Monolithic versus Mob Development
In Richard Gabriel’s Whither Software (PDF), there are two slides that caught my attention. Here’s slide one:
Monolithic Development:
- Master planning and control [my emphasis]
- Chokepoints
- Integration planning
- Shared culture required [my emphasis]
- Planned releases force misfits of time and effort—for some modules and components, developers are squeezed for time, for others, developers languish or move on prematurely
- Tends to exclude users from design
- Correctness
- No room for artistry [my emphasis]
And here’s slide two:
Mob Development:
- Piecemeal growth and leadership
- Shared vision is desirable [my emphasis]
- Few coördination points
- Can include users
- Comfort
- Can allow for artistry
I’ve got to go, but I want to mention that Gabriel has written, along with Ron Goldman, an essay titled Mob Software: The Erotic Life of Code. I’ve written about it before; see this Google search for more.