Truth Hurts: the making of correct software
What is wrong with a little white lie? In human interaction we are all too familiar with truths being twisted and framed. We even have learned to live with lying leaders.
Truth hurts. You know that! Who enjoys hearing that his work is useless? Would you enjoy being confronted with your mistakes? Covering up, framing and lying is all too human. Let's not condemn it unless we are impeccable truth tellers...
Computers, however, don't care about human emotions. Covering up, framing and lying doesn't fix flawed software. To deny errors may fool people, but it will not make software errors go away.
If you want your software project to be successful rapidly, consider these four rules:
- Embrace it when a mistake is found, find the real cause, and fix it in a way it won't return.
- Mistakes are a normal sign of learning. Focus on learning rather than on the mistake.
- Bugs hate fresh air. Expose errors. Call a mistake a mistake. Let software fail fast.
- Focus on error prevention, but be ruthless to disclose, analyse and publish your error after making one.
Don't worry if it hurts at first. You'll get used to it. And enjoy the feeling when you see bugs disappear and your hygienically managed project speed to success.