Dilbert On Extreme Programming

The 2003/01/09 DilBert strip is about ExtremeProgramming:

Short Deconstruction: It's a cartoon. It's funny, even to people who don't know what XP is. Get a life.

Long Deconstruction: XP usually promotes from the team up - that's why the literature targets programmers. So if a boss promotes it, they'll probably get it wrong. Nobody pairs with the same partner all week, and nobody pairs constantly for all those 40 hours - that would be exhausting.

However, XP is already showing its merits. Nobody wants to pair with the depressing slacker Wally - everyone wants the naive but consensus-building intern Asok.

Besides, Wally already hates everyone.

The rumor is that there will be a new DilBert character, KentBert?, introduced on Friday to coach the team about where they have been deviating from the ExtremeProgrammingPractices.

And another one: Dilbert trying to write a UserStory :)

I wonder if ScottAdams is specifically drawing these hoping they will be licensed for use in ExtremeProgramming books? I've thought about this more and I think it makes sense. If the story line continues on XP for a few more strips I think this might be the case. I can just imagine these being placed in a book somewhere, although I hope that no XP author would want to do that. Maybe I'm just too cynical?

BTW, I have already written regarding permission to use them on my site and in a book. Why do you feel that to be inappropriate? I feel they'd be great leadins for discussions on how to really do it. -- RonJeffries

Ron, see DilbertCritique for what I thought was a surprising look at ScottAdams.

No one here will make this mistake but I bet a lot of inDUHviduals out there won't know that the female character in this strip is supposed to be the customer. -- HillelGlazer

I think this cartoon points out what is most misunderstood with XP: it should be called PeerProgramming? and not PairProgramming. Wally isn't really a peer for Dilbert! (see also PairProgrammingIsDoneByPeers) -- RalfMueller