Xp Plans More

XpPlansMore than other methodologies.

The development team at ProductSight is a fledgling XP shop. Maybe other XP teams plan less than we do, but take a look at our numbers:

We do IterationPlanning every TwoWeeks. We spend a whole day reviewing and tasking UserStories. During this time, we have detailed discussions about what the code looks like, what direction we want to go, and how long it will take us to add various chunks of functionality.

But keep in mind that the whole team participates in the planning sessions.

What other methodology can claim that 10% of its ManHour?s are spent on planning?

Now, that's just the IterationPlanning. That doesn't count the ReleasePlanning which happens about every 4 iterations.

-- EricHerman

When looked at in that light, XP doesn't seem so light weight, does it?

The percent doesn't bug me, but I think the all-day meeting would. I'd try to sneak out of the meeting with one of the stories and with another developer to go back to having fun.

A whole day every TwoWeeks sounds like the process is broken. As Dale Carnegie said, the more and longer the meeting, the higher the chance is that there is not good communication between the meeting attendees.

How much time are other teams spending on planning per iteration? -- EricHerman

Six people, half day, every three weeks. -- JimLittle