Re: Web media

[Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- jci -dot- com]

>Andrew Plato wrote:
>
>Building good, interactive, and compelling web sites requires the
capability
>to cut code, architect systems, and understand how disparate systems
>interact.
>
>Tony Markatos responds:
>
>Yes, but these are not the main thing that needs to be done.  In any
>communications project - paper-based or web - the main thing that needs to
>be done is to obtain a rigorous understanding of the end-user's goals.
>Yourdon & Associates state that this is ninty-eight percent (98%) if the
>REQUIRED work.

But Tony, yer ol' bud Ed Yourdon (who, BTW, is a software development guru
among other things) would tell you that said "rigorous understanding" is as
much part of the software development process as coding, and so there is no
reason not to use developers for this part of the task.

The analysis you're talking about is generic, and could be done by any
analyst, whether from the software or doc side of the house.

This discussion is interesting, at least from the standpoint of exposing
biases. We all get knots in our delicates when others characterize writing
as simply putting words on paper, yet here's a good example of the mirror
image of that assumption, assuming that software development only involves
typing in code.

There's more similarity between the tasks of programming and technical
writing (and between writers and programmers, as well, perhaps) than either
camp wants to admit, methinks.


Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 224

Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
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