I am very keen to make sure that this current move to Cloud models and more Agile methodologies at enterprise level does not make people ditch best practice that WORKS, or common sense in favor of 'Fad Thinking'. Everything is moving at such a pace that it is an easy trap, and the barrier to entry is so low that people of more variable skill/experience levels than in the traditional enterprise picture are getting on board.
At the moment I am probably working in one of the most forward thinking environments I have experienced, but there is a big challenge to get the right balance between old and new world. For instance, a complete Cloud model does not negate the need for support or IT skills (especially in terms of design), just as Agile does not negate the need for documentation (um, especially in terms of design). As boring as it sounds, the answer often lies in the middle ground.
This kind of got me thinking about when I first started dating my girlfriend (I may be going into risky territory here, but lets plough ahead regardless). We 'found' each other in London via an iphone app / website called 'Lovestruck.com'. (Hopefully this route is credible in the modern day :-)) This abstracted away the chatting up that can of course go so badly wrong though too much alcohol, or simply lack of attempt due to priority banter and/or antics on a given night out. Or is that just me? It is at least a great entry point to a first date. Anyway, just as Cloud development abstracts away nuts and bolts through a few clicks, Lovestruck allowed me to set up a first date as easily as setting up an Amazon AMI. (Of course, this mental analogy introduces a risk of subconsciously picking the 'most attractive AMI' next time I am setting up an instance for my project, must watch for that.)
ANYWAY....The point I am trying to get to is that although the process of provision was easier, um, not provision, I mean setting up the first date.....the downstream 'best practice' is the same. I made an awful error on the first few dates of not walking my girlfriend home, she reminds me of that quite often these days, though never said anything at the time. She thought at the end of each date "Why does this stupid guy not walk me home??". This is a schoolboy error. Basics. I see the same disregard for best practice in the Cloud/Agile world to a certain extent. Vendors will claim that developing in the cloud is 'easy', anyone can do it etc. It is certainly easier to get started, as per my online dating experience (I am not saying my girlfriend is easy though....I need to squash this analogy dont I?), but in the Enterprise Cloud world the ongoing best practice is the same - good design, good prep, good/experienced people, the RIGHT level of documentation/testing etc will lead to a successful project. The technology is just a bit easier to work with now, so it means we can focus less on the traditional problems we had there.
My concern is that people are sometimes too 'Cloud' or too 'Agile', and therefore blinkered to what actually worked well in the old world, or reluctant break the 'rules' sometimes through common sense (ie, I may just throw my laptop at the next person who says "THAT'S not Agile"). So, I say lets take a level headed and common-sense approach in the new world, and pick the bits of progress that are applicable to the situation in hand (which will as always vary by client, requirements, timelines etc), but don't forget traditional best practice. Certainly if I was going to do some more dating, I would now definitely walk the girl home, so all credit to my current girlfriend for pointing that out. But, um, of course that is 'by the by' because I am happy with my current girlfriend. Hole dug.
**Disclaimer - I have had this post vetted by my girlfriend, I am not THAT stupid**
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