Deliberate Practice in Software Development

Peak-performing software developers typically have 10 years of consistent practice before achieving “virtuoso” status in their craft. In those ten years, they engage in what is known as “deliberate practice.”

One of the frequently cited advantages of the uniPaaS application platform is the ability to instantly generate new iterations and prototypes of the software for immediate feedback. As Art Pennington states in his book Profit: Discover the Gold Mine in Your IT Department,

Rapid repetitive prototyping provides the opportunity to test different scenarios and actually see which ones work best in live operation. Success with one technique might generate additional ideas for the next developmental increment of the system. Many times, when you can see something clearly at one level, the next logical improvement becomes apparent. That improvement would never have been visualized without the existence of the prior working model to provide the creative insight.

Mary Poppendieck’s presentation at Agile 2009 on “Deliberate Practice in Software Development” is well worth the time. Available on the InfoQ website.