4 ms·
If the program is automating a manual process then you should try--or petition for the right to try performing that process yourself so that you can become what
by edw519 17y ago
If the program is automating a manual process then you should try--or petition for the right to try performing that process yourself so that you can become what the program is supposed to become. At the very least you should spend time watching people do things the old way, talk to them, ask questions, let them show you pictures of their kids, buy them drinks, get them drunk and provoke them into talking shop.
This is great advice! Programming is the "how" to accomplish a "what". Many of us don't spend enough time on the "what" to do the best job we can on the "how".
OP provides more recipes than theories. Great post!
- RyanMcGreal 17y agoI strongly agree. I also strongly recommend the flip side, which is to operate the automatic process so you can better understand what will make it even more friendly and effective for its users.
- thwarted 17y agoI've always believed this and had the most success when having done it, but I've also worked on a lot of projects where -- when I said I wanted at least three weeks to meet with people, do interviews, observe the task to be automated and perform it myself -- I was told the project was too important to waste time on such things. As you can predict, those projects were so important, they ended up being killed because they were taking so long and didn't sufficiently automate the task they were meant to (even if they followed the requirements--to the letter).
- a-priori 17y agoIt's like Method acting for programmers.