Bulldozer00's Blog

Take a look at these three state machine models for intimately developing a chunk of functionally cohesive software:

The key distinguishing feature of the two machines on the right from the pure TDD machine on the left is that some level of design is the initial driver, informer, of the subsequent coding/testing development process. Note that all three methods contain feedback transitions triggered by “learning as we go” events.

In my understanding of TDD, no time is “wasted” upfront thinking about, or capturing, design data at any level of granularity. The pithy mandate from the TDD gods is “red-green-refactor” or die. The design bubbles up solely from the testing/coding cycle in a zen-like flow of intelligence.

Personally, I work in accordance with the DDT model. How about you? For newbies who were solely taught, and only know how to do, TDD, have you ever thought about trying the “traditional” DDT way?

BTW, I learned, tried, and then rejected, TDD as my personal process from “Unit Test Frameworks“. Except for the parts on TDD, it’s a terrific book for learning about unit testing.

Since “design” is an intimately personal process, whatever works for you is fine by BD00. But just because it’s “newer” and has a lot of rabid fan-boys promoting it (including some big and famous consultants), don’t auto-assume TDD is da bomb.

Design is an intimate act of communication between the creator and the created. – Unknown