https://queil.net/tags/ideas/ Recent content in Ideas on queil.net Hugo en-uk Sun, 16 Jun 2019 10:52:57 +0100 https://queil.net/ideas/2019/thinking/ Sun, 16 Jun 2019 10:52:57 +0100 https://queil.net/ideas/2019/thinking/ <p>Thinking is the vital part of software development process. It raises questions. It is the <em>fail fast</em> principle taken to the extreme. I&rsquo;d extend the popular &ldquo;<em>code the right thing</em>&rdquo; to &ldquo;<strong>define what the right thing is, determine if code is the best solution in the first place, and then, if the answer is <em>yes</em>, build a solid mental model, and finally start coding the right thing</strong>&rdquo;. Building a mental model may, (and often does), involve coding, and usually it&rsquo;s an iterative process. Especially, when we explore an unknown domain and the model rapidly evolves. However, code is treated here as a <em>thinking tool</em> rather than the final product. It could be compared to sketching before putting any paint on the canvas. It&rsquo;s easy and cheap to modify a sketch where is much more difficult to alter a ready painting.</p>