http://www.hanoulle.be/2011/04/why-over-how-my-look-at-dudes-law/
The above is a worthwhile blog entry to read even if you aren't directly involved in an Agile software development project. It discusses a mindset that I have always found useful even if it does get me into trouble on occasion — turn over enough rocks and eventually you'll find a snake. At the root of this is the philosophy of asking "why" are you doing something before you dig too far into "how" you do it. I'm often heard telling people who want to collect lots of metrics or other data, "Why do we want that data? What decision are we really going to make with it?". The same concept applies to implementing new processes, SLDCs, management tools and virtually everything in my life, which doesn't always endear me to my wife when she's asking me to do something I really don't want to do :) Anyway, my point is that challenging things that don't make sense to you by asking "why" is a good philosophy and is something I encourage all of you to do — just be positive and constructive in the way you approach asking the questions.