http://innocuous.org/articles/2006/08/25/steve-vinoski-on-extreme-programming-at-iona/ Richard Tibbetts on Various Topics Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:35:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://innocuous.org/articles/2006/08/25/steve-vinoski-on-extreme-programming-at-iona/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Kimberley Burchett Fri, 01 Sep 2006 20:31:47 +0000 http://new.innocuous.org/articles/2006/08/25/steve-vinoski-on-extreme-programming-at-iona/#comment-15 Another thing to consider when evaluating whether or not XP really is an improvement is that it's common for people to improve whenever you change their standard process. For example, in the early 1900's, when manufacturers first introduced assembly lines, workers got excited at the chance to learn a new technique, and productivity skyrocketed. After a while the new-ness wore off and productivity started falling again. (Sorry I don't have a cite for this, but I've come across it in places like harvard business review, and the history channel).nnIn other words, there's a placebo effect for any process change -- even bad ones. Another thing to consider when evaluating whether or not XP really is an improvement is that it’s common for people to improve whenever you change their standard process. For example, in the early 1900’s, when manufacturers first introduced assembly lines, workers got excited at the chance to learn a new technique, and productivity skyrocketed. After a while the new-ness wore off and productivity started falling again. (Sorry I don’t have a cite for this, but I’ve come across it in places like harvard business review, and the history channel).nnIn other words, there’s a placebo effect for any process change — even bad ones.

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