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Software development: ideas and frameworks explained

A collection of ideas, frameworks and techniques related to Software development, explained clearly so they are easy to understand and share.

Moravec's Paradox meaning for AI with examplesMoravec's ParadoxTo scale, you first have to do things that don't scale, advice from Paul Graham and Brian Chesky of AirBnB for scaling companies shown with a founder packing boxes themselves like Jeff Bezos of AmazonTo Scale, First Do Things That Don't ScaleWhat is Fauxtomation explained with claims of automation actually done by people, often across the worldFauxtomationPillars of hope, steel starter bars or starter rods stick out of a house so that in the future it's easier to add an extra storeyPillars of hopeRose Thorn Bud reflection technique summary showing a rose with thorn and bud highlighting successes, challenges and potentialRose, Thorn, BudThe Wheel of Death illustration: a pie chart of last week's support issues from large categories of login problems, and payment issues to smaller ones at the end in shades of blue. A tool to help review and prioritise issues.The Wheel of DeathChickens and pigs illustration: also known as the bacon and eggs principle, shows a bacon and fried egg breakfast with an egg for the chicken's involvement and a cleaver for the pig'sChickens and pigsThe XY Problem (or X-Y Problem): a child tries to reach a balloon by precariously stacking chairsand asks how they can stick them together to someone outside of the room who, eventually, wonders what for?The XY ProblemVUCA illustration: Examples of Volatility (a stock-like chart), Complexity (a circuit-like confusion), Uncertainty (a direction splitting into 3) and a person sweating over Ambiguity (a Necker cube).VUCAThree types of "no" illustrated animation with parenting examples. The Yes No (no to ice cream, yes to eating). The Material No (Yes I'd get it down if I had a ladder). The Priority No (Yes we can take the bear but we'll leave to have one of the others)Three Types of "No"Read-Do and Do-Confirm checklists illustration: examples of a Dinner party fail and an Expedition checklistTwo types of checklists: Read-Do, Do-ConfirmCake wreck: a cake where instructions for the cake—"Happy birthday in purple, no nuts"—have been smartly written across the front. Intended as a metaphor for literal misinterpretation.Cake wreckThe frog boil metaphor illustration: showing a frog put into cool water that is slowly raised not complaining until it's too late. Poor frog. Don't try this.The frog boil metaphorThe bus factor summary - A poor soul squashed by a bus lamented because they were the only one who knew the passwordBus factorIn theory practice is the same as theory, but not in practice, or In theory practise is the same as theory, but not in practise - confused parents wondering at babies not sleepingIn theory, practice is the same as theory, but not in practiceThe cost of fixing bugs: Chart showing how the cost to fix bugs rises the longer you leave before fixing themThe cost of fixing bugsChaos monkey illustration: A monkey hangs from a girder in a room of servers cheekily pulling out wires to simulate the servers turning off at random and to build resilience, the Netflix principleChaos monkeyFeatures are like pets illustration: a series of images shows different practical roles and responsibilities involved with owning a pet dog, compared with a solo image of how simple and rewarding one might imagine it to be - all presented as a simile for the time, effort and cost involved in developing new software features.Features are like petsWhat is yak shaving and what does it mean example: someone looks on confused as another explains the convoluted story which led to them sitting there shaving a yak, just like solving problems in software developmentYak shavingBy Monkeys writing principle explained: on the left, representing passive communication, a group of monkeys climb all over a typical office work station causing havoc; seemingly without much productivity. On the right, representing active communication, a diligent worker sets to fixing a software bug. There's no sign of those pesky monkeys. By monkeysA breakdown of constructing the number 13 in the decimal system of base 10 next to 13 written in the base 2 of binaryBinaryThe Two Generals Problem: Two Generals fighting for the same side, have set up their camps on the high ground either side of a castle to be attacked and use a messenger running between them to coordinate their attack. The problem is that the messenger has to run right past the hostile castle to relay the Generals' messages and confirmation of receipt of messages and there's no guarantee they'll make it past the castle unharmed. The two generals problemConway's law showing how the organisation of a company, as small, distributed teams or large colocated teams can reflect the architecture of the software as modular or monolithicConway’s LawRival and non-rival goods illustration: a scale with rival goods at one end (left) and non-rival goods at the other (right) displays items at each extreme and along the scale in between. eg. (left to right) cup of coffee; roads; software. Rival and non-rival goodsWhat is Rubberducking? Example explanation: a developer talks through their problem with the “therapist” rubber duck on their desk, only to discover the insight they need. Often useful for debugging.What is Rubberducking? An Explanation of the Rubber Duck Debugging TechniqueBugs and releases illustration: an upward curve line graph shows the increase in risk for bugs or problems with software as the size of release increases. Instead of one large release, a series of smaller software updates each with smaller, more manageable risk is suggested. Bugs and releasesHenrik Kniberg's release strategy for happier customers, sooner showing a car built piece-by-piece and a car built skateboard, to scooter, to bike, motorcycle then car.A release strategy for happier customers, soonerIdempotence, or idempotent, illustrated with an idempotent action of look_at_cake that always has the same effect, compared with a non-idempotent action of eat_slice_of_cakeIdempotenceWhat is MOSCOW Prioritisation with example: Must, Should, Could, WouldMOSCOW PrioritisationWhat is an information radiator in agile and software development sharing information passively in an officeInformation radiatorKoomey's LawKoomey’s LawMoore’s LawFitts’ LawDesire path: the difference between design and use illustrated by a person crossing a corner of grassDesire pathYesterday’s weatherThe Big Data equation: big data + machine learning + cloud = informed, intelligent decisionsThe big data equationRemove text formattingWhat is Hofstadter's Law quote explanation: It always takes longer than you expect, even when you account for Hofstadter’s Law.”Hofstadter’s Law

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