
The Joel Test for Software Teams is 20 years old this weekend - dreeves
https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2000/08/09/the-joel-test-12-steps-to-better-code/
======
Miiko
Some of these points look like a common sense nowadays (is there any software
team in year 2020 that does not use any VCS?), but do not agree with a couple
of them.

> Do you use the best tools money can buy?

This is just unrealistic, and actually not required - the tools do not have to
be the best, they should be _adequate_. Which author kind of confirms
discussing his #1: "I’ve used CVS, which is free, and let me tell you, CVS is
_fine_."

> Do you do hallway usability testing?

Usability testing is important, of course, but IMHO it should __not __be done
in hallway, but rather among the target audience. Otherwise you 'll end up
with UI that is easy to do some basic things with, but very inconvenient for
real work, in real workflow that is not possible to test in hallway (not
providing any examples to not hurt anybody feelings by accident, but from my
experience this is quite common, unfortunately).

~~~
dreeves
Well said! I guess if some of Joel's points have become common sense then that
speaks well of the test. And of our industry. :)

I don't have a strong opinion about buying the best tools money can buy but it
seems fair enough to include tool quality as a factor in how good a software
team is. You might be right that adequate is adequate but it's not binary.
Better is better.

As for your point about hallway testing, I think the point is that that's a
bare minimum. Deeper testing with the target audience is even better but it's
amazing how common it is to never watch over a real user's shoulder
(screencast, whatever) as they try to actually use your thing.

------
dreeves
I thought it could be fun to compare how our own teams do on The Joel Test
now. I estimate Beeminder gets a 68%:

    
    
      1. Do you use source control? [1 point]
      2. Can you make a build in one step? [.6 points for modernized version of this]
      3. Do you make daily builds? [1 point]
      4. Do you fix bugs before writing new code? [1 point]
      5. Do you fix bugs before writing new code? [1 point]
      6. Do you have an up-to-date schedule? [0 points]
      7. Do you have a spec? [.9 points]
      8. Do programmers have quiet working conditions? [.5 points]
      9. Do you use the best tools money can buy? [.5 points]
      10. Do you have testers? [0 points]
      11. Do new candidates write code during their interview? [1 point]
      12. Do you use hallway usability testing? [.8 points]
    

Details at [https://forum.beeminder.com/t/20th-anniversary-of-the-
joel-t...](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/20th-anniversary-of-the-joel-test-
for-software-teams/7096)

~~~
nefitty
4 and 5 are duplicate

~~~
dreeves
Oops, thanks! Should be:

    
    
      4. Do you have a bug database? [.9 points]

------
kgraves
ok

