Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
communication, in the CPT model all essential information passed
through the person of the chief programmer. All team members reported
to the chief directly and did not communicate with each other directly.
By centralizing all decision making in the person of the chief program-
mer, this approach assured the maintenance of the program's structural
integrity. Brooks compared the conceptual architecture of the typical
large software project to the haphazard design of many European cathe-
drals; the patchwork structure of these cathedrals revealed an unpleasant
lack of continuity, refl ecting the different styles and techniques of differ-
ent builders in different generations. Brooks preferred the architectural
unity of the cathedral at Reims, which derived “as much from the integ-
rity of design as from any particular excellences.” This integrity was
achieved only through the “self-abnegation of eight generations of build-
ers,” each of whom “sacrifi ced some of his ideas so that the whole might
be of pure design.” Using wonderfully evocative biblical language, Brooks
extolled the virtues of a unifi ed conceptual design: “As the child delights
in his mud pie, so the adult enjoys building things, especially things of
his own design. I believe that this delight must be an image of God's
delight in making things, a delight shown in the distinctiveness and
newness of each leaf and each snowfl ake.”
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Only the CPT approach
could guarantee such a degree of uncompromised architectural
integrity.
The CPT approach differed from hierarchical systems methodologies
in a number of essential characteristics. Whereas the hierarchical model
allowed for (and in fact encouraged) the use of novice programmers, the
CPT was built entirely around skilled, experienced professionals. This
implied a radically different approach to professional development. Each
member of the team was encouraged to develop within their own par-
ticular disciplinary competency; that is, it wasn't necessary to become a
surgeon to advance one's career. For example, an aspiring language
lawyer could continue to focus on their technical specialty without
feeling pressure to transfer into management. The CPT approach embod-
ied the belief that computer programming was a legitimate, respectable
profession.
The CPT also refl ected changing contemporary notions about the
nature of programming ability. The primary justifi cation for using small
teams of experienced programmers rather than large hordes of novices
was the belief that one good programmer was worth at least ten of
their average colleagues. In the person of the chief programmer, the
innate technical abilities of the superprogrammer were merged with the
