On: Why don’t software development methodologies work? (2014)

[saas_co_de]

> There is such a things as physics in software: between time, scope and people, one of them almost always has to give

This can be true but can also be completely false. Massive differences in productivity are possible depending on how individuals work together on a team.

[Drdrdrq → saas_co_de]

True. Also, there is a fourth variable where you can cut corners (even if it's almost never a good idea): quality.

Great teams can produce much more than mediocre ones, but they too have a limit. When deadline is set too close, one of these 4 things has to give, and it is good to know in advance which one that is, so team can set the priorities accordingly.

[Clubber → Drdrdrq]

I would say that is part of the scope. The scope being a well tested, functional and relatively bug free software that does x, y and z.

[Terr_ → Clubber]

Unfortunately most business people don't make things like "doesn't corrupt the database when an exception is thrown" into a feature bullet.

So while you can argue it's part of the scope, it's not part of the scope that anybody else seems to think about.

[Jtsummers → saas_co_de]

Isn't this:

> Massive differences in productivity are possible depending on how individuals work together on a team.

Addressed by this:

>> Exceptions I've seen are with mature and well-bonded teams working on familiar scope they understand clearly, with a timeline they themselves defined.

?