Process Patterns for Personal Practice

There is more to software development than analysis, programming, debugging, and even organising organic organisational structures. Whether working solo, in small groups, or larger teams, the biggest problems can be our own personal misconceptions, demons, paranoia and firmly held beliefs. Development is always done by people; clients and users are people; and under strict genetic testing most managers can be shown to share at least 50% of their genetic code with homo montipythonus. People, of course, are famously fallible, when not downright stupid or obstructive. It’s a miracle anyone manages to get anything developed ever. Of course, people do develop software every day, after many years of rigorous training and then by dint of weeks of hard work, bad skin tone, low lighting conditions, and the consumption of mind-altering quantities of pizza. Now, this is obviously far too much work, not very much fun, and bad for your physical and mental health. So, how can you succeed in development without really trying?