Project management methodology for lazy people

Bill Gates' view on laziness driving efficiency reflects in evolving technology and project management. Over decades, simplification, like Agile over Waterfall, emerged from this mindset. TDD exemplifies how 'lazy' approaches in software development can lead to streamlined, error-reducing practices, applicable across various fields.

“I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job because he will find an easy way to do it” – Bill Gates once said.

If we go back to 2 or 3 decades ago, technology at that time placed extreme demands upon people. It also required ultimate precision and concentration from developers, so there was undoubtedly less room for laziness.

Time passed by, and technology advanced to what it is now. It was laziness that led to simplified interfaces, protocol unification and getting rid of unnecessarily complex processes. Yet it’s undeniable that laziness also led to project failures. It became a necessity to deal with laziness, which gave birth to the following project management methodologies as a result.

New concepts and ideas are being created every day, which are simpler and more efficient than the methodologies already in existence. Let’s take the Waterfall methodology, for example. It is a good methodology, but it’s becoming less popular as it cannot stand the high dynamics and ever-changing requirements.

Unlike Waterfall, modern Agile methodologies tend to meet present-day realities. However, Agile methodologies must be adopted gradually, giving your team time to understand the benefits fully.

  • You shouldn’t expect Agile methodologies to work purely because they have become a trend and are said to be effective.

  • Even if you have team members who feel they will not benefit from Agile, it is necessary to involve the whole team. Agile is a team game and needs to be adopted by everyone to be impactful.

  • If you adopt Agile methodologies, you need to ensure that these are maintained consistently. You shouldn’t assume that Agile is suitable for use on an ad hoc basis when you have more time or less pressure from clients. You should learn to apply Agile methodologies even when working on urgent projects.

TDD and laziness as a perfect match

Let’s take TDD (test-driven development) – this is probably the most interesting process regarding laziness. Imagine you are programming without TDD. You are writing code, and you forget to check the input data or fail to find any exclusion. These mistakes likely occur when developers are trying to reduce the volume of their work – this is where buggy code comes from.

TDD enables you to write test code, which is very similar to the real code. This means you can use it later for reference or perhaps even copy it. This enables you to test exactly what is needed and save time.

Even though TDD is a software development technique often related to Agile, it can also work with website or content development. Here, the preliminary creation of test prototypes and structures will significantly facilitate the process of creating real websites or writing authentic articles. Additionally, the process of implementation here will be free from excess complexity as well.

It is evident that by using these methodologies, you will be able to save time, simplify processes and reduce errors. Are you confused with all the project management methodologies? Or with their pros and cons? Contact us. Our specialists will help you choose the best option for you.

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