Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!ukma!psuvm.bitnet!uh2
From: UH2@PSUVM.BITNET (Lee Sailer)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Boswell and the Project Chronicles
Message-ID: <41127UH2@PSUVM>
Date: 2 May 88 13:30:07 GMT
References: <321@uwslh.UUCP> <40335UH2@PSUVM> <758@dlhpedg.co.uk>
Organization: Penn Sate Erie--School of Business
Lines: 21

In article <758@dlhpedg.co.uk>, cl@datlog.co.uk (Charles Lambert) says:
>
>In a similar vein,  I believe that every project should have a "Boswell"
>(cf. Dr Johnson) whose job is to look over the team's collective shoulder
>and write down all those nuggets of expertise,  revelation and folklore
>that eventually (in our imperfect profession) make the original team
>indispensable.  Boswell's brief would be either
>

Brooks's "surgical team" approach provides for this, but not in the pattern
you suggest.  It is the Chief Programmer's job to oversee the documentation.
A librarian/secretary/editor is on the team to relieve the workload.

The "Boswell"  (nice term) is the assstant to the Chief Programmer, and
very few official duties, except to hang around the Chief Programmer,
look over his or her shoulder, know everything the chief programmer knows,
and be ready to step in at a moments notice if the CP gets hit by a truck.

Brooks proposes that inexperienced but promising programmers would fill
this role, sort of like a medical resident assisting in surgery.

lee