Meta-procedures

Procedures may be useful, but what procedures do we need? This is where what I call meta-procedures are for. How do you define a new procedure, how do you change one, how can you drop one? This must be some sort of community process.

In many organizations the meta-procedure would be: procedures are changed by your boss(es). Needless to say that this is not very motivating. That's why we have something like this:

• if you're not OK with a procedure: speak up.
• if there is consensus that you are right, then we can start a discussion on how to change the procedure
• normally, and while the procedure is not changed: comply (even if you disagree)

You can elaborate on each point (like: what is consensus? who will have the last word, etc), but the idea is clear: we use an established procedure until we decide, as a group, to change it. Also, if you are uncomfortable with a procedure, then discuss it. Chances are that either everyone has the same problem, or that others can enlighten you on the true reason for the procedure. In no case just spoil your and others' mood without any chance for them to plea their cause.

Can meta-procedures be changed? Sure. I can imagine that as your team grows you may want to break with the tradition because upscaling simply requires other decision making processes. Going from closed-source to Open Source may induce something like that, too.

Procedures and creativity

I have been working like mad in the past weeks. Couldn't get myself to writing stuff for this blog. But there's a curious thing I found out in the past years that I want to share. It's the paradox that creativity needs good procedures. Creativity thrives in structured, safe environments.

I read about this topic about a year ago, when the outcome of a study on this issue was covered by all newspapers at the time (here in the Netherlands that is). The surprise was that successful creative companies work well-ordered. The surprise was with the journalists and maybe most of the readers, but for me - no surprise at all.

In our software development team, we are constantly looking for better procedures to handle the standard tasks. We constantly search for better ordering of our working environment. This is engrained in our work structure, and we fight chaos everywhere. Still I might say that we make very creative products, we have literally hundreds of ideas still waiting to be implemented.

With the standard things handled in a standard way you can put your attention to where it pays off: in the areas that matter. No wasting of time and brain cycles on stuff that shouldn't take more than the absolute minimum of your time. If we all adhere, then we're a well-oiled machine producing with optimal performance. Another way to look at it is that good procedures give a feeling of security in the place you live in. We live in our software for a large part of the day. You want to feel safe in your home, you want to know where to find what, and what to do in what circumstances.

The weird thing is that the outside world often thinks of us as being the chaotic hackers. OK, we may not be as orderly as accountants, but in terms of structuring our work we are not bad at all. Oh maybe you are. In that case - change! It pays off.