records (ISO) or artifacts (CMMI) are current and up to date only after an ISO assessment or CMMI SCAMPI is announced rather than doing it as you go. It seems to me that if the process is followed, no extra work would need to be done. If extra work needs to be done, what does that say about the process? CharlesAdams 2003.09.18

-- N.B. Jim's comment below reminded me that I was describing groups that do not keep their records current and let entropy take over until an assesment is announced. So I rejiggered the bugaboo. Jim, thank you for helping me realize I miscommunicated my intent.

That's called a "quick assessment", Charles. So my bugbear to contribute is ignoring the results of quick assessments, because they weren't enough work, or something. - JimBullock, 2003.09.18

My bugaboo is calling errors "bugs," then thinking that absolves us of responsibiity for creating them. It's a bugabugaboo. - JerryWeinberg 2003.09.18

Right on, Charles! RobWyatt 2003.9.19

How an offhand "Yeah, that's possible" or "Yeah, we could do something like that" gets turned into a commitment that must be done without any change to the current schedule. --DaveSmith 2003.09.19

These days, I'm working on realizing -- in the moment or soon after -- that just because someone SAYS something doesn't mean that they have made a decision and it will happen. Kind of the opposite of Dave's issue. This applies to my fellow SEM'ers :-) as well as to folks at work who ask me to "hold x days on my calendar" -- then rearrange the schedule without telling anyone.... Lesson -- make sure to check back Regularly..... --DianeGibson 9-20-03

My bugaboo is calling errors "bugs," . . .

Yep. I usually call them defects. At this point I'm trained that "defects" is the right word, so calling them "bugs" takes me an effort of will, or is a jiggle if someone else says it. I experimented with the fault / failure language for a while, and found it too much of a reach most of the time.

So, here's a bugaboo of mine, that has only gotten stronger in recent years. People who don't think about what they are saying. Jargon is one route to this, buzz-words another. Say "bug" if you mean bug, and don't if you don't. I may be wrong - a lot - but most of the time I pick my words. So at least I'm wrong on purpose.

-- JimBullock, 2003.09.20 (Funny what passes for progress sometimes . . . )

The misuse of the word methodology. Most of the time people actually mean method, not methodology. [another definition of methodology is 'body of methods', which is also appropriate] Method itself is just a hi-falutin' term for process. Process is a hi-falutin' term for "the way we do stuff". Most attempts to suggest that "the way we do stuff" is the best way or the only way are misfounded!

Leads me naturally onto another bugbear - "best practice".

Hmm, I feel another article coming on <g>

-- PhilStubbington 2003.09.29

Instead of "best practices" -- fairly good practices:

http://fairlygoodpractices.com/

"�Maybe we would be better off if we developed a list of �fairly good� practices, spent time selecting ones appropiate to our organization, and then tailored them to a particular situation.�- Jim Highsmith in Agile Software Development Ecosystems"

"So here, for you to pick and choose from, are some �fairly good� practices that have made a difference."

Pretty good web-site. (Too bad, the author of the website doesn't display his or her name.)

KeithRay 2003.10.02

...however, this page gives it away: http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?KenBoucher

LaurentBossavit

... confirmed by whois. --DaveSmith

Keith,

The "fairly good practices" web site was worth looking at.

I appreciate you for sharing the reference with me.

From what I can see, Ken or whoever authored the web site would fit well at AYE. If anyone knows his or her email address, let me know so I can send an invite.

SteveSmith 2003.10.03

Updated: Friday, October 3, 2003