Why do developers at Google consider Agile development to be nonsense? (2016)

Re:Why do developers at Google consider Agile development to... by MAGZine on Saturday August 03, 2019 @01:21PM (#20601507)

This is 100% caused by stack ranking, and the problem you identify is a very real one. Chopping off the bottom 5% of employees works if you have a LOT of dead weight, but realistically you can't really do it continuously or you start removing legitimate talent and, just as worse, fostering a toxic community that values playing politics over delivering value.

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Re:Why do developers at Google consider Agile development to... by taftster on Saturday August 03, 2019 @02:17PM (#20601802)

Not only that, but chopping off the bottom 5% typically makes room for more hiring; these emptied jobs are likely to be filled with less-than-stellar candidates. It take the new hires a few years before they too are dropped down into that lower 5% rank.

Stack ranking ensures that you have churn in your workforce, and not in a good way. You wonder why workers in the tech industry move around so much? Look at stack ranking as a significant contributing factor.

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Re:Why do developers at Google consider Agile development to... by Spooky23 on Saturday August 03, 2019 @03:12PM (#20602052)

That’s by design. Keeps the workforce young and insurance cheap.

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Re:Why do developers at Google consider Agile development to... by ajross on Saturday August 03, 2019 @07:09PM (#20603294)

Less cynically, it also increases the odds of finding good employees. A "bottom 5%" worker is statistically less likely to suddenly rise to the top of the pack than a new hire is to produce at that level initially. And, more cynically, that remains true even if there's significant measurement error in identifying that 5%.

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Re:Why do developers at Google consider Agile development to... by kragen on Saturday August 03, 2019 @10:33PM (#20604112)

That's true if the performance ratings are cost-free and fairly accurate. A company where firing is based on misconduct and promotion is based on achievement, rather than basing both on quarterly reviews, might actually have a better chance of finding good employees, and perhaps more importantly, retaining them.

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Re:Why do developers at Google consider Agile development to... by lonelappde on Saturday August 03, 2019 @04:50PM (#20602593)

Why would companies prefer cheap insurance over productivity? If they want to pay less, they can just pay less. People would rather get paid less than get fired.

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Re:Why do developers at Google consider Agile development to... by Ididntdothis on Saturday August 03, 2019 @09:59PM (#20603997)

Productivity is hard to measure. Insurance cost is easy to measure.

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Re:Why do developers at Google consider Agile development to... by 2muchcoffeeman on Saturday August 03, 2019 @05:52PM (#20602901)

Is it about cost?

It’s often easier to get that pay raise by hopping companies. You’re then replaced with a new hire who is probably getting more than you did. And needs a few months to get up to speed.

Treating your proven employees well to retain them would cost less.

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Re:Why do developers at Google consider Agile development to... by Spooky23 on Saturday August 03, 2019 @07:55PM (#20603504)

Big companies are driven by the mean and dollars. The short term numbers work out, and long term productivity issues are addressed by acquisition.

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