There is no phase of software development that I enjoy more than closing.
Yes, visioning is pretty good too, when the possibilities are endless and one has an empty canvas to paint on. But really, closing is more fun. Perhaps we shouldn’t call it closing at all, perhaps “birthing” is the right word. Because it is really about the software going from incubation to being out there on its own, without the umbilical cord.
Most people enjoy the celebrations, the cigars and the parties that go with it. The curse of being an introvert, I suppose, that I don’t. I enjoy that sneaking out of the parties to look after how the software is doing is considered acceptable. The very first time I went through the experience as the architect, I was allowed to skip the party because there was a show-stopper bug. People brought wine and cheese from the party to my desk as I worked; I never enjoyed a party so much!
But that’s getting ahead of the story.
A few weeks prior is the special time. Previously unseen aspects of people’s personalities come out at this time. For me, it’s time to get practical, when every flaw needs to be looked at from a survival viewpoint. The crooked nose can be sculpted afterwards as long as the heart and the lungs will ensure survival. Others complain that the nose isn’t what they had in mind. A few are still lobbying for a pair of wings. Yet all must come to terms with the event that is about to happen and be there to support the mission after the launch.
It’s the coming together to get it done that I enjoy so much. What could be more primal than that?
