3 ms·
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
by 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 agoI 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 agoTurns 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.