Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!tivoli!alan
From: alan@tivoli.UUCP (Alan R. Weiss)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Not engineers
Message-ID: <699@tivoli.UUCP>
Date: 24 Apr 91 00:30:51 GMT
References: <1991Apr17.144402.16637@sparky.IMD.Sterling.COM> <684@tivoli.UUCP> <33297@mimsy.umd.edu>
Reply-To: alan@tivoli.UUCP (Alan R. Weiss)
Organization: Tivoli Systems Inc., Austin, TX
Lines: 55

In article <33297@mimsy.umd.edu> straub@cs.umd.edu (Pablo A. Straub) writes:
>In article <684@tivoli.UUCP> alan@tivoli.UUCP (Alan R. Weiss) writes:
>> [...]

[Regarding the Hollywood Model of Software Development (tm)]:

>This may be a great idea in an  organization  that  develops  games  and
>educational  programs, for after all the end product is like that in the
>entertainment industry.  Software that will be  used  directly  by  many
>people (e.g., a spreadsheet for a microcomputer) might probably fit this
>mold  too.  Attempting  to  generalize this scheme to all other software
>products (e.g., custom software, engineering software) is at least naive
>and at worst irresponsible.

Gee, its nice to see me called irresponsible for a change.  Most people
who know me (and have read my prior postings) would call me
SUPER-responsible.  I am advocating research into this approach,
and tolerance for controlled experimentation.  You must be new
to this newsgroup, Pablo. 

>> As Tom Peters has said, "try it, break it, fix, repeat." Organizations
>> should be free  to  experiment,  SO  LONG  AS  THEIR  STAFFS  ARE  NOT
>> THREATENED AND YOU GET BUY-IN.
>
>But an engineering approach to experimentation must  be  guided  by  the
>organizations'  goals,  not  just  the  curiosity  of  individual  staff
>members.
>
>
>Pablo A. Straub
>straub@cs.umd.edu

I partially agree:  there should be goals in mind, both organizationally
and personally.  But to ignore curiosity is a devastating mistake.
You MUST encourage curiosity:  in the entire history of scientific
and engineering breakthroughs, its usually been a megalomaniac on a
mission [grins!] who makes the breakthrough, along with LOTS of
contributors to polish, refine, and improve the technology.  NOT
XOR, but rather AND!

I encourage well-intentioned risk-taking, and reward for learning
from honest mistakes.  I didn't ALWAYS do this :-), but we all learn.

I refer you to "PeopleWare", by Tony DeMarco, and "Mythical Man Month",
by Frederick Brooks.



_______________________________________________________________________
Alan R. Weiss                           TIVOLI Systems, Inc.
E-mail: alan@tivoli.com                 6034 West Courtyard Drive,
E-mail: alan@whitney.tivoli.com	        Suite 210
Voice : (512) 794-9070                  Austin, Texas USA  78730
Fax   : (512) 794-0623
_______________________________________________________________________