

Ask HN: Why do I hate software planning tools? - scottw

Can someone help me understand why I've never been able to use software planning tools? One contract job I have wants me to plan the tiniest details of what I'll be doing and how I'll be doing it a month ahead of time (using _Rally_, if that helps).<p>Most of my work is creative programming and problem solving. I'm constantly solving problems that <i>I've</i> never done before and due to the nature of the environment, probably few other people have done before either. How do you schedule innovation?<p>Am I just a sucky planner? Is there anyone else out there who can come up with a better answer than "I'm figuring that out" or "I'm working on it" when asked what's coming up next? I'm not even sure if this is the right question.
======
alttab
Sounds like you have a client that doesn't know how software is developed, or
at least how you develop software.

If you are a great coder but don't work well under the control of a ghantt
chart, your best bet is to increase the communication with those asking for it
and provide what they are looking for (comfort) in a different way that meshes
better with the way you work.

------
ljf
using kanban on my current project and no software has come close to a real
world whiteboard.

simple, everyone can use it, cheap, can 'save' it by taking pictures, nicely
physical, forces people into one room, gets people standing and talking.

not found any agile sw that is any good for me

~~~
scottw
That's the feeling I'm getting from everyone I talk to: trying to shoehorn
Agile into a process is not agile.

