Practices of Agile Development

Attitudes

• Blame doesn't fix bugs. 
  
• Don't code in isolation, do code reviews.
• Use unit tests.
• Do not code in quick and dirty ways.

Continuous Learning

• No need to be specialized on every technologies.  But need to known the industry trend.
• Share knowledge with the team.  Let everyone learn from each other.
  
• Learning new technologies may have to give up the old ones.
• Ask why and dig into the root of solution.
• Keep development cycle in a good pace.  Design -> Implementation -> Testing -> Code Review -> Release.

Customer Oriented

• Let customer do the business decisions.  Understand customers needs.
  
• Design in two phrases:
• Macro design:  Give the direction of implementations.  Not down to the details.
  
• Micro design:   Ways on solve problems during implementation.
• A good design should be correct but not precise.
• Blindly picking a framework is like having kids to save taxes.
• Don't build what you can download.
• Base on project requirement, select the right tools and technologies.
• Checked-in code (on master branch) is always ready for action.
• Never accept big-bang integration.  Should integrate codes more often.
  
• Automate QA testing.
• Get continuous feedback from customers.  Ensure the project is on the right direction.
• Release the smallest usable feature in project development life cycle.
  

Feedback

• Use unit tests to provide coding feedback.
• TDD - Write tests before writing code.
• Good design doesn't mean more classes.
• Target for simple design.
• Ensure code works on different platform (if applicable).

Agile

• Write clean code when speaks its purpose or function.
• PIE - Program Intently and Expressively.
  
• Let code speak for itself.  Comments only helps.  Don't comment to cover up.
  
• DRY - Don't Repeat Yourself.
• Carefully pick meaningful variable and method names.
• No best solution.
• Always code in clean, simple and easy for maintenance way.
• Simple is not simplistic.
• Do not use complicated design pattern unless it's absolutely necessary and with good reasons.
• Use inheritance for is-a; Use delegation for has-a or uses-a.

Daily Practice

• Don't get burn twice.  Keep a log book.
• Treat warning as an error.  Solve it.

Collaboration

• Daily short (stand) meeting (10 - 15 minutes).
• Always know what others are working on.
  
• Simple questions for everyone:
• What's yesterday achievements?
• What's today's plan?
• Any obstacles?
• Do not discuss the questions during meeting.  Details should be discussed after meeting.
  
• Meeting holds in the morning after everyone settle down.
• Advantages of daily meetings:
• Know the existing problems and progress.
• May reallocate resources if needed.
• Let everyone know what others are doing.
• May know who can provide a quick solution to a problem.
• Keep everyone in a good working pace.
• You can't code in PowerPoint.
  
• Architect should be able to code.
• Code should be reviewed and refactored if necessary.
• Every project member should shift to handle different part of the project.
• Knowledge grows when given.
• Inspire rather than given instructions.
• Code review basic check points:
• Easily readable and understandable?
• Any obvious mistakes?
• Is the code give negative effect on other functionality?
• Any repeated code?
• Can be improved or refactored?
• Unless there's obvious improvement after refactoring, do not change others code.
• Report progress and problems.

The Passionate Programmer

Marketing

• Both ends of the technology adoption curve might prove to be lucrative.
• You can't compete on price.  In fact, you can't afford to compete on price.
• Supply and demand.  Exploit market imbalances.
• Don't just know how to program.  Now is the time to think about business domains you invest your time in.
• Be the worst guy in every band you're in.
• The people around you affect your own performance.  Choose your crowd wisely.
• I haven't been given the opportunity...? Seize the opportunity!
• Be a generalist.  Generalists are rare...and, therefore, precious.
• Your skill should transcend technology platforms.
• Be a specialist.  Too many of us seem to believe that specializing in something simply means not knowing about other things.
• Don't invest on single technology or platform.  Vendor - centric views are typically myopic.
• Passionate.  Work because you couldn't not work.

Investment

• Learning.   Don't wait to be told.  Ask!
• Learn the business you work for.   You can't creatively help a business until you know how it works.
• Find a teacher.   It's ok to depend on someone.  Just make sure it's the right person.
• Be a teacher.  To find out whether you really know something, try teach it to someone else.
• Be a teacher.  Mentors tend not to get laid off.
• Practice.  Practice at your limits.
• Implementation.  If you want to feel you own a process, help implement it.
• Stand on shoulder of Giant.  Mine existing code for insights.
• Use existing code to reflect on your own capabilities.

Execution

• It's now.  What can we do?  Right Now?
• Mind reading.  The mind - reading trick, if done well, leads to people depending on you.
• Daily report.  Have an accomplishment to report every day.
• Don't forget whom you work for.  Your managers' successes are your successes.
• Satisfaction.  Be ambitious, but don't wear it on your sleeve.
• Get job well done today.  How much more fun could you make your job?
• What's your value?  Ask, "Was I worth it today?"
• Beware of being blinded by your won success.
• Enjoy Maintenance.  Maintenance can be a place of freedom and creativity.
• Concentrate on 8 working hours per day.  Projects are marathons, not sprints.
• Learn from failure.  Every wrong note is but one step away from a right one.
• Stressful times offer the best opportunities to build loyalty.
• Say "No".  Saying "Yes" to avoid disappointment is just lying.
• Don't panic.  Heroes never panic.
• Say it, implement it, demonstrate it.  Status reports can help you market yourself.

Sales

• Don't ignore feelings.  Performance appraisals are never objective.
• Communication is important.  Your customers are afraid of you.
• Communication and documentation.  You are what you can explain.
• Show up.  Learn about your colleagues.
• The right language to the right people.  Market your accomplishments in the language of your business.
• Change the world.  Have a mission.  Make sure people know it.
• Let people hear your voice.  
• Have your own brand.  Your name is your name.
• Google never forgets.
• Publish your code.  Anyone can use Rails.  Few can say Rails contributor.
• Be a master.
• Relationships.  Fear gets between us and the pros.

Leading technologies

• Outdated technologies.  Your shiny new skills are already obsolete.
• You are not your job.
• Endlessness.  Focus on doing, not on being done.
• Create yourself a product roadmap.  
• Notice the market.  Watch the alpha geeks.
• Developer, review themselves.
• Monkey catching trap.  Rigid values make you fragile.
• Avoid waterfall career plannings.  
• Daily improvement.  
• Independent.