Questioning Extreme Programming

Chapter 15. Setting the Dials on Ten

My methodologist is bigger than your methodologist.

One characterization of Extreme Programming is that it attempts to minimize what can be described as non-value adding activities while it maximizes value-added activities. “Setting the dials on ten” is the way that Kent Beck [Beck, 2000] describes taking practices that are known to be effective and taking each to its logical conclusion.

Although it is easy to parody, as many have done, the idea that if something is good, doing more will be even better, and this could make us ignore a useful innovation—that a set of practices can be synergistic. The synergy between the practices is what makes Extreme Programming different. It also makes XP seem very dogmatic ...