If you’ve been around Agile Methodology for very long, you’ve probably heard the term “vertical slices” with reference to delivering cross-sectional slices of software functionality. And if you’ve read articles on it, you’ve undoubtedly seen diagrams of the horizontal layers through which the vertical slices cut. The best articles also include an image of vertical slices of cake.

This article’s featured image is a bit more sumptuous than a layer cake vector drawing. But I need to ground our appetite in software architecture, so here’s the vector:

Being a bit of a theorist and process thinker, I have found it fascinating to watch proper Agile (with Scrum) in action. I am impressed with Agile, which favors high levels of collaboration and functional software in lieu of extensive planning and tooling.

Yet this article was birthed out of my responses to those who use “Agile” as a synonym for “God.” When Agile trumps all and labeling an approach as “not Agile” is the easiest way to dismiss it, we are blind followers of an ideology. …

The corn maze is one of my favorite challenges to tackle. It’s an unnerving experience, especially when you don’t have map and you’re doing it with small children. There’s only so much time before someone freaks out because “we’re lost” or loses it because they’re tired and have to pee. And it wouldn’t be any fun if we had a map or GPS to guide the way. The thrill is in trying to figure it out on your own, in discovering every dead end on your way to the maze’s exit.

Software development in an Agile context is very much…