Developer Experience: Fundamentally harder than normal UX • Hacker News Board

Re: Developer Experience: Fundamentally harder than normal UX

#121

Post by dusted » Tue, Feb 25, 2020, 7:31 AM UTC

I can't be the only one who prefers the way applications looked 30 years ago? When they dumped whatever they had to offer right there for you to explore and pick from. These days everything is hidden below a million layers, trying so hard "not to be in your way" that you need a deep love of pixel-hunt-point-and-click adventures to get anything done..

Let's take an example: Specifying DNS servers in Windows. 95: 1. Rightclick "Network" on desktop -> Properties 2. Doubleclick on the TCP/IP protocol for the NIC. 3. Type new DNS server. 4. Press OK.

10: 1 Press start 2 Search for control panel 3 Open Network and Internet settings 4 Select Change Adapter Settings. 5 Rightclick NIC and select Properties 6 Select TCP/IP and then Properties. 7 Type new Server 8 Press OK

Sure, some may think that Windows 10 looks better than Windows 3.11 or 95, but I don't and I can't believe everyone does.

Re: Developer Experience: Fundamentally harder than normal UX

#122

Post by boomlinde » Tue, Feb 25, 2020, 8:05 AM UTC

I wouldn't say it's fundamentally harder. It's fundamentally the same thing, because developers are users, and software development isn't the only domain where users have discerning tastes and needs that they want catered to. It's not the only domain where users will happily accept a steep learning curve for the years of use that will pay off that initial investment, or where shoving detailed information under the carpet can be a negative thing.

I think it would be arrogant to think of software development as exceptional in this sense, but it's certainly reflected in a lot of software designs. The reality IMO is that if you aren't working off a set of insights and observations like the one listed in the article—regardless of your users' domain—you aren't making enough of an effort to design for your users.

Re: Developer Experience: Fundamentally harder than normal UX

#123

Post by tomhoward » Tue, Feb 25, 2020, 9:52 AM UTC

meagain3 wrote: post #55

rolleiflex wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a designer [0] and an engineer — you'll take my shell from my cold, dead hands. There are two issues here: a) Designers trying to simplify everything beyond usefulness is a good instinct gone haywire. Simplification helps, but without an understanding of accidental complexity versus essential complexity, one is bound to end up painted into a corner with no flexibility left in the app. Few designers understand thi…

Are you a registered member your state's engineers' association? (i.e. do you have seal?), if not please do not call yourself an engineer

You could take it up with Cisco, who have been certifying "Network Engineers" for decades.

I get your complaint; my father is a fully qualified and slightly/weirdly eminent electronics engineer (and IEEE member), so from a young age I've been made aware of the sanctity of the term in that context.

But the term has been used in other contexts for a long time, and most people understand the distinction.

It's not a hill worth dying on. Best save your energy for more important battles.

Re: Developer Experience: Fundamentally harder than normal UX

#124

Post by Gibbon1 » Tue, Feb 25, 2020, 10:23 AM UTC

deadcat wrote: post #116

meagain3 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Addendum: can someone tell me what's wrong with using software developer as a description of what we do?, why do we need to borrow other professions titles?, it's because we want more respect?

I've always referred to myself as a Developer, as my degree is Info Tech, not Engineering. I'm not an accredited engineer, so I feel I have no right to the title. It really annoys me that some manages at work call themselves Release Train Engineers.

I have a BSME degree. Mostly I write firmware.

Generally I think an engineer as someone that does design. Key part of that is some sort of analysis. That can be ad hoc, standards based, or formal.

Most of the time software feels like craft to me not engineering. Otherwise I'm more on the side that a license an engineer doesn't make. There are engineers without degrees designing and there are fat fuck PE's that just sign their name over and over for $300/hr.

Re: Developer Experience: Fundamentally harder than normal UX

#125

Post by bumby » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 3:14 PM UTC

chrisseaton wrote: post #74

meagain3 wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your engineering state association decides. Same as the medical associations, bar associations for lawyers, etc.

> Your engineering state association decides. Why should they get to do that? What do they know that I don’t? I have a Master of Engineering degree but I’m not chartered - I’m still going to call myself an engineer no matter what anyone else thinks about it. > You don't call yourself admiral right? Because I’m not commanding a fleet. If I ever came to command a fleet I’d start calling myself admiral and as long as I’…

In all fairness, you may be operating under an industrial exemption if you are doing legitimate engineering work and not even realize it.

What you cant do is profess capital ‘E’ engineering work without running afoul of the law. That’s akin to practicing medicine without aboard certification, even if you claim to be a doctor because that’s what your degree says.

Degrees and licensed are related, but different in terms of the profession.