Shakespearean Analysis

In Use Case Driven Object Modeling with UML, DougRosenberg writes, "Whenever I spot a case of [AnalysisParalysis] coming on, I usually think about Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, because the nature of modeling (and of 'kitchen sink' notations such as the UML) makes it easy to generate lots of 'sound and fury, signifying nothing.'"

ShakespeareanAnalysis, then, is what happens when the analysis process focuses on issues that are not important or appropriate at the time.

It can be avoided by being aware of what is important and appropriate at the time, which implies a thorough understanding of the development process.

(Doug's quotation above is more than kind to Shakespearean analysts: a slightly extended excerpt (from Macbeth, the "unlucky play") is, "it is a tale/Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,/Signifying nothing." Try that one on your junior architect the next time he puts navigability arrows on domain model associations.)

How about "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" for most delivery dates?

"Thou has taught me language/my profit on't: I know to curse." -Caliban