The next question is, where would someone post a newly discovered (or hidden) software engineering principal? For science I know where to look, but for software engineering? Note I’m not saying my ramblings are new, but if they were, where would they go? Another book for a few $ or in a repository of good s/e knowledge – Which is where?

I don’t remember any principles being taught in computer science at university, do they teach agile etc. these days or do people have to escape into the “real” world before getting exposure – Must check the syllabus of a few leading s/e courses…

I think I agree that if you seek to crystallize a single essence for contemporary software development methodologies then “feedback” is a pretty good one. It’s an extreme simplification, but those are often useful.

I note that feedback is a key part of control theory, which some students of agile have touched on before. Also your talk of core principles and values reminds me a little of Beck’s values -> principals -> practices hierarchy in XP Explained 2.

“We know the impact of tweaking feedback loops” is a provocative statement – e.g. we know that feedback can lead to chaotic behavior, and to local optimization rather than global, that hysterisis and loops are often problematic in feedback-based systems, etc. It’s interesting to consider whether these give any insight into some of the problems that arise with agile.

I do encourage you to run further with your ideas!

It looks very project management orientated, and not really connected with my current thinking (if it is I missed it).

I intend to write a larger article about this – The point I’m trying to make is that software engineering, like “science” needs principles. Stated, understood, universally shared and able to describe the deeper workings as we see them at this moment in time.

I think feedback should be recognised as a principle within software engineering. This simple principle drives us to explore our space further. It underlies all current “agile”/lean thinking yet it is not revealed (openly and clearly) – It is glossed over, yet used to generate more and more books and spout more and more methodologies!

We should teach feedback as one of the core principals underlying software engineering, and teach it from an early start.

This will allow people to adapt and tune their systems as required. We know the impact of tweaking feedback loops and the model is easy to explain – Just a diagram and a few bullet points. I think this is easier to explain across teams/cultures than saying “we are agile” etc. I think its a better starting point and allows people to be creative and build from what they have.

Its almost as if software engineering needs to echo science and start recognising core principles?

Will tidy my ideas and write some more on this.

The more I discuss this with people and observe the world, the more I see “feedback” as one of the root principles of life and one which software engineering should openly recognise – In the way science recognises core principles. If Lean/Agile etc. had pointed out their roots clearly I would have spent a-lot less time reading endless gloss over a clear and simple message. Once I get my head around it I’m going put up some articles.

The trousers of reality is quite an abstract read, I’m not sure if I’m recommending it or not! It’s well written but does require some effort (in parts) to map it back to reality!

“Evo” is quite a snazzy name for that kind of methodology.

It’s an existing fringe approach championed by Tom Gilb that sounds somewhat like what you’re suggesting. He does a poor job promoting it – I’m only aware of Evo because he spoke (rather unpersuasively, at least partly because his presentation style was “I’m right and everyone else is wrong” antagonism) at the London XP Day 2005.

http://www.gilb.com/Project-Management

I might try on those trousers – thanks for the recommendation.