Comments on: Software development with hunters and gatherers http://gojko.net/2009/09/09/software-development-with-hunters-and-gatherers/ Building software that matters Fri, 18 May 2012 13:40:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Frank Carver http://gojko.net/2009/09/09/software-development-with-hunters-and-gatherers/comment-page-1/#comment-59794 Frank Carver Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:18:49 +0000 http://gojko.net/?p=1118#comment-59794 Hmm. The distinction between hunting and gathering is an important one, and there are some other aspects to the analogy which I think also bear scrutiny. Gathering is like the stereotypical way that women shop: browse for hours looking and trying stuff until exhausted, selecting based on the product rather than a need, and maybe never coming back with anything at all. If you have a particular goal in mind (as it seems is often the case with software), then "gathering" may turn out just to be a slow way to get what everyone else has. Hunting, on the other hand is more like the stereotypical way that men shop: Spend valuable shopping time making a list in advance, then rush round buying only and exactly what is on the list, even if it takes a long time or many visits. If your environment or customer expectations are ever likely to change, then "hunting" may turn out just to be a an expensive way to get what you no longer need. Perhaps an intermediate analogy might be that of fishing. Just enough planning to get some equipment and bait; just enough guessing to choose an initial spot, and a willingness to move if there are not enough fish. Does any of that make sense? Hmm. The distinction between hunting and gathering is an important one, and there are some other aspects to the analogy which I think also bear scrutiny.

Gathering is like the stereotypical way that women shop: browse for hours looking and trying stuff until exhausted, selecting based on the product rather than a need, and maybe never coming back with anything at all. If you have a particular goal in mind (as it seems is often the case with software), then “gathering” may turn out just to be a slow way to get what everyone else has.

Hunting, on the other hand is more like the stereotypical way that men shop: Spend valuable shopping time making a list in advance, then rush round buying only and exactly what is on the list, even if it takes a long time or many visits. If your environment or customer expectations are ever likely to change, then “hunting” may turn out just to be a an expensive way to get what you no longer need.

Perhaps an intermediate analogy might be that of fishing. Just enough planning to get some equipment and bait; just enough guessing to choose an initial spot, and a willingness to move if there are not enough fish.

Does any of that make sense?

]]> By: Jeffrey Fredrick http://gojko.net/2009/09/09/software-development-with-hunters-and-gatherers/comment-page-1/#comment-59778 Jeffrey Fredrick Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:16:38 +0000 http://gojko.net/?p=1118#comment-59778 I want to stretch the metaphor to contain another idea as well: a culture that is steeped in hunting will find it distasteful to switch to gathering. Gathering might be easier and less stressful and more certain, but it lacks the bravado of taking down big game. I want to stretch the metaphor to contain another idea as well: a culture that is steeped in hunting will find it distasteful to switch to gathering. Gathering might be easier and less stressful and more certain, but it lacks the bravado of taking down big game.

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