# Development is Inherently Wicked

**URL:** <https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/development-is-inherently-wicked/1320>\
**Category:** blog\
**Created:** [September 2, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/development-is-inherently-wicked/1320 "2004-09-02T00:00:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://discourse-cdn.codinghorror.com/user_avatar/discourse.codinghorror.com/codinghorror/32/36371_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/codinghorror)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/development-is-inherently-wicked/1320/1 "2004-09-02T00:00:00Z")

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As far as I'm concerned, all software development can be classified as a [Wicked Problem](http://www.poppendieck.com/wicked.htm). It's far too complex and far too annoyingly micro-complicated to allow for a whole lot of rational planning. I know from personal experience that **I can never get very far without writing code to better understand the problem I am trying to solve.**

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This is a companion discussion topic for the original blog entry at: [http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2004/09/development-is-inherently-wicked.html](http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2004/09/development-is-inherently-wicked.html)

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**Author:** ![JeffC](https://discourse-cdn.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@JeffC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/JeffC)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/development-is-inherently-wicked/1320/2 "2006-02-09T00:00:00Z")

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For more on wicked problems, also see [http://www.cognexus.org/wpf/wickedproblems.pdf](http://www.cognexus.org/wpf/wickedproblems.pdf)

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**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://discourse-cdn.codinghorror.com/user_avatar/discourse.codinghorror.com/codinghorror/32/36371_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/codinghorror)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/development-is-inherently-wicked/1320/3 "2006-02-09T00:00:00Z")

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So that’s your paper, Jeff? Interesting stuff. Can it be made available online in HTML format for easier access?

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**Author:** ![stochastio](https://discourse-cdn.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/s/e19adc/32.png) [@stochastio](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/stochastio)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/development-is-inherently-wicked/1320/4 "2007-03-03T00:00:00Z")

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'Reminds me of maths, or writing, even. You can’t never jump directly to the solution a complete work until you’ve previously gone through a process of some kind. You have to get the data/content down to paper, work around with it, and then, and only then the solution will start to reveal itself. I’d say acknowledging this pre-condition to play around more or less improductively with the problem at hand is the first real step to really get things done (well).

This is so contrary to our popular conception of what makes a great programmer: easiness to do things quickly, without practically thinking, even. Speed really only happens once you took your time to solve that kind of problem before.

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**Author:** ![AdamD](https://discourse-cdn.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AdamD](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/AdamD)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/development-is-inherently-wicked/1320/5 "2007-03-03T00:00:00Z")

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iI know from personal experience that I can never get very far without writing code to better understand the problem I am trying to solve./i

That makes me feel a lot better, knowing I’m not the only one!

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**Author:** ![SameerA](https://discourse-cdn.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@SameerA](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/SameerA)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/development-is-inherently-wicked/1320/6 "2007-12-12T00:00:00Z")

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Very good points my friend… Very different from waterfall style development

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**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://discourse-cdn.codinghorror.com/user_avatar/discourse.codinghorror.com/codinghorror/32/36371_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/codinghorror)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2025, 6:40am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/development-is-inherently-wicked/1320/7 "2025-01-07T06:40:22Z")

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