The Day Best Practices Died

When reading the above titled article in the web recently, i came across this quote.

''Even though BP's are good for any project, the applicability and usability of the same should be carefully analyzed in order to maintain the sanctitiy of the principles and methodologies''

If the applicability and usability needs to be analyzed, then its not a "best" practice. There are good practices in context, but there really is no such thing as a "best" practice that can be applied regardless of context."Best Practices" that work in one context are regularly applied in contexts that they don't fit. This seems to be the opposite of what Deming advocated. Deming sought to find the best ways of doing specific things in specific contexts. The most efficient methods and tools for one context may be different than those for another.

The specifics of any task -- including the people -- have an impact on what might be best.

Instead of finding good practices for specific contexts, software development and testing (and IT in general) practices are often taken out of context and applied as a one size fits all "best" practice.

Much of what masquerades as "best practices" are really vendor practices that lead to selling tools and services. I am especially skeptical of any vendor-sponsored best practice.