Can average developers use agile methods?
I’ve often heard the claim that agile methods can only be used by the better developers and that average or below average developers should avoid agile methods. When I get asked this, I have to answer that I don’t know the answer – and that this ignorance is natural with any new technique. When a new technique or tool appears, it’s usually tried out first by higher ability developers. This is quite a natural response. Early adopters have to be those who are more thoughtful and caring about their profession. New approaches are usually tried by them before it’s tried out on the majority. Thus with any new approach you have to ask the question of whether this approach is only suitable for these more adventurous souls. This is an unanswerable question, because until it’s tried by more average teams, you can’t tell how it will work for them. Of course, this doesn’t stop people from speculating, and as long as we all understand that this is speculation, I’m happy to join in the fun. An essen
