[JDEV] Process

[Flint Hoskins]

Process

Why do we want a process?

	This is where one must realize that process is multi dimensional. 
 
Programmers are usually heranged to describe their process.  Which is an
attempt to imitate the mental process with something that is described in
words and generates documents.  While laudible, no process can imitate the
human mind.
Individuals outside of the programming loop want a process, so they have
points of interaction.  Places where there feedback can be introduced and
there timing considerations can be voiced and imposed on the process.  After
all, if you left everything up to programmers, they might just create killer
games all the time.
Interested individuals want a process so they can spy on productivity.  When
is the rewrite going to be done? When is this cool feature going to be out?
Is anyone working on this feature? Can I get into this process? Can I
document the process and demonstrate culpability to clients?  Can I change
the programs behaviour to do what I want it to do? ...
Why do we resist process?
	
	Process introduces overhead, creates interruptions, and exposes
individuals to needs beyond their own current concerns.

Many projects have been ruined by process, and no project is ever created by
process alone.
Archiving is one of the first goals.  
	Everyone has their own idea about what is useful documentation.

Programmers want enough documentation, mostly in the code and possibly a few
README files, to provide hints in case they want to revisit some code they
have already written.  If you have the dubious privilege of inheriting
someone elses project ... suddenly you wish there was much more
documentation.  In most cases you don't want to learn the whole coding
paradigm that was used to create this 'wonderful' project, you probably just
want to get in and get out.  After all, no one programs as well as you do,
so you're anticipating the set of 'why did they do it that way?'.
Users want feature documentation ... what does the product do? How do I
interact with it?
Prototyping is one of the misunderstood creatures.
	Someone heavily tied to a software lifecycle, is likely to be quite
miffed by the ad-hoc creativity of prototypes.

	What does it do?  I'm not sure yet, but it's cool.
Timing is well misplaced.
	A project can only be accurately documented after the fact.

	Initial design is just a phase to kickstart the project and provide
steering, design should always be conducive to revisitation.
	Deadends are just that and should be pulled out  or identified as
such.
Can we do without process?
	Where there is activity, there is process.  

It is just a matter of identifying cost vs benefit.
But, a process will give us ...
	Identifying the fruits desired must be the goal of process
definition.

	Programmers want a productive environment.
	Projects want a productive project.
Freedom should be you're torch.
	Open source is flourishing because it embraces freedom.

	Freedom to create what you want.
	Freedom to create what you need.
	Freedom to share it with others.






Flint
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