I like to work very slowly. This can be frustrating for a client but there are good reasons to work at a slower pace. Programming is not something that should be done in a rush. One of the biggest problems in software development is the lack of documentation. Developers don’t have time to create any documentation when they feel rushed. This actually costs you more time later on when you have to go through the entire process of discovery all over again. If a project has to be maintained for years then it makes sense to invest some time in documenting it.
Ideally a developer should only work on one problem a day. When you try to do too much in a day you don’t have time to reflect upon what you have done. This leads to ill considered software design decisions. But if you only create one method a day you will have plenty of time to think about what you have done. If you have made a mistake in creating that function you will be more likely to find that mistake if you can reflect upon the day’s work, the work that consisted solely of doing that one thing. In other words, setting yourself a single goal for the day’s work allows you to have more focus. Software development is a step by step process so it really benefits from a concentration on every step.
Working in a rush also prevents the developer from learning anything new. Often you will learn something new in the process of working on a project but you won’t have time to digest this new information if you are in a big hurry to get the job done. When you don’t have time to explore the new method you employed, you often miss various improvements that could be made. And you might not fully understand what you are now using in your project. This can lead to costly mistakes.
In conclusion, I would argue that the pace of software development should be slow but sure. This is complicated work that should not be rushed. It requires great concentration and concentration requires focus.
