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I have a theory that software drives people insane

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Re: I have a theory that software drives people insane

#41

Post by s_dev »

JohnMakin wrote: post #2

> Not in the "wash your hands every thirty minutes like Howard Hughes" kind of way, Hold on, this isn't that crazy in today's day and age. I used to wash my hands basically only when using the restroom or before eating. Since the pandemic though, I started upping that a lot (not every 30 minutes, but pretty frequently) and since then almost never get sick.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49608023

Not arguing one way or the other just brining up the last Hacker News conversation where it was established that dirty hands are good for you.

Re: I have a theory that software drives people insane

#42

Post by disgruntledphd2 »

hackingonempty wrote: post #12
JohnMakin wrote: post #2

> Not in the "wash your hands every thirty minutes like Howard Hughes" kind of way, Hold on, this isn't that crazy in today's day and age. I used to wash my hands basically only when using the restroom or before eating. Since the pandemic though, I started upping that a lot (not every 30 minutes, but pretty frequently) and since then almost never get sick.

The Cochrane review of "physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses" that infamously does not find a significant effect for masking does find significant effects for hand washing.

It's worth noting that Cochrane reviews are normally the minimal effect sizes you'll see, as they pull in every study and hate self reported measures.

Don't get me wrong, they're my first port of call (mostly for the funnel plots), but they're one source, with their own biases.

Re: I have a theory that software drives people insane

#43

Post by mjr00 »

anonymars wrote: post #36
cosmic_cheese wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely. I think that over-reliance on analytics has had a similar effect; compared to relying primarily on proper usability research and in-person user studies, doing that creates a detachment and distance that further removes the project from reality. How great the impact is depends on how management uses the data. If they use it add resolution to broad strokes from studies and the like, there may be no negative…

Simple example: feature X is rarely used (thus we should get rid of it) Hold on, why is it rarely used? Is it hard to use? Is it hard to find? Was it poorly named? Does it work right? Does it get me 80% of the way there? Does it get me 20% of the way there? Do I rarely need it but when I do need it it's a huge time saver? Am I hesitant to depend on it because I fear it will be taken away in a future update?

> Simple example: feature X is rarely used (thus we should get rid of it)

Oh man, I remember a very specific example of this: many years ago now, Google Chrome pushed an update that got rid of the option on the menu bar for "Close Tabs to the Right". I remember looking into the Google issue tracker where people were complaining, and some PM provided a "data-driven" justification: when people opened the context menu, they only clicked on the "Close Tabs to the Right" option 1-2% of the time.

It's a great example of why data without context can give you the wrong answer. Of course the option is used relatively very rarely; you only need to clear out your tabs every once in a while, compared to creating new ones or managing tab groups! But it's still an essential task. It's like saying filing your taxes isn't important because you only need to do it 0.2% days of the year.

Re: I have a theory that software drives people insane

#45

Post by robertlagrant »

devmor wrote: post #18
bombela wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Talking to the users, allowing them to show you what they are trying to do with your software, almost feels like cheating, because of how easy things suddenly appear to be when uncertainty fades away. Obviously, the number of uniquely different users has an influence, and users most often do not truly know what they need, but that's our job to tease appart. Turns out the users most often benefits from small changes t…

"What problem are we trying to solve?" is a question I have to ask constantly in corporate development environments, and rarely does anyone presenting the task to be done actually know the answer! It's very frustrating.

It can be the case that people don't want to accidentally mis-state the problem, or get into a debate about the problem because they know people will chime in about nonessentials. I would recommend "Have we written down the problem we are trying to solve? I'd like to understand more." And get it written down if it isn't already.

Re: I have a theory that software drives people insane

#46

Post by strangattractor »

bob1029 wrote: post #4

Software development untethered from the practical realities of the customer / user is what drives people insane. When developers are required to interact with the customer on a regular basis , the freewheeling effects described in this article are damped massively. The potential for insanity goes off the charts when the development team is siloed away in solitary confinement and the only interactions with the client…

Sometimes I would ask stakeholders about some idea or nifty feature we were considering implementing. The answer was usually positive and enthusiastic. I'd then ask if they would use it and how it would help them. Silence....

Being untethered from reality is the natural state of humans;)

Re: I have a theory that software drives people insane

#47

Post by burningChrome »

cosmic_cheese wrote: post #10
bob1029 wrote: post #4

Software development untethered from the practical realities of the customer / user is what drives people insane. When developers are required to interact with the customer on a regular basis , the freewheeling effects described in this article are damped massively. The potential for insanity goes off the charts when the development team is siloed away in solitary confinement and the only interactions with the client…

Absolutely. I think that over-reliance on analytics has had a similar effect; compared to relying primarily on proper usability research and in-person user studies, doing that creates a detachment and distance that further removes the project from reality. How great the impact is depends on how management uses the data. If they use it add resolution to broad strokes from studies and the like, there may be no negative…

>> I think that over-reliance on analytics has had a similar effect

I lost track of how many times the directors would tell us, "Since the analytics say A, we should do B." then the research person says, "Sure Jim, great idea, lets get a few rounds of useability research and confirm it first."

Then the always predictable thing happens: Users never align with your analytics. Seeing data and seeing someone struggling to do something basic with your interface is totally different. When directors see these videos, it really makes them see how important research is and not just relying on data to make decisions. Right now, anything the research team wants, they usually get - its had that profound of an impact on our leadership team.

Re: I have a theory that software drives people insane

#48

Post by mathisfun123 »

JohnMakin wrote: post #2

> Not in the "wash your hands every thirty minutes like Howard Hughes" kind of way, Hold on, this isn't that crazy in today's day and age. I used to wash my hands basically only when using the restroom or before eating. Since the pandemic though, I started upping that a lot (not every 30 minutes, but pretty frequently) and since then almost never get sick.

This is exactly why I think this article is wrong: it starts with a false premise that devs are sane to begin with (not because you're right or wrong re hand washing but because this is an insane thing to focus on from the article).

Re: I have a theory that software drives people insane

#50

Post by zahlman »

burningChrome wrote: post #47
cosmic_cheese wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely. I think that over-reliance on analytics has had a similar effect; compared to relying primarily on proper usability research and in-person user studies, doing that creates a detachment and distance that further removes the project from reality. How great the impact is depends on how management uses the data. If they use it add resolution to broad strokes from studies and the like, there may be no negative…

>> I think that over-reliance on analytics has had a similar effect I lost track of how many times the directors would tell us, "Since the analytics say A, we should do B." then the research person says, "Sure Jim, great idea, lets get a few rounds of useability research and confirm it first." Then the always predictable thing happens: Users never align with your analytics. Seeing data and seeing someone struggling t…

> Users never align with your analytics.

Any good theories for how this happens (i.e. why the data fails to capture the struggle)?

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