# Software Development Diseases and Agile Medicine DevFeed: [Software Development Diseases and Agile Medicine]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2008-09-11T15:41:57Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Blog by Michael Dubakov]() Topics: [Agile](), [Development](), [meetings](), [Refactoring]() Tags: [agile](), [development](), [iteration](), [meetings](), [programming](), [refactoring]() ## AI overview The article examines common problems in software development, including delaying work until deadlines and communication failures between teams. It argues that agile practices such as daily meetings, short iterations, short tasks, and stronger communication can help address these problems. ## Source excerpt It is really interesting to check some established diseases in software development and investigate how they can be resolved using agile processes. If agile development is so good, it should provide solutions to common problems. Here we go. Student Syndrome Many people will start to fully apply themselves to a task just at the last possible moment before a deadline. Maybe the most famous disease in software development teams. You have 40 hrs task and thoughts like "Huh, one week! I am pretty sure I will complete this task in 2 days!" You are doing something fun like refactoring or research and start working on the task Wednesday's afternoon. Suddenly you encounter a serious problem. You spent all day hunting for resolution with no luck. In a weekly status meeting you say that task was not done and 80% ready, but there is completely unexpected nasty problem that popped up and broke the plans. Looks familiar? Yes, it is. Agile development solves the problem with several simple practices: Daily Meetings. You have to say something on a daily meeting. If you committed to the task on Monday and spent all Monday researching something completely unrelated you will have bad feeling during Stand-Up. It pushes you to actually start working on task. Also serious problems will not be under the carpet for days, they will be revealed and expressed. Short Iterations. In short iterations every single task is important. If you have 1 week iteration you are feeling that deadline is close enough and you have no spare time. If you have 6 months project deadline in waterfall process you have an eternity. You can do wrong things for weeks till the reality hits you in the neck. Short Tasks. Two days is a good maximum for a single task. It is quite hard to convince yourself that you can start coding tomorrow if you have only two days to complete the task. Parkinson's Law Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. Indeed it is a matter of perfection and laziness. Some