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Subject:Re: Now here's an idea... From:Susan Fowler <sfowler -at- EJV -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 23 Feb 1994 12:41:17 EST
In the human factors and software design field, this pre-coding operation is
called "prototyping." You can use prototyping and some development software
(Visual Basis, Visual C++, ObjectVision, and so on) to create working interface
prototypes. These interfaces are then shown to customers, management, and
marketing. All parties get excited, add or subtract features, and then pass the
prototype to the programming staff to do the coding. See ACM's new magazine
"Interactions," in particular "Twenty-Two Tips for a Happier, Healthier
Prototype" by James Rudd and Scott Isensee. Send email to
interactions -at- acm -dot- org -dot-
My suggestion for fellow tech writers: Why write the specs when you can draw
them? Learn a prototype tool, which are no harder to use than most graphic
programs, and--before anyone else thinks to--create your company's next
prototype.
