Broken builds are a chance to learn

“I broke the build.”

“Good.”

“Good?”

“It means you’re contributing. It might not be in the fashion you want, but you’re contributing.”

We have a troll at work. It goes to the last person who breaks the build. The goal is to create a culture of working carefully, double checking your code before you commit it, and understand the system as a whole.

The actual effect is public shame.

You can treat broken builds as things to be be stamped out, erradicated, avoided. Or you can look at them as opportunities for growth and learning and change.

What if it wasn’t a troll, but a trophy?