Comments on: The construction analogy http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/ Effective software development Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:01:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: George Dinwiddie http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/comment-page-1/#comment-109534 George Dinwiddie Fri, 13 Aug 2010 03:12:56 +0000 http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/#comment-109534 Hi, Owner Builder, Perhaps you haven't been paying attention to others, but neither of these are always the way you describe. In my experience, a house is rarely completed without changes to the design during construction. Things are learned along the way. And in coding, it's possible to do quite little design up front, doing just enough all along the way. In fact, this is somewhat possible with construction, given that many details are not structural necessities. With software, it's possible to change even basic structural components at minimal cost. Hi, Owner Builder,

Perhaps you haven’t been paying attention to others, but neither of these are always the way you describe. In my experience, a house is rarely completed without changes to the design during construction. Things are learned along the way. And in coding, it’s possible to do quite little design up front, doing just enough all along the way. In fact, this is somewhat possible with construction, given that many details are not structural necessities. With software, it’s possible to change even basic structural components at minimal cost.

]]> By: Owner Builder http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/comment-page-1/#comment-109532 Owner Builder Fri, 13 Aug 2010 02:26:38 +0000 http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/#comment-109532 In the hammer and nails construction analogy, the design occurs in the design phase and rarely deviates during actual construction. In coding, the design is done up front and is improved upon in every phase of the coding process. In the hammer and nails construction analogy, the design occurs in the design phase and rarely deviates during actual construction. In coding, the design is done up front and is improved upon in every phase of the coding process.

]]> By: George Dinwiddie’s blog » Refactoring a House http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/comment-page-1/#comment-20492 George Dinwiddie’s blog » Refactoring a House Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:24:33 +0000 http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/#comment-20492 [...] Some of you may remember that I started a house construction project. Things are moving very fast, now, and the actual construction may take less time than it took to get all the necessary permits. So far, the project’s about 100% over the time budget. And people say that software development should be more like the construction industry! [...] [...] Some of you may remember that I started a house construction project. Things are moving very fast, now, and the actual construction may take less time than it took to get all the necessary permits. So far, the project’s about 100% over the time budget. And people say that software development should be more like the construction industry! [...]

]]> By: Matisse Enzer http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Matisse Enzer Tue, 02 Jan 2007 09:10:24 +0000 http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/#comment-4 Nice to see someone else mulling over this analogy. And especially good to see someone understand that, as you put it "The similarities and differences can be used to illuminate, but not to prove anything." For me, the more general analogy is that *making things* of all kinds is a pretty consistent process, and that all the different ways of making things can inform each other. Nice to see someone else mulling over this analogy. And especially good to see someone understand that, as you put it “The similarities and differences can be used to illuminate, but not to prove anything.”

For me, the more general analogy is that *making things* of all kinds is a pretty consistent process, and that all the different ways of making things can inform each other.

]]> By: Mishkin Berteig http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Mishkin Berteig Fri, 29 Dec 2006 12:07:11 +0000 http://blog.gdinwiddie.com/2006/12/27/the-construction-analogy/#comment-3 Thanks for mentioning the interview. I've also written a more extensive piece a few years back on Kuro5hin: http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/3/13/211831/159 It's a little dated, but still has lots of good fodder for the argument! Thanks for mentioning the interview. I’ve also written a more extensive piece a few years back on Kuro5hin: http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/3/13/211831/159

It’s a little dated, but still has lots of good fodder for the argument!

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