Fwiw I agree with most of what you said, but as a business owner I can't let this one slide:
> In the end all the discussion should be about the code - if it is not about the code you are discussing the wrong thing.
The code is important, but in the end it's all about the customer. For us, if it's not about the customer (in the end), you're discussing the wrong thing. This is a key part of our "ship fast and incrementally" ethos - how can you tell whether something is better than what's in production now? By explaining how it impacts the customer.
Yes - of course. I think as a peon in a vast multi national there is too much “other” - PowerPoints, project plans not connected at either end to real customers or real code. I want to at least connect one end :-)
> In the end all the discussion should be about the code - if it is not about the code you are discussing the wrong thing.
The code is important, but in the end it's all about the customer. For us, if it's not about the customer (in the end), you're discussing the wrong thing. This is a key part of our "ship fast and incrementally" ethos - how can you tell whether something is better than what's in production now? By explaining how it impacts the customer.