Mayford Technologies - XP Values

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Extreme Programming Values - Communication

Many project failures can be traced to poor communications. The Extreme Programming practices facilitate and even forces communication:

The Customer is co-located with the Developers, promoting informal communication

XP prefers verbal communication over written documentation - "A word is worth a thousand pictures"

Collective Code Ownership - since anyone can change any code, the Developers must communicate in order to prevent problems

Pair Programming promotes real-time code reviews, as well as distributing knowledge about the application

Open office environment promotes informal communication

Consider the bandwidth of different modes of communication between people:

In-person Conversation: you hear the words from the other person, you can hear the different tones and inflexions in their voice, and you see their body language. This applies to a lesser extent to videoconferencing as well.

Telephone Conversation: you hear the words from the other person, and can hear the different tones and inflexions in their voice.

E-mail/Instant Messaging: you see the words from the other person, and may have some idea of their intentions through the use of 'emoticons'.

Formal Written Document: you see the words from the other person.

Notice how the amount of information passed along diminishes from an In-person Conversation down to a Formal Written Document. This is why XP emphasizes the use of conversations as much and as often as possible. If the outcome of the conversation is important enough then it can be documented, but the important things is that the conversation itself must take place.

For more information about Extreme Programming, visit our Resources page.