The Schedule Doesn t Exist Per Se

The following is Robert C. Martin s (not yet famous) the schedule doesn t exist per se posting to OTUG.

There is a difference between ˜Schedule and ˜The Schedule . In XP, ˜Schedule is very important, but ˜The Schedule doesn t exist per se.

The notion of having ˜The Schedule is related to the notion that a software project reaches a point where it is ˜Done . The notion of ˜Doneness pervades our thinking and our communications. We say to each other things like ˜When this project is done . . . or ˜When will this project be done . . . , etc, etc.

The reality, of course, is that a software project is never done until it has been terminated . So long as the market is active, the project will continually evolve . Certainly it will reach points where it is releasable; but at each release there will be a whole list of things that need to be done to it. ^[3]

We think it s important for people ” especially clients ”to realize before they sign up to using XP with an optional-scope contract that they re freeing themselves from the notion of doneness that pervades our thinking and communications. Because some gold owners might find doneness to be a valuable notion. Like maybe somebody who was building a Y2K payroll replacement system?

^[3] Ibid.