As everyone knows, this is notoriously a problem with software projects, where decisions made earlier in a project gradually close off possibilities as you progress, to the point where you can be constrained in ways that prevent you from coming up with a solution that's anywhere near optimal as you get nearer the end. Although digital spoil heaps are potentially easier to clear away if you can afford it.
I'd be interested if anyone's explicitly tried to apply any of the classic cybernetics literature, recently, in that area. Properly, I mean, rather than just scattering some cybernetics fairy dust over the Agile manifesto.
i have been told in another place that it's now a big thing on archeology degrees that they teach you to make sure there's unlikely to be anything old or valuable underneath the spoil heap site before you start digging
As everyone knows, this is notoriously a problem with software projects, where decisions made earlier in a project gradually close off possibilities as you progress, to the point where you can be constrained in ways that prevent you from coming up with a solution that's anywhere near optimal as you get nearer the end. Although digital spoil heaps are potentially easier to clear away if you can afford it.
I'd be interested if anyone's explicitly tried to apply any of the classic cybernetics literature, recently, in that area. Properly, I mean, rather than just scattering some cybernetics fairy dust over the Agile manifesto.
as far as I'm aware they haven't, but ever since I've started this 'stack people have been emailing me interesting references so we might be lucky
Came here to say this. I might steal your whole story as a metaphor it is so on point for software :)
please do! that's what the 'stack is for!
Classic problem in transportation and urban planning I believe. Decision-making principles like least regret and option value are relevant. What else?
i have been told in another place that it's now a big thing on archeology degrees that they teach you to make sure there's unlikely to be anything old or valuable underneath the spoil heap site before you start digging