Embrace change or embrace uncertainty

Kent Beck wrote a very nice book eXtreme programming explained with the subtitle "Embrace change". But what he really want to embrace is uncertainty. What is uncertainty? It is those things that will happen but you are uncertain of. Possibly so uncertain that you haven't even thought about them in a risk analysis. It is the very nature of uncertain things, you don't think they ever will occur and can therefore not even think they might happen. They will therefore never turn up in a risk analysis.

Want change and is willing to change

If you want changes and are willing to change, where should you start? When should you stop?

This is a very large subject. Books are being written on it. And it will always depend on the situation. But lets assume a few things.

• We are talking about software development
• We want our product to be awesome and profitable

Want change but don’t want to change

I have met several customers and potential customers that want to implement automated testing. They have been in very different areas; insurance, transport, telecom and so on.

One thing they have in common though, is that they want a change but they are reluctant to change.

Challenging requirements

I attended a session with Gojko Adzic at Valtech in Stockholm in feb 2012. Gojko had some great comments about requirements and especially challenging requirements. A challenging requirement is a requirement from a customer that there is some kind of issue with and therefore something that will bring you problem.

The simplest possible solution

The simplest possible solution that could work. Ever heard that expression? What does it mean? Really?

The answer is obviously something that in a really simple way satisfies the test you currently are working on. Nothing more, nothing less.