The Art of Lean Software Development

Resistance to “Less Code”

You are likely to meet with some resistance when implementing the practices described here, primarily from the more experienced members of the development team. The practices usually require developers to change the way they write code; after all, if they’re already writing code this way, there’s no need to change anything.

When developers are used to writing all their own code, they often develop a distrust of third-party software as well. Overcoming the “not invented here” attitude can be difficult, especially with more experienced developers who have had bad experiences with such software in the past. In addition, libraries and frameworks may come with licensing and distribution fees that make them a more expensive option initially.

Coding standards and best practices cause developers to change the way they write code, and even the most junior members of the team will have their own preferences. The best approach may be to pick one of the industry standards for the language and development environment of choice. Any changes to that standard then have to be agreed upon by the entire team. Minor formatting issues often can be eliminated through the use of code-formatting applications that reformat code as it is checked into the SCM repository.

Effective refactoring of code and design requires knowledge and experience, though this really isn’t a valid reason to avoid it. One way to enhance developers’ refactoring skills is to encourage practicing. Practice ...