Re: The Desktop and the Gnomeprint

["Ben 'The Con Man' Kahn" <xkahn cybersites com>]

On Mon, 27 Jul 1998, Dan Kaminsky wrote:

> > [quoting long list of ideas, don't need to repeat it]
> >i think my first concern is how this can be written efficiently, and who
> will
> >be willing to figure out how to do it. ideas are great, but intelligent
> code
> >is what's really neccessary.
> 
> 
> Bowie, George, maybe you can comment on this:
> 
> Should code preceed design?  Or, in other words, should the ability to code
> something be guaranteed before the design is created?  Or should the ability
> be postulated and a design generated first?
> 
> The way I've always thought a UI should be developed is the following:
> 
> 1)  Text description and evaluation of desired features
> 2)  Static Mockup to see if it's visually pleasing/efficient
> 3)  Unstable code to see if it's worth completing
> 4)  Completed code
> 
> You can always jump backwards(i.e. redo the text after reaching unstable
> code) but I don't *think* one should skip the description part.
> 
> What do y'all think?

	If only it were that simple.  Actually, UI design is a poorly
understood problem, and is usually approached with either total disregard,
(look at a Windows Visual Basic application some time) arguments and
fighting, (the committee method) or it is treated as a science and
research is done.  We seem to be trying the committee method...  :^)

						-Ben

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Benjamin Kahn                        /,`.-'`'   -,  ;-;;'
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