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If you were asked
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:10 am
by alex.barylski
To describe software development to a individual who had never done it before, how would you describe it so they would get an idea as to what it is we do?
Also, if you were asked to explain why software project estimation is to difficult (based on previous experiences they had with wildly different estimates for the exact same project) how would you explain it to someone who had never programmed in their life?
What stories would you share, perhaps analogies?
Re: If you were asked
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:51 am
by matthijs
Why software project estimation is difficult: maybe compare it to what an architect does. You can't ask an architect: "design me a house. How much does that cost?" He or she has to go through the whole process of discovering what the client(s) want and need, has to design the whole thing, deal with several constraints, varying prices of material and resources, etc
Re: If you were asked
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:23 am
by alex.barylski
Ok cool. We look at the process a little differently. Personally I would leave architecture out of the picture at this point. Simple basing estimation on a sum of all problem parts, essentially.
While I still agree with you, I was looking for a more simplistic explanation...remember most people have no idea what an architect does, software, building or not...
Example: Estimating a quote is like shooting at a moving target gives more perspective but is a little terse for the discussion. A bullet is fired with no chance of correction once the trigger is squeezed. Although many variables come into play, like interjecting objects/collateral damage, wind direction, heat, etc. Those variables have far lesser influence on the trajectory of a bullet or projectile than say, the business forces which drive a software requirements document...excluding the injection part. Appreantly hitting a tree can cause serious riccochet.
I'm trying to think of a cut and dry example that would give anyone immediate insight into the problems with accurate software estimation, why experience counts, etc...I have a few ideas but would like to hear what others think too.
I'm extremely tired having been working all night...so if nothing made sense...just ignore me

Re: If you were asked
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:27 am
by Jenk
This is how I normally go about it..
Developers are analysts, and problem solvers.
We come in, analyse your business and requirements, then provide software that will automate some of your processes, make others easier to manage, and most importantly, highlight your business model's problem(s).
Re: If you were asked
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:13 pm
by josh
Explaining the laws of phsyics is more cut and dry then comparing to an architect? Most people know what an architect does, I explained software architecture to my 80yr old grandma whos never used a computer for 1 second in her entire life.
Re: If you were asked
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:49 pm
by alex.barylski
Explaining the laws of phsyics is more cut and dry then comparing to an architect? Most people know what an architect does, I explained software architecture to my 80yr old grandma whos never used a computer for 1 second in her entire life
Interesting. But still, explaining the basic laws of physics which apply to us everyday from the moment we are born is more cut and dry. I wasn't talking about Theory of relativity, but basic laws of nature.
If you don't understand the concept of
"every action has an opposite and equal reaction" or more simply put
"when you run into a solid brick wall, your not going through it like they do in the matrix" then I would question where said individual has lived all their life, perhaps in a vaccum or a bubble of sorts.
Cheers,
Alex
Re: If you were asked
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:43 am
by matthijs
To who exactly would you like to explain it? Is it about (potential) clients who don't know much about software development?
Have to agree with jshpro2, in that explaining it in terms of laws of physics seems a bit vague ..
Maybe explain it in terms of building a car. You, the client, want a car and want a price for that. We can only give a good estimate of the price after we know everything about how it should look, function, drive, etc. And a large part of the price goes into the long development process, in which many revisions of prototypes are developed, based on feedback from the client.
Re: If you were asked
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 9:11 am
by josh
Actually we're born not knowing the different between ourselves and things that are not us. Babies when they learn to talk call themselves "you" and otherpeople "I" & "me"... if someone understands physics that's fine I'm just saying, no... most people do not understand theory of relativity. I have argued for hours with some very smart people over stuff that is commonly known physics knowledge, people "understand" it in the sense they have a clear picture ( or so they think ) of how it works but most people don't understand that the principles have different names, etc.. If the person was "geeky" enough to know all the physics concepts you just referred to, I would just cut the sugar coating and use software terminology to explain it, too many inconsistencies with any analogy. Analogies can be great but we as people come up with different names for things that are different things for a reason, the further you make them bridge 2 remote ideas the harder it is going to be to understand in the sense more nuerons have to synchronize, etc... to compare and contrast 2 un-related ideas.
explaining the financial crisis to a layman
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1892675