[IxDA Discuss] Alan Cooper on Software Design: Code=Design?

[Rich Rogan]

In Coopers article he seems to "Jump the Shark", (makes assumptions that
have little relevance to most companies I've worked for), when he writes:

"Of course you can see how both of these problems, (engineers don't know
how/can't follow design), would stem from the same root: if a programmer has
never learned to follow a written design, then he would structure his daily
work to do without. He would attempt to do the necessary design himself,
concurrent with the construction effort. *And that is exactly what
programmers at all levels and in all sub-disciplines of computer programming
do*: *they design code at the same time as they build it.* If we could
untangle these two parts of the programming job, we could begin to defeat
the apocalyptic horsemen."

He then goes on to identify two types of engineers which I have always heard
called "Engineers", (Cooper calls them "builders") and "Architects", (Cooper
calls them "designers").

Every place I've worked at/heard of, that was a professional/respectable
software co., not in ultra start up mode, did upfront design, besides
"Architectural Software" design. It seems he is implying that "Interaction
Design" as a profession is some new concept, which few software
engineers/projects have heard of or incorporate.

This seems to be very old news, and not really relevant in todays market, or
do I just work for ultra bleeding edge organizations when it comes to
process? I like Alan's premise of promoting our discipline, but he seems to
be looking from the past, (very far past in SW terms - 10 yrs back or so).

Did anyone else get this from the article?
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