Deconcentration of Attention: Addressing the Complexity of Software (2016)

http://deconcentration-of-attention.com/deconcentration-software.html

69 10 5 years ago

csbartus3• 5 years ago

I embrace the 10x rewrite technique acknowledging the fact software development is hard.

First I make a component work. Then make it with work together with the other components. Then refactor them all to look uniform. Then create the generators to make future components look uniform. Then employ them in real life scenarios. Another refactoring is coming after 2-3 projects.

Then a first stable version is coming. At the seventh rewrite.

I had to admit I’ve managed only a few times to reach a level above seven. That’s a fantastic feeeling. You know you have a rock solid foundation and anything you build upon it just lasts.

forgotmypw17• 5 years ago

Thank you for writing this. Very well put.

gchamonlive• 5 years ago

I have no information on what type of organizational structure under which you do your work, therefore my question may sound a little poor because I do lack context.

But how do you negotiate deadlines and keep the upper chain of decision making happy and aware of the value being created with each refactor? Most of the time with the teams I worked with, "works" is the sole metric of success and features keep being sold or promised leaving no room to deal with documented technical debt (and the lack of such documentation).

csbartus3• 5 years ago

I work 80% for free (for myself), 20% for money (consulting, freelancing).

Free it's like a sabbatical. Whenever I need to learn a new technology I take a sabbatical, build a framework, then go back to produce income with that framework.

For example in September last year I took a sabbatical for learning Design Systems. My first paying customer came this August. This streak took a year, and I'm at the third iteration only.

When on sabbatical, I'm changing locations / cities / countries to be able to support myself during that period. When in production mode, I'm again moving to larger / more expensive places.

bklaasen• 5 years ago

Do you only go to production after step four? Serious question.

csbartus3• 5 years ago

Right. Without generators, I'm not going into production.

Also I'm in a privileged situation / I create a privileged situation for myself to be able to follow this process. Please see my other reply to this thread for details.

svilen_dobrev• 5 years ago

reminded me of :

https://randsinrepose.com/archives/anti-flow/

as well as

https://camhashemi.com/posts/focus-vs-coordination/

lioeters• 5 years ago

Nice, I enjoyed these articles, especially the first. If "flow" is deep focus and bringing order, what the author calls "anti-flow" is creative exploratory brainstorms, with "high entropy state". I agree intuitively that these are different modes of thinking, both valuable in their own ways.

dijereedan• 5 years ago

Similar concept is focused and diffuse thinking. https://fs.blog/2019/10/focused-diffuse-thinking/

coolgeek• 5 years ago

@irthomasthomas - How did you come across this?

His other piece is fascinating. What else am I missing?

Deconcentration of Attention: Addressing the Complexity of Software (2016)

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