EmperorsNewClothes

AntiPattern: EmperorsNewClothes

Original Author: JamesPoupard

Anti Pattern Category: Management

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Problem

• In design or code reviews, no one really understands the design but reviewers are unwilling to admit it.
• Any criticism is quashed by other reviewers who claim understanding and consequently gain a feeling of superiority.

Context and Forces

• Peer Review is seen as a milestone to pass before development can continue.
• Too much negative feedback can delay development and effect project timescales.

Proposed Solution (the bad one)

• Make design process and procedure idiot-proof to prevent developers making mistakes next time.
• Down-play complaints about over complexity or lack of abstraction because changes can be postponed until the next stage of development.
• Effort required to make major changes at this stage has a huge effect on project timescales. Consequently leave it as it is - it won't be as bad next time!
• Define design or coding standards with a set of clear rules that can be tested against to simplify the peer review process and minimise non-constructive feedback.

Resulting Context

• You cannot develop an idiot-proof process - a good process depends on good developers to execute it (see IdiotProofProcess).
• Delaying serious problems will lead to more serious ones (see ImplementationIssue).
• Checking only against standards will mean any updates to design or code is simply cosmetic.
• All of these leaves us with a poor design which means:
  • Requirements may be left unmet
  • Major problems are missed
  • Difficult decisions are left to the implementers
  • Coders ignore or abandon design
  • Design will have served no purpose

Design Rationale

• Identify different people who:
  • have good analysis and design skills
  • can define good abstractions
  • have good implementation skills
  • or are subject matter or user experts
• Hold regular brainstorming sessions with these people to refine requirements and/or develop the design.
• Change organisation to promote day to day coaching of those less experienced.
• Adopt and/or develop simple, clear notations that are more understandable.
• Change focus so that formal reviews are a just a small part of the quality process.

Related AntiPatterns

• IntellectualViolence - used in review meetings.
• ThrownOverTheWall - guidelines, treated as formal process and followed blindly.
• DesignByCommittee - committee ineffectual, identify and assign correct roles.
• TheGrandOldDukeOfYork - roles and responsibilities do not match ability.
• IdiotProofProcess - following a strict process guarantees success...?
• ImplementationIssue - 'perfection' delayed until implementation.

Discussion below...

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See also TheEmperorsNewClothes