Who Do You Consider When Writing A Program?

Hi fellas,

Who do you consider when writing a programme as regards to interface, yourself or the end user? please back your answer with reasonable arguments. Enjoy

End user interface never urs at all

When writing your codes the first person to consider is the user, as your not writing it for yourself, then comes the limits which the machine or technology your using affords u, then comes the law, what contents could u place in accordance with the rules and regulation of the industry, company or goverment on the site your developing. When all this is considered and u have a proper road map of your design, then comes the final question what can u as a proprammer implement based on the resources available to u, which includes payment for the job by your client, what u know as a programmer.

I hope i answered your question.

The rule of any business is your customer first. When a an organisation (be it one man business or programmer) does not consider its customers the only reason could be that it is monopolising the business, and that only leaves plenty of room for serious minded competitors, who would consider the customer first.

But if your looking at programming in the Nigerian setting, which I was quite familiar with before leaving, most clients dont really know what the solution they require should look like, they only know what they want it to be able to do, so most most times design is solely left to the discretion of the programmer. And as the saying goes, a thief always thinks everyone is a thief. So a programmer that wasn't given specification on how the interface should look like, believes the client is as smart as himself and tries to implement his own thought as the interface.

But I must let you know that this always happens with softwares, the programmer always implements his own thoughts, it is only when his thought has being implemented and the client has made a trial of this implementation, then and only then can the client start giving suggestions and making modifications, and at this stage u say the software is evolving. That is why before softwares are finally realesed to the market you always have a beta version for potential users to try out and make comments before  a final version is realised given consideration to reasonable comments from customers.

That is why applications has versions, as the knowledge of the programmer increases so does the undestanding and the wants of the client increases.

I hope this answers your question.

Sooo,

Since the question is "who" and not "what", then the end user/customer should *always* be the "who".  If you are in a situation where they are carefree/confused about the software they want you to write, it is your duty to teach them (aka "knowledge transfer" or "training session(s)").  That way, they don't come back to you with every little question which further reinforces their trust in you.

If you are ever in a situation where you feel the end user doesn't know what they want, it wouldn't hurt to walk them through likely scenarios.  That way, you are not going back to make modification upon modification due to misunderstood/miscommunicated requirements.  If you are producing something for which human contact isn't possible, then, as has been said above, a beta release is the way to go.  Through feedback, you inculcate all the changes you feel are warranted (so for example, you wouldn't give the customer John the Baptist's head on a platter just because that's what they said they wanted ) before releasing the final product.

I hope this helps.

@my2cents : you got it

but that's what alot of programmers here in nija don't think of. Infact it's one of thereasons why i came up with this question. they always try to impose their ideas on their clients irrespective of whether it suits the solution to their problems or not. I believe the end user interface is basically the most important part of your program to the client becos that's what he sees and communicates with. the  engine is not his problem.

@aisha2: Hope programs will be embedded in your projects soon. and always get the question before an anwser. lol

Both- the user and the developer. The user because you need to satisfy their demand and then yourself because man must wack.

Dont let it bother ya, ok

If you are financially bouyant enough to afford your own programme Then
              you can put a mirror in front of you when writing your programme.
              Else
              Start thinking of you client before you get "bankrupt"
End If

I am actually thinking of an online helpline

@Aisha!!! please we need to talk my sister. i really need your advice and guidance on allot of things. Please!!!

You can get me on sirkwoo6@yahoo.com
amaikama@gmail.com
amaikama06@hotmail.co.uk

messenger sirkwoo6

Regards.