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Some good tidbits from the government perspective on software development: “Beware of bureaucratic goals masquerading as problem statements. “Drivers feel frus

Some good tidbits from the government perspective on software development: “Beware of bureaucratic goals masquerading as problem statements. “Drivers feel frustrated when dealing with parking coupons” is a problem. “We need to build an app for drivers as part of our Ministry Family Digitisation Plans” is not. “Users are annoyed at how hard it is to find information on government websites” is a problem. “As part of the Digital Government Blueprint, we need to rebuild our websites to conform to the new design service standards” is not. If our end goal is to make citizens’ lives better, we need to explicitly acknowledge the things that are making their lives worse.”

dehrmann 7y ago
This also very much reads like something from Singapore.
- solveit 7y ago
  A quasi-Orwellian dystopia Singapore may be, but their government is effective.
  - bsder 7y ago
    Only for certain strained definitions of "effective". And, if you are on the wrong side, it is very "effective" at ruining your life. Most of us would take a bit less "effective" in order to avoid that, thanks.
    - coldtea 7y ago
      >Only for certain strained definitions of "effective". Have you compared it to others? Strained is the last word I'd use to qualify how effective it is...
    - solveit 7y ago
      I don't understand the point of replying like this. Clearly we agree that the Singaporean government is very good at getting things done, and we agree that the things it wants to get done are horrible. Why are you speaking as if our opinions differ? Why manufacture conflict where none exists? Is calling something a quasi-Orwellian dystopia now too subtle an expression of disapproval?
      - barrkel 7y ago
        The "but" negates any disapproving effect it may have had, because structurally the latter part acts as a justification for tolerance. "The tool is squeaky but it gets the job done" - you wouldn't expect the speaker to do anything about the squeaks. Squeaking is tolerable. "The tool does the job but it's squeaky" - you would expect the speaker to do something about the squeaks. Doing the job isn't good enough. Your comment is most easily read as not disapproving of authoritarian government when it is effective.
        exhaze 7y ago
        Comments like this are part of the reason why people like Sam Altman stopped posting here. Can you just give the poster the benefit of the doubt that they just admire the efficiency of the Singaporean government, not that they're endorsing authoritarianism as long as it's effective?
        loup-vaillant 7y ago
        Never acknowledge any quality of the Enemy. The Enemy is Bad, therefore it is also weak, stupid, lazy, cowardly… Because the risk of being perceived as praising the Enemy always trumps the consequences of underestimating it. Not the best example of crowd wisdom.
        rfrey 7y ago
        >Can you just give the poster the benefit of the doubt Perhaps you should do the same for barrkel? I read your parent as a simple explanation to solveit why their comment may have been misconstrued by bsder -- a question solveit directly asked.
        solveit 7y ago
        You're probably right. I just get frustrated when people insist on reading value judgments in literally everything. Sometimes the curtains are just blue, you know?
      - ValentineC 7y ago
  - microcolonel 7y ago
    Indeed, I couldn't live there, and I don't think it's right for humans to not have a choice not to live there, but for those who have chosen to be there and agree with the state, I'm sure it satisfies them. I like being partially or fully nude in the home, occasionally chewing gum, and having the right to freely criticize or endorse ideology on its own merits; even if it sometimes sucks to see dirty black spots on the sidewalk, or to hear people making weak arguments just to upset eachother. Certainly a weird cosmopolitan fascist (u|dys)topia.

dehrmann 7y ago

This also very much reads like something from Singapore.

solveit 7y ago
A quasi-Orwellian dystopia Singapore may be, but their government is effective.
- bsder 7y ago
  Only for certain strained definitions of "effective". And, if you are on the wrong side, it is very "effective" at ruining your life. Most of us would take a bit less "effective" in order to avoid that, thanks.
  - coldtea 7y ago
    >Only for certain strained definitions of "effective". Have you compared it to others? Strained is the last word I'd use to qualify how effective it is...
  - solveit 7y ago
    I don't understand the point of replying like this. Clearly we agree that the Singaporean government is very good at getting things done, and we agree that the things it wants to get done are horrible. Why are you speaking as if our opinions differ? Why manufacture conflict where none exists? Is calling something a quasi-Orwellian dystopia now too subtle an expression of disapproval?
    - barrkel 7y ago
      The "but" negates any disapproving effect it may have had, because structurally the latter part acts as a justification for tolerance. "The tool is squeaky but it gets the job done" - you wouldn't expect the speaker to do anything about the squeaks. Squeaking is tolerable. "The tool does the job but it's squeaky" - you would expect the speaker to do something about the squeaks. Doing the job isn't good enough. Your comment is most easily read as not disapproving of authoritarian government when it is effective.
      - exhaze 7y ago
        Comments like this are part of the reason why people like Sam Altman stopped posting here. Can you just give the poster the benefit of the doubt that they just admire the efficiency of the Singaporean government, not that they're endorsing authoritarianism as long as it's effective?
        loup-vaillant 7y ago
        Never acknowledge any quality of the Enemy. The Enemy is Bad, therefore it is also weak, stupid, lazy, cowardly… Because the risk of being perceived as praising the Enemy always trumps the consequences of underestimating it. Not the best example of crowd wisdom.
        rfrey 7y ago
        >Can you just give the poster the benefit of the doubt Perhaps you should do the same for barrkel? I read your parent as a simple explanation to solveit why their comment may have been misconstrued by bsder -- a question solveit directly asked.
      - solveit 7y ago
        You're probably right. I just get frustrated when people insist on reading value judgments in literally everything. Sometimes the curtains are just blue, you know?
    - ValentineC 7y ago
- microcolonel 7y ago
  Indeed, I couldn't live there, and I don't think it's right for humans to not have a choice not to live there, but for those who have chosen to be there and agree with the state, I'm sure it satisfies them. I like being partially or fully nude in the home, occasionally chewing gum, and having the right to freely criticize or endorse ideology on its own merits; even if it sometimes sucks to see dirty black spots on the sidewalk, or to hear people making weak arguments just to upset eachother. Certainly a weird cosmopolitan fascist (u|dys)topia.