Whilst I imagine that most of us are not all one or the other, I find that like most I fit more into one category than the other. I am a scientist.

Over my time programming some people have derided me for taking the fun out of programming by expecting, nay, demanding that tests be written, that comments are made appropriately, that documentation is completed, that builds are not broken, that scripts are treated as code (commented, documented, tested, source controlled). I have a different perspective.

If we behave as scientists then that allows us room for flare, innovation and, yes, artistry. I imagine that this is exactly the same in other scientific fields as well. By following best practices and standards we allow our mental focus to shift to the challenges which fall outside of "the norm".