the Sourcerers Orchard

In software development, traditional project planning often emphasizes immediate needs and short-term goals. However, Bentoism, which stands for "Beyond Near-Term Orientation," provides a multidimensional framework that can improve software project planning. It advocates for a balance between short-term achievements and long-term sustainability, considering both individual and collective impacts. Technical debt and architectural debt are inevitable challenges that teams must navigate. If managed properly, these debts can help long-term sustainability and growth. Bentoism, with its forward-looking and holistic perspective, offers a nuanced framework for handling these challenges while promoting continuous improvement.  Understanding Bentoism  Bentoism, inspired by the structure of a bento box that contains a variety of foods in separate compartments, encourages a broader perspective in decision-making. It promotes consideration of 'Now Me' (current self-interests), ...

At this time of the year, employees often have their yearly reviews and set goals for the following year. From an agile point of view, this is an antipattern. The Agile methodology promotes continuous improvement and adaptation. This philosophy often needs to match this traditional approach of setting fixed yearly educational goals for developers. This discrepancy can be analyzed regarding how these educational strategies align with the interests of labour and management within the industry (as opposed to the orchard)  and how they contribute to or alleviate the alienation and class dynamics inherent in the tech workforce. Yearly educational goals in software development typically involve predefined objectives that developers are expected to achieve within a set timeframe. While this approach provides clear targets and a sense of structure, it can be rigid and limiting in a field known for rapid technological changes and evolving project needs. Such goals may become quickly outdate...

This blog is named The Sourcerers Orchard. The title is intended as a pun about source code and the orchard as an analogy between software development and handling an orchard. Creating a new orchard is an endeavour that blends the art of gardening with science. The same could be true for software development. We often talk about software as an industry, and this mindset harms our work. We are not an industry; we do not repetitively produce the same unit at an assembly line. We grow new things in a partly unpredictable world. Systems like SAFe are born in industrial thinking, like modern mercantilism, focused on numbers, not growth. We need a new way of thinking, to make high quality software instead of failing production lines. Planning Your Orchard Embarking on creating a new software project is akin to cultivating a thriving orchard from the ground up. It’s a journey that requires patience, dedication, and a strategic approach to nurturing growth and overcoming challenges. Let’s expl...