Category Archives: Psychology

Software Decision Making Under Stress

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Rebecca

I recently blogged about my discomfort with making software design decisions at “the last responsible moment” and suggested that deciding at the “most responsible moment” might be a better approach. To me, a slight semantic shift made a difference in … Continue reading →

Posted in Agile, Psychology, Software Design | 2 Comments

Giving Design Advice

Posted on June 28, 2007 by Rebecca Wirfs-Brock

In an ideal work environment software designers freely ask for and offer constructive criticism and openly discuss issues. They don’t take criticism as personal affronts, and they and their managers make intelligent, informed decisions. OK, so how do design discussions … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology, Software Design | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Barely good enough doesn’t cut it

Posted on September 29, 2006 by Rebecca Wirfs-Brock

About a year ago Scott Ambler wrote an article stating, “One of Agile Modeling’s more controversial concepts is the dictum that models and documents should be just barely good enough.” Scott characterized barely good enough models as having just enough … Continue reading →

Posted in Agile, Psychology, Software Design | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

False Dichotomies and Forced Divisions

Posted on February 10, 2006 by Rebecca Wirfs-Brock

Last week I received an email with this tagline: “Replacing an on-site customer with some use cases is about as effective as replacing a hug from your Mom with a friendly note.” I enjoy this person’s funny, witty, and constantly … Continue reading →

Posted in Agile, Analysis, Psychology | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Loaded words

Posted on October 10, 2005 by Rebecca Wirfs-Brock

What do you do when people react negatively to terms you use to describe ideas? If you are like one clever manager I met at Software Development Best Practices, you turn around and let the team take ownership of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Agile, Psychology | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

It’s not OK..or is it?

Posted on October 4, 2005 by Rebecca Wirfs-Brock

Inspired by the TV show Starved, which chronicles the lives of friends with eating disorders who attend meetings with other food-challenged folks (where inappropriate behavior is censored with the chant, “it’s not OK”), I imagine a support group for software … Continue reading →

Posted in Agile, Psychology | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Cost of Inertia

Posted on June 8, 2005 by Rebecca Wirfs-Brock

Last week I closed out a safety deposit box that I had rented but hadn’t touched for over 20 years. In theory, I paid for the box to hold tax returns and valuables, but never visited it after placing some … Continue reading →

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Whole Systems Thinking and Pesky Details

Posted on May 11, 2005 by Rebecca Wirfs-Brock

I wasted an hour today trying to get an email signature line just the way I wanted it. The mail program I use is Eudora. I use it in paid mode. I’m not picking on Eudora so much as I … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology, Usability | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Good enough domain models

Posted on May 2, 2005 by Rebecca Wirfs-Brock

Eric Evans talked about Domain-Driven Design at our Portland SPIN meeting Wednesday. Eric’s thesis is that unless you capture the “ubiquitous language” that people use to talk about the functions of the business and create a domain model representing object … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology, Software Design, Teaching techniques | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment