Unchangeable Rules of Software Change - Redux

I put together a couple of my earlier blog-entries on the topic of software change and iterative development and developed them into an article in the February 2006 issue of CMCrossroads Journal. The article is entitled The Unchangeable Rules of Software Change (just like the earlier blog-entry) and updates some of what I had blogged about earlier.

In addition to the first three commonly recurring pitfalls encountered when first faced with the reality of these "unchangeable rules", I identified three additional pitfalls that typically occur when first attempting iterative development. It also has a few more iterative development resources than my previous follow-up blog-entry. Lastly, I expanded the rule-set by one, adding the "quicksilver" rule to the "quicksand" rule as noted below:

The Unchangeable Rules of Software Change

Rule #0: Change is Inevitable!

The Requirements/Plans ARE going to change!

Rule #1: Resistance is Futile!

There isn't a darn thing you can do to prevent Rule #0.

Rule #2: Change is like Quicksand -- Fighting it only makes it worse!

The more you try to deny and defy rule #1 by attempting to prevent rule #0, the worse things will get.

Rule #3: Change is like Quicksilver -- Tightening your grip makes it slip from your grasp!

The more you try to deny and defy rule #2 by attempting to precisely predict, or rigidly control change, the more erratic and onerous the result will be.

Rule #4: Embrace change to control change

The more flexible and adaptive you are at accommodating change, the more control you will have over your outcomes

You can read the whole article here!