[python-uk] Future Dojo idea ... randomised trials

[Michael Grazebrook]

It would be amusing to do a randomised trial, well-designed, and submit
the results to some prestigious journal.

Of course we'd probably be turned down. But then again, I bet there are
very few academic studies based on the use of hardened professionals
like us.

Or even ... we could look for papers published by London academics in
this area, and work with them to design an experiment which would be
fun, informative, and have a realistic chance of being published.

Is there an academic amongst us who can advise?


On Feb 7, 2012 15:59 "Jonathan Hartley" <tartley at tartley.com> wrote:

> People are always banging on about how programming lacks scientific
> rigour when it comes to evaluating common practice.
> 
> Is TDD *always* faster?
> <http://blog.8thlight.com/uncle-bob/2012/01/11/Flipping-the-Bit.html>
> 
> Is it *ever* faster?
> <http://www.davewsmith.com/blog/2009/proof-that-tdd-slows-projects-dow
> n>
> 
> Who knows? Fortunately, we have the tools to answer the question once
> and for all. We, at the London Dojo, could run a randomised trial:
> <http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/30/run-your-own-scie
> ntific-trials>
> 
> I'm curious what results we'd get if we randomly made some Dojo teams
> use TDD for the assignment, and others not. Our usual time contraints
> result in a mad scramble for the finish line. Would TDD make the task
> harder, or easier? Would the results be more functional, or less?
> 
> Perhaps it doesn't make sense: A team assigned to do TDD might only
> have
> members who were not practiced in it. But I can't help but wonder what
> results it would produce. Is anyone else curious?
> 
> Jonathan
> 
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