Sexy New Development Methodology!

June 03, 2004

[code], coffee, color, it industry, methodology, ocr, productivity, sql

(This was going to be a joke... but now I suspect I might actually be serious!?)

Forget Test-Driven Development!

Try:

TODO-Driven Development!

Here's the process: (continued....)

Step 1

Write Class or method outlines (ie, 'Public Class ...' or 'Public Sub...' with no code inside.)
Include rough logic
Add pseudo code preprended with "TODO:"
Only write the *very* trivial code -- anything else just add a TODO

Example

    Private Sub Runcommand(CommandText as String)  
      If CommandText <> "" Then
        'TODO: is command valid?
        'TODO: NO: error message...
        'TODO: yes: run the command
      Else
        'TODO: handle for blank command 
      End If
    End Sub

You soon get a Task-List like this...

(Make sure you've got 'Show-Tasks -> All' selected)

Step 2

Repeat step 1 until the whole application is roughed out
You've now got a big list of 'TODO' tasks
Check for completeness (breadth)
See what can be removed.
See what can be simplified (eg, two similar todo comments: can they be made identical?

Step 3

Replace TODO's with calls to non-existant classes, methods etc...
(For test driven development, create exhaustive tests for each of these methods/classes)
Where appropriate, replace TODO's with the trivial code required

Example

This will result in a LOT of Compilation errors:

Step 4

Fix One Compilation error at a time by:
- writing shells of classes, methods etc,
- Adding TODO: pseudo code to each of these as you go.
- (Also Add 'HACK: ' comments and explanations where appropriate, if pressed for time)

Step 5

Repeat Step 4 until there are no compilation errors left.
If there are TODO's left, then Go back to step 3.

And that's it.

It's almost embarrassing to realise that i often use this process.

(There's also a lot of prior planning, paper prototyping, customer meetings, discussion, procrastination, database design, coffee-drinking, code-generation for sprocs and crud-sproc calls, import of re-usable DAL's, PAG block usage, go PAG!, back-and-forth debates prior to document sign-off, arguments, late-nights, frustration, chatting with friends, sifting through email, scratching in visio, printing things out and leaving them in a heap, scrounging for staples, catching buses, doing back and neck stretches etc., but that's all been left out for simplicity...)

Does giving it a name make it legitimate? Can I write a book on this and do a lecture tour now?

Next → ← Previous

My book "Choose Your First Product" is available now.

It gives you 4 easy steps to find and validate a humble product idea.

Learn more.

secretGeek.net