A common developer mistake is to assume clients, stakeholders, mums actually understand the multi-layered, n-tier, decomposed modular architectures they build.<\/p>\n
I read a piece of wisdom once that has just resonated with me as I came to present a demo of a system I’ve proudly built – but the demo UI isn’t quite finished. I was planning in my head how to explain that it does more than you can see (there’s some obvious gaps), then remembered how stupid that sounds to normal people.<\/p>\n
Developer: \u00a0Ok so here’s this amazing engine X we’ve built for you.
\nClient: \u00a0Great, so does it do Y?
\nDeveloper: \u00a0Oh sure, but there’s no UI for that just yet.
\nClient: \u00a0So… it doesn’t then.
\nDeveloper: \u00a0Oh yes it does, the core is extremely feature rich and the Z-layer, n-tier component bindings allow…
\nClient: \u00a0\ud83d\ude10<\/p><\/blockquote>\nAn inaccessible feature, for all intents and purposes, not exist!<\/p>\n
The correct answer is to impress how easy it will be to “finish that off”.<\/p>\n
If in doubt, I use the building construction analogy: “All the foundations and walls are built, and we’ve finished the plumbing. We just need to fit-out and decorate before opening to the public.” From this a non-technical client can understand there’s still a bit of important work to do (possibly even functionality-related), but we’re over the hump and it’s more straightforward work from here, and will even start to look nice soon.<\/p>\n
The more I use the building analogy for development work, the deeper I find it matches, from the importance of architecture\u00a0and\u00a0foundations, the sequence of events, roles, responsibilities – all have analogues. In fact rebuilding my house gave me some real insights into running a software team, and even how a mature industry such as construction could provide guidance to one so young as software engineering – like universal standards for example!<\/p>\n
While this kind of cross pollination might be far fetched, you’d have to admit a building without any doors or windows is just as useless to a person as a software feature with no interface.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A common developer mistake is to assume clients, stakeholders, mums actually understand the multi-layered, n-tier, decomposed modular architectures they build. I read a piece of wisdom once that has just resonated with me as I came to present a demo … Continue reading