Category: optimization

Premature optimization is the root of all evil - not only in the Agile world

October 9, 2008 by Przemysław Bielicki

Picture courtesy of gutter@flickr

I was just reading an excellent book by Josh Bloch, namely "Effective Java, Second Edition" and I was on the optimization subject when it happened. It was funny coincidence but I think it was just a sign for me to write this post.

It doesn't relate to the Agility in any way but it relates to the quality of software so it should be definitely published here. And it all started very innocently - from publishing blog post with the solution to some annoying problem.

In this post I will tell you how easily you can fall into really dangerous and ugly development problems starting optimizing your software too early. I hope you will like the story.

Seven Principles of Lean Software Development - Optimize the Whole

October 2, 2008 by Przemysław Bielicki

Picture courtesy of aussiegall@flickr

Lance Armstrong won seven consecutive Tour de France races between years 1999 and 2005. Every year there were 21 individual stages and Lance Armstrong won "only" 4 individual stages in 1999, 1 stage in 2000, 4 stages in 2001, 4 stages in 2002, 2 stages in 2003, 6 stages in 2004 and 2 stages in 2005.

As you can see Lance Armstrong was not focused on winning each stage (quite the opposite). He was focused on winning the whole Tour de France - yet he had to keep close to the head of the race. And when you take a look at time differences between him and the second cyclist in the final classification you will be amazed - they were close to couple of minutes (out of 90 hours of total time!) It means that he was focused on winning the whole race - not to be the best and outstanding cyclist (he was not - I know because I watched many of the stages these years).

Speaking with the lean language Lance Armstrong was Optimizing the Whole - and he succeeded seven times winning the most difficult and exhausting cycling race in the World.

In this post I will try to explain "Optimize the Whole" principle from "Implementing Lean Software Development - from Concept to Cash" book.