Stop Innovating Start Teaching

ExtremeProgramming is being used as an example of an innovation that requires teaching.

• If you and your team have assimilated XP JustDoIt
• If you and your team have no problems JustDoIt

I see a SoftwareCrisis in corporate America. IT executives are aware of this. IT executives are beginning to be aware of XP. (see DilbertOnExtremeProgramming)

Here is a pattern I have observed over the past 10 years.

• Get excited that the latest innovation can solve our crisis
• Learn the buzz words, read the books, hire the experts
• Do NOT radically change behaviors of software construction
• Dismiss the innovation as unable to solve the crisis
• Look for the next innovation

We have a choice:

Continue to innovate or Assimilate existing innovations

More of a focus on teaching is required to help us assimilate new innovations.

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I have seen the same trend in philosophy. We may understand rationally what the philosophers have revealed, but we have not changed our lifestyles or our culture. More philosophy will not help us towards this authenticity: tools, support and teaching can.

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The biggest question is where to start assimilating. Some suggests we should start with RUP or XP which are the latest hypes.

So why should we jump to those innovations when we haven't yet learned the lessons of EwDijkstra, TonyHoare, DrCodd and DavidParnas ?

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Is this anything like Christians professing to follow Jesus's teachings of "Love all people and turn the other cheek" - then living life full of hatred for non-christians and going ballistic on anyone who offends them?