Journal Journal: Features Without Reasons (What happened to Use Cases?)
I guess every software engineer/architect/developer/etc. has had this gripe sooner or later. Today I started a small uprising within my development team surrounding a feature we ALL hate. Basically, upper management has required a feature for GA only so they can tell investors/customers/partners that we play in that space. Nevermind the amount of engineering that has to go into a feature like this one, nor shall you pay attention to the possible invasive-ness of such a feature. I know anyone reading this is wondering "WTF is he talking about?", but I actually shouldn't say ... this is a commercial product that isn't out yet. If I wanted anything to come out of the three wasted developer manhours it was the addition of some type of risk/reward analysis of features before they crop up in requirements documents. Ah, requirements documents ... be nice if we had those, but that brings me to another diatribe, and I'm trying to get all my stress out with this journal entry. Nonetheless, I need to get my nose back to the grindstone. There's a GA deadline in 10 working days hanging over my head like a "Sword of Damacles." Numerous API changes, requirements changes, and everyone's favorite "feature creep" has become part of my life. Ahh, how I love doing software (I really do love it, but it, like all things worth doing, is difficult.) Culture change is slow ... serenity now ... serenity now!
-Alabama Mike