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Like a DFD? Data flow diagrams were proposed by Larry Constantine, the original developer of structured design, based on Martin and Estrin's "Data Flow Graph"

by stray 11y ago

Like a DFD? Data flow diagrams were proposed by Larry Constantine, the original developer of structured design, based on Martin and Estrin's "Data Flow Graph" model of computation. Starting in the 1970s, data flow diagrams (DFD) became a popular way to visualize the major steps and data involved in software system processes. DFDs were usually used to show data flows in a computer system, although they could in theory be applied to business process modeling. DFD were useful to document the major data flows or to explore a new high-level design in terms of data flow. (copy/pasted from wikipedia)

hoodoof 11y ago
I guess a DFD is one form of visualisation. For me, the outcome of learning a software technology is almost like a 3d image in space of the software and how it works. It's not as clear as a real 3d image of course but in a vague way that is what it is. Imagine if you asked 1,000 programmers to "draw a picture of the mental model of X software system", you would find a small handful of really good visual/spatial conceptualisations of what that software is and how it works. The question is, can that process of drawing a good mental model visualisation be brought into the real world as some sort of definable process? I would find it dramatically easier to learn new technologies if the start point was a really good 3d visualisation. It's hard to explain exactly what I have in mind because it's not a solved problem.
- stray 11y ago
  I like the way you think. The problem here is probably that if you asked 1000 programmers to draw something -- they'd all be limited to the two dimensions they can commit to paper (or whiteboard). Even a photograph is a projection of a 3d scene down to 2d. My mental model of react is a cascading DFD. But if that doesn't work for you -- imo you should definitely come up with your own notation. After all, all models are wrong in some way but many are useful.
  - hoodoof 11y ago
    Turns out the web is really good at getting 1,000 people to do something. Maybe some enterprising entrepreneur will find a way to make this new revolution happen by harnessing the power of everyone to create great mental models for software.

by stray 11y ago

hoodoof 11y ago

I guess a DFD is one form of visualisation. For me, the outcome of learning a software technology is almost like a 3d image in space of the software and how it works. It's not as clear as a real 3d image of course but in a vague way that is what it is. Imagine if you asked 1,000 programmers to "draw a picture of the mental model of X software system", you would find a small handful of really good visual/spatial conceptualisations of what that software is and how it works. The question is, can that process of drawing a good mental model visualisation be brought into the real world as some sort of definable process? I would find it dramatically easier to learn new technologies if the start point was a really good 3d visualisation. It's hard to explain exactly what I have in mind because it's not a solved problem.

stray 11y ago
I like the way you think. The problem here is probably that if you asked 1000 programmers to draw something -- they'd all be limited to the two dimensions they can commit to paper (or whiteboard). Even a photograph is a projection of a 3d scene down to 2d. My mental model of react is a cascading DFD. But if that doesn't work for you -- imo you should definitely come up with your own notation. After all, all models are wrong in some way but many are useful.
- hoodoof 11y ago
  Turns out the web is really good at getting 1,000 people to do something. Maybe some enterprising entrepreneur will find a way to make this new revolution happen by harnessing the power of everyone to create great mental models for software.