Even something as "simple" as "who does the work" is actually a complex. Buddy A hoes in for 50 minutes an hour, 38hrs a week, rarely missing a beat and almost never missing a day. Buddy B sometimes blanks out, hanging back ... then hits a homerun, or a big single with 2 RBI, so to speak. What system will nurture their collaborative relationship? Which will pit one against the other? (There's a great anecdote from Redmond campus about a big snag in Win3.1; a key team leader was seen wandering around outside for a couple of hours while everyone was stressing. He came back in with a small solution that moved something forward in a way that broke a log-jam. "How do I account for those 2 hours?" was the project manager's question. I'm sure you know what I mean.)

Ultimately these factors are subject to manipulation. Those who are gifted politically know that; it's their stock in trade. But what concerns me foundationally is how this complex can give rise to group dynamics that are unreasonably productive. At the core of how I conceptualize a wholesome civility is the appreciation that folk are essentially social, and intuitively just. I.e. folk really will put up with individuals who are megalomaniacal ... for money. But when they invest their living energy in the pursuit of quality (Yes, I`m talking about something like valor!) things take on a peculiar energy. Symbiosis? *shrug* Sure, why not. I'll just invoke Zen 101.

In any case, this is a fabulous little document. What I'm suggesting is that, while these fabulous suggestions should inform consideration of architecture, what we're trying to capture is a deeply social dynamic. <a href="http://www.bentrem.sycks.net/images/ThreeMajorMethodologies.gif">This graphic from "Pragmatic Development"</a> (Original at Dr. Dobbs) I think provides the beginning of a map. If a particular design fulfills one quadrant while neglecting another, then it will likely get snagged at some point. I like <a href="http://www.bentrem.sycks.net/images/complexity_graph.jpg">this one on "Complexity in Practice"</a> because it suggests to me that some aspects might actually be orthogonal!

p.s. "RSA Animate - Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us" > http://bit.ly/jmjPPc <

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