Understand "why" before you "try" Feb20 '06
As a programmer/developer, it’s quite common for people to ask me to do certain tasks, involving a web page, Excel document, or just about anything you can think of.
My first response is always, "What are you trying to do?"
Until I can get a "firm grasp" on what the person is trying to do, I am just as "clueless" as they are.
Sure, I may know how to manipulate a web document, Excel file, to get it to do what you want, but I’m not a robot. You can’t just tell me a task, and expect an immediate result.
I have to understand the meaning of the task - it’s purpose and goal - otherwise I can’t formulate a "plan of attack."
The human brain is "process oriented," meaning it has to take one step at a time - at least, it has to "visualize" one step at a time. You can’t go from point A to point R, without figuring out what’s in between.
I get the feeling that some people expect programmers/developers to just "whip something out," without any knowledge of how the process works, and the general meaning behind the task.
I just can’t work this way. If you ask me to do something, and it takes a bit longer than you expected, maybe try explaining to me the process a little better - and you might get quicker results.
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Never one to conform, Matt intends to promote the effect the web has on our lives, in an effort to intensify, instruct, and clarify all that is happening around us.
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