Not An Xp Problem

NAXPP

Folks come up with all sorts of objections to XP which are not solved by any software process. It is reasonable (but not always helpful) to begin discussion of such objections with NAXPP, then talk about what XP does about it.

Examples:


Developers are not competent to learn how to work in XP style

If this is a common situation, it might be considered an XP adoption problem.


I have a fabulous new development process known as MNM - Make No Mistakes. Your developers refuse to adopt it? They continue to make mistakes? They're incompetent or they simply refuse to adopt my process.

I contend that it's silly to attempt to objectively segregate XP problems from Not XP problems. Any problem attributed to XP is, in fact, an XP problem, at least in the perception of someone. What is important is how to address that perceived problem, not simply to label it NotAnXpProblem. -- MarkAddleman

For example, people ask how to get totally accurate up-front estimates for a project. This is NAXPP. No process gives you decent up-front estimates for a project. Once we agree on that, we can discuss how an XP-style team will do its best to give accurate up-front estimates for a project. Until we notice that up-front project estimates are NAXPP, we might consider an XP team's inability to deliver accurate up-front project estimates to be a black mark for XP. That is, NAXPP is not an attempt to duck questions, but put them in context. -- KentBeck


This page and DesertIslandFallacy and TuringComplete seem to be dealing with a common way of incorrectly understanding something, and the common response:

Sometimes the correct response is or Is there a name for this more general fallacy ?


See also: XpDoesntCoverThat


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