Re: The Right Way to Design a Programme

On Aug 14, 2:48 pm, A.L. <f...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:34:54 -0000, Le Chaud Lapin

<jaibudu...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Aug 13, 4:30 am, goanna <spamt...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
markw...@xxxxxxxxx writes:
It seems you've never worked on any *large* software systems.
The idea that you can develop all the code without first capturing
higher level design is a recipe for failure. It's like suggesting
you can build an office building without needing any drawings.
And no, I'm not suggesting that a system design is immutable, it
always evolves during development, though good designs just get
refined by addition of detail rather than changing dramatically.

I think you miss a small bit of the point that Mark made. First of
all, as far as *large* systems go, man of the most popular *large*
systems every created were conceived by 1 or 2 people.

Well... Maybe with some exceptions, such as telecom billing system
project with 400+ programmers involved, or some logistics optimization
systems with close to 100 people involved....

There is sharp boundary between toy./academic reality and industrial
reality...

Anybody who has worked on projects involving more than one
person has certainly made use of design tools and a high
level description language, even if the tools consist of
nothing more than mouth, larynx, and ears, and the description
language is English. The form of the design tools employed and
the level of description required depend on the size of the
project and the development methodology employed.

There is still plenty of justification in this world for
"Big Design Up Front" waterfall development (although
-successful- waterfall projects practically always turn out
to be modified waterfalls with feedback), just as there is
lots of justification for Agile methods in medium and small
projects. Formal design tools are highly valued in BDUF
development, but tend to be sneered at in the Agile or
Extreme world.

I don't thing there is a right or wrong side here, but I do
see a lack of perspective and appreciation of others' POV.

Jerry

.

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