Extreme Programming (XP) has spent the past decades under perpetual scrutiny by software developers fixated on up front design methodologies. The idea behind this is simple: if you want to make sure something is well built, you must design it well first, then put it together using reliable tools. For objects such as houses, cars, or tables, of which the design evolves gradually throughout decades, the methods of up front design suffice. Computer programs, on the other hand, are products often made for an industry that evolves at higher rates than any other. For this type of environment, more dynamic methods are required, which is why XP suits as a viable candidate. How design is altered from the traditional up front design method will be discussed.
The general picture obtained from a first glance at the XP method tends to imply that design is a frivolous activity put in second-place after programming. Although programming is incredibly important for getting anything done, it is equally nothing without design as design without programming. They compensate each other for their own blunders. Programming builds the program, but leads to over-complex systems. Design leads to well structured systems, but no actual program. As such, design is not frivolous, but so is not programming.
How is it that XP actually combines design and programming in the right amounts? It tends to reiterate a certain algorithm until the project is complete: design, implementation of design, then redesigning and refactoring (Fowler). Meanwhile the design is kept simple (Fowler).
Simple is a key word in XP. In fact, Martin Fowler's essay (Fowler) seems to make it XP's core. However, what exactly is meant by simplicity will depend on multiple factors. As Marti...
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...ing the design pattern would consequently be counter productive. This does not necessarily mean, however, that design patterns will always hold the solution to a problem. Instead, they provide an idea which may be altered for solving a problem.
XP is an evolutionary design methodology. It follows simplicity religiously with YAGNI as its motto. To do this, it takes refactoring into account when necessary. This requires redesigning the program's structure, which is easier when following YAGNI. Considering today's IT industry, one where last minute changes are commonplace, its methodologies fit like a glove. It may still have some unnoticed necessary improvements, but it seems to suit the industry better than up front design.
Works Cited
Fowler, Martin. "Is Design Dead?". Martin Fowler. N/A, n.d. Web. 18 Oct 2013. .
Lawson, Bryan. How Designers Think: The Design Process Demystified. 4th ed. Oxford: Architectural Press, 2006.
In this paper I will present two differing views on the topic of the design argument. In particular, I will explain William Paley's view supporting the design argument and Bertrand Russell's view against the design argument. After a presentation of the differing views, I will then evaluate the arguments to show that William Paley has a stronger argument.
Lawson, Bryan. How Designers Think: The Design Process Demystified. NY: Architectural Press, 1980, 2007. Massachusetts: NECSI Knowledge Press, 2004.
“Design is the method of putting form and content together. Design, just as art, has multiple definitions, there is no single definition. Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that’s why it is so complicated.”(Rand, Paul)
Simplicity is defined in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary as a simple state or quality; freedom from complexity; absence of elegance and luxury; uncomplicated. In the world today, many people think that an iphone or computer watch may make their world simple, but these technologies only make the world we live in more complex. Somehow there is confusion between simple and easy. It is most certainly easier to phone someone from your car rather than pulling over to a pay phone and getting out a quarter. It is also easier to put a letter in the fax machine rather than addressing an envelope and putting a stamp on it and walking it to the mailbox. These two instances that have been described are, in fact, easier, but not simpler. Simple is not having to figure out how to use the cell phone or fax machine and, at the same time, having these two items cluttering our space. Fewer people communicate through cards and letters now because we have e-mail and fewer people go to the library because we have the Internet. These are great items and they may make life easier, but not simpler.
Wicked Problems in Design Thinking Author(s): Richard Buchanan Source: Design Issues, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Spring, 1992), pp. 5-21 Published by: The MIT Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/
Agile software development is a group of software development methods based on iterative and incremental development, where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional teams. It promotes adaptive planning, evolutionary development and delivery, a time-boxed iterative approach, and encourages rapid and flexible response to change.
Given the time, it takes to develop large sophisticated software systems it not possible to define the problem and build the solution in a single step. Requirements will often change throughout a projects development, due to architectural constraints, customer’s needs or a greater understanding of the original problem. Iteration allows greater understanding of a project through successive refinements and addresses a projects highest risk items at every stage of its lifecycle. Ideally each iteration ends up with an executable release – this helps reduce a projects risk profile, allows greater customer feedback and help developers stay focused.
Creswell, J., 2003, A framework for design, 2nd ed., Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California, pp. 3-26.
The elements of design were created by Arthur Wesley Dow to help people see, describe, and create visual qualities in a systematic way. It consists of 7 elements: line, shape, form, colour, value, texture and space.
One of the key ideas of the modern era was to forge the designs of the future on the corpses of the past, disregarding everything from the last era and moving forward with new ideals and styles. Refining and discarding they shaped, molded and constricted the ideas of design until reaching the pinnacle of minimalism. Creating design with pure aesthetics and reducing an object down to its core fundamental elements. Using the ideas of “less is more” or even “using less for more”, the designs ended up simple and elegant with a focus not in quantit...
obect orientated programming has many advantages, one of these is the fact that the objects created : Jeffrey L. Popyack (2012) "can easily be reused in other programs." The Saylor Foundation also states that object orientated programming allows “Improved software-development productivity" and "Improved software maintainability” through the modular structure of the development.
Hegeman, J. (2008). The Thinking Behind Design. Master Thesis submitted to the school of design, Carngie Mellon University. Retrieved from: http://jamin.org/portfolio/thesis-paper/thinking-behind-design.pdf.
...But however some engineers often love to challenge themselves by making plans that balance functional value of aesthetic appeal. In communities they emphasize contemporary design structure, engineers often renovate or rebuild more creative structures where older, more traditional structures once stood.
Software engineering is important in today’s society because we use the products of software engineering almost daily. We use the products of software engineering in objects as simple as our car keys to objects as complicated as supercomputers. The past, present, and future of software engineering is quite interesting. This paper will provide information about this field of study and why software engineering is going to be around a while.