Brooks’ Law is a principle in project management, particularly in software development, that states: Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later.
This counterintuitive idea, popularized by Fred Brooks in his book “The Mythical Man-Month,” highlights the complexities of project management.
Why Does It Happen?
- Increased Communication Overhead: As the team grows, the number of communication channels increases exponentially. This leads to more time spent coordinating rather than working on the project.
- Task Interdependencies: Many software development tasks are sequential or interdependent. Adding more people doesn’t necessarily speed up these tasks.
- Training New People: New team members need time to understand the project, its goals, and the codebase, which can delay the project.
Brooks’ Law emphasizes the importance of careful planning, effective communication, and a clear project vision. It suggests that adding more people to a struggling project is often not the solution. Instead, focusing on improving efficiency, addressing root causes of delays, and potentially re-evaluating project scope might be more effective strategies.