Re: XP Requirement Analysis?

From: Mark Nicholls (nicholls.mark_at_mtvne.com)
Date: 10/14/04 

Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2004 16:11:18 +0100

> > > First, put this thread aside to resume reading on Monday. Proceed now
at
> > > your own risk. :)
> >
> > It's Monday.
> >
> > >
> > > > pullNextToken()
> > > > what does that do...how did you name it...how do you know what it
> > > > returns...how do you know what to pass it, how do you know what to
test
> > > > for...i.e. you have some preconcieved idea of what it does.
> > >
> > > Doing your analysis "on paper" amounts to jotting down thoughts. These
> > > are probably in somewhat symbolic form - squares, arrows, and so on.
But
> > > you could just as well do it in English, I suppose.
> >
> > OK, pictures are a very powerful communication medium, it is far easier
to
> > engage a 'customer' or any other stakeholder with a few boxes and
arrows.
> > Clients are usually very good at process analysis (using a few naive
> > pictures), because often it's part of their job (informally), use case
is
> > often quite natural, and the jump to logical constructs like classes or
ER
> > models is a hugely powerful thing. Don't get the poor soul to sign these
> > things off, as people sometimes do, it's unfair, but it is a very
valuable
> > way to communicate and establish the way ahead.
> >
> > >
> > > Imagine you were writing French, and for the fun of it decided to
write
> > > down your analysis thoughts in French. At first the process would be
> > > quite laborious - you'd have to formulate your thoughts in English to
> > > get them into a coherent state, then translate to French. After a
while,
> > > though, as you grew proficient in French, you would /directly/ put
down
> > > your thoughts in French. (I know I'm painting a rosy picture - past a
> > > certain age one's brain is no longer plastic enough to learn to think
in
> > > a new language, so it might take forever to get to that level of
> > > proficiency - but the process is a good enough description.)
> > >
> > > Now, in the above, imagine replacing "French" with "tests". Phlip is
> > > doing analysis in the language of tests. His "dirt simple example" is
> > > the same as your quick jottings on paper, but it will morph into an
> > > executable test seamlessly.
> >
> > OK, but try building a bridge like that.
> >
> > Engineers do not exhaustively model the physics of a construction, they
> > sketch, communicate and model generally in pictures based on established
> > architectures....
>
> The key thing is engineers of all types they do not generally
> undertake "production" creation until after they have an overall
> understanding and conceptualization of at least all key facets
> involved:
> ` what exactly is problem to be solved, and or
> what is desired to make the context better
> ` what is the optimal, or set of more optimal, solutions to
> solve the problem, and or to enhance the client context
>
> To do these things, virtually all, scientists/engineers use MODELLING
> as their chief aid in and for conceptualization.
>
> Engineers scientists chose 1 or more appropriate forms of MODELLING to
> facilitate domain investigation and to determine the better, or best
> solutions. Appropriate modelling is typically:
> ` cheaper
> ` faster
> ` more flexible
> ` safer
> than attempting to conceptualize by undertaking even piecemeal
> production creation.
>
> This initial project conceptualization modelling rationality practiced
> by scientist and engineers in virtually every other realm is a major
> one reason, XP's errant "design by creating production code/systems"
> method should cause alarm bells to ring even in the minds of newbies
> to the software engineering development process.
>
I must admit there is a dull ringing in my ears, but it my be tinitus.

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