Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Simplification Principles

Some of the programming principles Martin Nally established have contributed to a noticeable change in IBM culture.

  • The "Notepad" principle: Programming models should be documented in terms of simple file formats that can be created using standard editors by developers.
  • The programming model should be written down before detailed system design takes place, not afterward.
  • Programming models should be documented in terms of scenarios and samples that show step-by-step how all of the artifacts, including code and ancillary files, are created. The scenarios should also show how the application is modified and how it is deployed and administered.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

The laws of simplicity

I am reading a facinity book about simplicity by John Maeda of the MIT Media Lab. Simplicity is sanity and here are his 10 rules.
  • Reduce
  • Organize
  • Time
  • Learn
  • Difference
  • Context
  • Emotion
  • Trust
  • Failure
  • The One
And his three keys are
  • Away
  • Open
  • Power
I will elaborate on them as I read along.