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List:       extremeprogramming
Subject:    Extreme Sandwich (Re: [XP] Is XP right for large projects?)
From:       Alex Chaffee / Purple Technology <alex () jguru ! com>
Date:       2002-10-31 22:31:50
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> > From: Alex Chaffee 
> > 
> > If I were hungry enough, I'd gladly choose to receive a slice of ham
> > in 5 minutes over a fully-constructed ham sandwich in 15 minutes.
> > Especially if the slice of ham were cheaper, with an upgrade path to
> > the sandwich when it becomes available.

On Thu, Oct 31, 2002 at 10:56:05AM -0700, Alleman, Glen B. wrote:
> So now reverse the logic ;>) I'm in line at the local deli. I want a ham
> on rye (two thick cut slices), with mustard (special German style) two
> slices of pickle and Swiss cheese. 
> 
> Sorry Alex, here's one slice, 1/2 pickle, and a spoon of mustard. The
> bread (actually only one slice) will come in 2 minutes, and the Swiss
> cheese will bring to your table

Round and round we go...  It's my analogy; if anyone's going to
stretch it past credibility, it'll be me.

I'm the customer.  I want the ham first.  And if I can't live without
German mustard, fine, but the deli development team needs to tell me
the tradeoffs (time and cost) between yellow mustard and German
mustard and no mustard at all.

XP enables *prioritized* incremental delivery of functionality.

Not random delivery, as you represented it above -- the feature with
the *most* value to the customer goes first.

> Surely if you're on the street looking for a hand out, or haven't
> eaten in a few days because you were lost in the woods, a slice of
> ham will do for now.

Then we agree!  Some users don't need all the features on your
sandwich checklist.  Great!  Let's do lunch.

> Funny how analogies work both sides of the discussion, depending on
> the context and domain. How many "customers" haven't eatned (got
> dial tone), and how many what their sandwich fully formed and reedy
> to go?

I hate to be snide... Okay, really, I guess I can't resist... but it
seems clear to me that you are not using a certain useful feature of
your email program.  Would you have cared or even noticed if it were
missing?

If you don't even know what I'm talking about, then that's even more
proof that not all users need all features of every product.

(Even though some have needs of which they're unaware.)

Anyway, this whole discussion is moot, since the Customer is not the
customer.  The sales department can decide to wait until all 100
features on their checklist are done before promoting the new version.
That wouldn't matter to an XP team, which would keep delivering 20
features every quarter for 15 months.  

(Actually, it would matter: XP teams crave feedback, and they know
that the best feedback comes from real, live users, so they'd probably
push for a beta test or early access program.)

 - A

-- 
Alex Chaffee                       mailto:alex@jguru.com
jGuru - Java News and FAQs         http://www.jguru.com/alex/
Creator of Gamelan                 http://www.gamelan.com/
Founder of Purple Technology       http://www.purpletech.com/
Curator of Stinky Art Collective   http://www.stinky.com/

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