Agile is to Psychoanalysis what Continuous Delivery is to Behaviorism: A New Vision of Software Development

Exploring the confluence of psychology and modern software methodologies: a fresh, game-changing approach.

Prompted by the author.

How many companies are trying to implement Agile only to end up with a half-baked Agile implementation? How is it that almost twenty years later, we still don’t have solid frameworks and coaches that still don’t achieve fully agile transformations?

What if the problem is the focus, and how do we try to solve the problem?

That is why I want to explore the these two branches of psychology: psychoanalysis and behaviorism. I aim to find a novel solution to this dilemma. Yet, great disclaimer, I am not a psychologist, neither a medical doctor, so anything that I will present here is just the intuition that I had build based on my understandings and how I can relate them to our science.

Psychoanalysis, founded by Sigmund Freud in the early 20th century, is a therapeutic and theoretical approach aimed at delving deep into the human mind. Its central premise revolves around the idea that our behaviors, thoughts, and feelings are profoundly influenced by unconscious desires and conflicts. So, somehow, psychoanalysis, is the belief that change should come from within.

Behaviorism, rooted deeply in psychology, revolves around the principle that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. So, somehow, behaviorism, is the belief that change should come from changes in the environment.

Both perspectives offer unique and contrasting approaches to understanding and facilitating change.

And change is what matters to us.

But before continuing, let’s simplify. Imagine that you want to watch less TV and start learning guitar, what you can do?

• Option A: Ask yourself why you watch TV so often. Remind yourself why you wish to learn guitar. Try to create a schedule. Visualize yourself playing the guitar and how you will enjoy it. Track and monitor how well you progress.
• Option B: Put, and keep, the TV…