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IKEA-Oriented Development

taylor.town

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Re: IKEA-Oriented Development

#11

Post by switch007 »

jonwest wrote: post #8
surprisetalk wrote: post #2

Author here! Thanks for sharing :)

The other aspect of IKEA that is criminally underrepresented in software that I really feel like should be a part of this article is having an incredibly succinct and universal DSL for documentation. Say what you will about the memes about people not being able to build IKEA furniture because they can’t follow the documentation. Once you understand the DSL, you’ll truly understand how incredible their documentation r…

I've had mixed success with their manuals. While I admit there is a certain genius to it, I don't fully share your enthusiasm. Maybe I'm stupid but I feel like some words could really help to speed up the deciphering of the instructions.

Re: IKEA-Oriented Development

#12

Post by belval »

atoav wrote: post #10
euroderf wrote: post #6

Another lesson of Ikea is that often you cannot move them from one home/apartment to another, because if you try to take it apart and then reassemble it, it's never the same. To extend this via analogy to the software realm, a deep refactoring is problematic whereas OTOH a complete rewrite is a better idea. Which has not borne borne out by industry experience.

I moved a ikea shelve through 3 flats and two nations. Ultimately I gifted it away because the new space wouldn't fit it and my requirements had changed, but I know people who are in the 5th flat. As long as you are treating the stuff right it should survive a few assembly-disassembly-cycles. Key is of couese to sort the screws, mark the parts with tape, etc.

Anecdotally I have had trouble reconciling this seemingly prevalent "you can't disassemble Ikea furniture" with my own experience. It's not made for it sure but bookshelves, bed frames and tables can all be reassembled reasonably well. Anything smaller you can just put in the truck when moving.

Re: IKEA-Oriented Development

#13

Post by blowski »

amemisoglu wrote: post #5

From "quality" perspective, don't imitiate Ikea :)

Why not? The quality is good enough that millions of people around the world are using it in their house right now, profitably for Ikea. I'd say that's a very good definition of quality to imitated.

Re: IKEA-Oriented Development

#14

Post by Hikikomori »

euroderf wrote: post #6

Another lesson of Ikea is that often you cannot move them from one home/apartment to another, because if you try to take it apart and then reassemble it, it's never the same. To extend this via analogy to the software realm, a deep refactoring is problematic whereas OTOH a complete rewrite is a better idea. Which has not borne borne out by industry experience.

Why take them apart? Just move them like regular furniture.

Re: IKEA-Oriented Development

#15

Post by alex3305 »

amemisoglu wrote: post #5

From "quality" perspective, don't imitiate Ikea :)

I get where you are coming from, but why not? What IKEA produces for the price is seriously impressive. Also why would you need particle board or MDF when filling furniture with cardboard is way cheaper and mostly fits the bill.

However, I think that we as software developers are more like hand crafted furniture makers. And that there is WYSIWYG (like Squarespace) for the masses. And IMHO there is nothing wrong with that.

Re: IKEA-Oriented Development

#16

Post by cuchoi »

Hikikomori wrote: post #14
euroderf wrote: post #6

Another lesson of Ikea is that often you cannot move them from one home/apartment to another, because if you try to take it apart and then reassemble it, it's never the same. To extend this via analogy to the software realm, a deep refactoring is problematic whereas OTOH a complete rewrite is a better idea. Which has not borne borne out by industry experience.

Why take them apart? Just move them like regular furniture.

Sometimes they just don't fit elevators / stairs :)

Re: IKEA-Oriented Development

#17

Post by hef19898 »

belval wrote: post #12
atoav wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I moved a ikea shelve through 3 flats and two nations. Ultimately I gifted it away because the new space wouldn't fit it and my requirements had changed, but I know people who are in the 5th flat. As long as you are treating the stuff right it should survive a few assembly-disassembly-cycles. Key is of couese to sort the screws, mark the parts with tape, etc.

Anecdotally I have had trouble reconciling this seemingly prevalent "you can't disassemble Ikea furniture" with my own experience. It's not made for it sure but bookshelves, bed frames and tables can all be reassembled reasonably well. Anything smaller you can just put in the truck when moving.

Again one of those impossible to kill memes, along with bad mounting instructions (they are on par with Lego, and way better than a lot of industry ones). Usually tells you more about the person making that point than about the point they try to make.

Re: IKEA-Oriented Development

#18

Post by aidenn0 »

switch007 wrote: post #11
jonwest wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The other aspect of IKEA that is criminally underrepresented in software that I really feel like should be a part of this article is having an incredibly succinct and universal DSL for documentation. Say what you will about the memes about people not being able to build IKEA furniture because they can’t follow the documentation. Once you understand the DSL, you’ll truly understand how incredible their documentation r…

I've had mixed success with their manuals. While I admit there is a certain genius to it, I don't fully share your enthusiasm. Maybe I'm stupid but I feel like some words could really help to speed up the deciphering of the instructions.

One piece of Ikea furniture I assembled had two different depths of the same diameter nut. A single sentence warning about using the correct depth nut at one point would have saved me approximately 90 minutes of frustration.

Re: IKEA-Oriented Development

#19

Post by hef19898 »

mikercampbell wrote: post #3
surprisetalk wrote: post #2

Author here! Thanks for sharing :)

Hey, I like this. More than I thought I would, as there are a lot of cheeky patterns, but this really summed up a lot of the things I value nicely. Most definitely bookmarking for later. This is good. “Flimsiness is a feature” or something - I love this

Also seems to apply to US houses, doesn't it?

Re: IKEA-Oriented Development

#20

Post by pixl97 »

Hikikomori wrote: post #14
euroderf wrote: post #6

Another lesson of Ikea is that often you cannot move them from one home/apartment to another, because if you try to take it apart and then reassemble it, it's never the same. To extend this via analogy to the software realm, a deep refactoring is problematic whereas OTOH a complete rewrite is a better idea. Which has not borne borne out by industry experience.

Why take them apart? Just move them like regular furniture.

Depending on the piece they may not survive the structural stresses, especially the lower end models.
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