Comments on: Users are not Engineers http://www.themoreuknow.net/blog/blog/archive/2007/08/13/users-are-not-engineers/ Learning from others since 1983 Sun, 09 May 2010 17:48:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Justin T http://www.themoreuknow.net/blog/blog/archive/2007/08/13/users-are-not-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Justin T Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:18:04 +0000 http://www.themoreuknow.net/blog/blog/archive/2007/08/13/users-are-not-engineers/#comment-23 It's true that users are not engineer, but it's also true that the more technical a user, the easier and further they will get in any application. Knowing the basis of how a directory path works in Windows, will help you understand when navigating through Unix via command line for the first time. The engineer should not be oblivious to the user's viewpoint, but there are some assumptions the engineer has to make on the user's technical level. If an engineer builds a software application for computer users, he would expect that the user knows basic computer skills such as navigating through windows, and how to open up an application. There is a gray area between which the engineer and the user meet, and that gray area should be shared knowledge. An Oracle exception is not part of the gray area, how to open an application, should be. It’s true that users are not engineer, but it’s also true that the more technical a user, the easier and further they will get in any application. Knowing the basis of how a directory path works in Windows, will help you understand when navigating through Unix via command line for the first time.

The engineer should not be oblivious to the user’s viewpoint, but there are some assumptions the engineer has to make on the user’s technical level. If an engineer builds a software application for computer users, he would expect that the user knows basic computer skills such as navigating through windows, and how to open up an application. There is a gray area between which the engineer and the user meet, and that gray area should be shared knowledge. An Oracle exception is not part of the gray area, how to open an application, should be.

]]> By: Joe B http://www.themoreuknow.net/blog/blog/archive/2007/08/13/users-are-not-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-20 Joe B Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:19:40 +0000 http://www.themoreuknow.net/blog/blog/archive/2007/08/13/users-are-not-engineers/#comment-20 It's surprising how often this simple fact escapes those actually doing the development of an application. I, for one, am guilty of forgetting this simple fact more than once. Thanks for your insight! It’s surprising how often this simple fact escapes those actually doing the development of an application.

I, for one, am guilty of forgetting this simple fact more than once.

Thanks for your insight!

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