Against Systems - II

I've been complaining that people like defined systems - even when they stink - because they are easy. In fact, many people don't even see the idea of craft in software testing, are completely oblivous to it, and view software testing as some clerical role, like counting inventory in a grocery store.

So, what I'm really saying is that many people are oblivious to The Good and I don't understand why. Example: You can require a template to be filled out as part of the process, but can you require it to be filled out well? How would you do that? A great deal of the process improvement literature is oblivious to the difference between performing a task and performing it well - oblivious to the good - to craftmanship.

I can't take credit for the idea; Plato wrote about it in book VII of The Republic. The story called "Plato's Allegory of the Cave", and you can read it here.

I made two attempts to combine this with "Against Systems", but can't come up with anything quickly. I'll let you think on it (hopefully) comment on it, and perhaps have something next week ...

Or maybe Blue Man Group. I dunno ...