In 2000, at the ACM Conference on Object-Oriented Programming, Systems, Languages, and Applications (OOPSLA), I experienced the clash of cultures described in this paper. The shift from formal to agile was both implicit--I was the only person there wearing a suit--and explicit--the presentations often described behavior patterns that supported communication rather than documentation.

This three-page paper aims to stir up debate. It proposes that new procedures are needed to enable people to communicate better and to produce high-quality code that meets stakeholder requirements. The authors got their data by observing conferences and from experiences as consultants in the field.

Their theory is analogous to British pubs: local etiquette encourages interaction in a largely noninteractive culture. While their evidence is not scientific, their thinking is good. Managers should read it.