[CREATE] LGM11 panel proposal: attracting new devs

[Yuval Levy]

On February 21, 2011 03:32:18 pm Gregory Pittman wrote:
> >     very interesting idea to write the manual first :)
> 
> If we do this, it would be nice if some could show some prototype ideas
> of what this might look like or how this might work. What would the
> workflow be? How would documenters interact with coders?

this discussion about writing the manual first has been going on for a few 
days now... and nobody has mentioned things such as mock ups or functional 
specifications?

Well written specs are like a very detailed manual but you don't want to 
unleash them on the user because of too much detail that is relevant to 
analysis and coding but not to usage.

It's a chicken and egg problem.  or a feedback loop.

First there is a vision.  It is analyzed, dissected, recomposed and fleshed 
out; articulated into specifications including screens mock ups and functional 
specs.

Then it is implemented into code and manual.  The processes are parallel and 
influence each other, with close/fast feedback loops. 

In an ideal world the initial analysis is so perfect; both coders and 
copywriters get it the first time so that when the software and the manual are 
delivered to the users, all they can say is wow!

In reality nobody is perfect.  The analysts are likely to miss something in 
the func specs; the coders are likely to interpret / implement different than 
intended; the tester are likely to find new ideas that would significantly 
influence the vision that the analyst had not thought of in the first place; 
and so the stage is set for the next cycle leading to v+1.

Simply taking a user manual as a specification document is not enough.  If it 
is, that manual is not user-friendly.

There is no perfect workflow either, just put the people in the same room and 
get them to talk, talk, talk, until they understand each other, develop a 
common sense of purpose and leverage each other's skills.

But it is not a user manual to drive the development.  It is use cases, 
analyzed and articulated into mock ups and func specs.

Yuv
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