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List:       extremeprogramming
Subject:    Business value versus Cost ( was Re: [XP] Pragmatic Programmers on XP)
From:       wecaputo () thoughtworks ! com
Date:       2003-03-28 13:44:34
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Hi Dave,

Glad to see this load of zealots didn't scare you off the topic :-)

>Surely if there's no business value in an action, it shouldn't be done...

As you pointed out, somewhere in there the notion of cost morphed into
business value. Personally, I think that's the switchover point you
mentioned: where the BV is at an additional cost beyond that of the initial
decision to go with that project team.

There is a certain type of business value that is derived from employing a
team of software professionals to build your system. In that packaged
product, you get value such as proper naming and standards (the value
presumably being better maintenance and extension costs), and you need to
leave those decisions to the professionals, just as you wouldn't kibitz
every nail's placement in the building of your house. I see this as
valuable, and we pay a strategic or overall cost for this, and its lumped
into the routine estimates.

OTOH, there are some decisions that have a cost associated with them that
is visible in the tactical progress of the project, where not doing these
things would not necessarily violate the notion of building a quality
product (yet make it less featureful), but whose addition adds
significantly to the estimate involved in ways that is visible to the
customer. Furthermore these seem to be things that are in fact visible
outside the code (transaction support is such an item as is some kinds of
multi-threading and other performance improvements) allowing the customer
the option of saying leave those out, implies that they can be explained
the trade-offs in terms of cost and functionality.

I also feel that experience is the best teacher of just where that line is,
and that line is different if your approach is continual design versus
up-front design. Neither is necessarily wrong, but the costs, and estimates
are different in each approach, as are the benefits, and perceived
maintenance burden.

Best,
Bill

William E. Caputo
ThoughtWorks, Inc.
--------
Cynicism is not realistic and tough. It's unrealistic and kind of cowardly
because it means you don't have to try. -- Peggy Noonan






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