Troubleshooting Agile

A New Boat Every Day

10 snips
Nov 5, 2025
Discover how a solo around-the-world sailing race offers insights into software development. Learn about the importance of proactive maintenance through the stories of three sailors: one who failed due to optimism, another who succeeded through determination and preparation, and a seasoned sailor who built robustness into his design. Hear how daily upkeep keeps teams on track and the significance of tackling root causes rather than just surface issues. The engaging discussion reveals practical lessons for agile teams.
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ANECDOTE

Three Sailors, Three Maintenance Approaches

  • Stuart Brand describes a 1968 solo, non-stop around-the-world sailing race with three contrasting maintenance approaches.
  • One sailor optimistically underprepared and died, another fought failures constantly and won by sheer repair skill.
INSIGHT

Design For Low-Maintenance Robustness

  • The third sailor built robustness into his boat: welded steel, no fragile electronics, and simple solutions.
  • This reduced failures and enabled routine daily upkeep rather than constant emergency repairs.
ADVICE

Embody Fixes And Simplify Systems

  • Do embody learned maintenance fixes into your system so problems stop recurring rather than being repeatedly patched.
  • Simplify and reduce components so there's less to fail and perform daily small upkeep to keep the system 'new'.
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