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<title>Thoughts on Better Communication ← Vinicius Horewicz</title>
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<h1>Thoughts on Better Communication</h1>
<time datetime="2014-09-22T00:00:00+02:00" pubdate>22 September 2014</time>
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<article>
<p>If I had to point one thing I value the most and strive to improve on
ever project I work, I would say it is: <strong>Better</strong> Communication.</p>
<p>I am purposely highlighting “Better” because communication is not,
thereby should never be treated as, a static asset. As peers who want to
convey a message, we ought to constantly look for means to improve and
do it as clear as possible.</p>
<p>We all have seen this before. Projects and products fail completely,
even when delivered on time and budget. How? Chiefly because people fail
to express themselves clearly, leading to misconceptions and unachieved
expectations.</p>
<p>There are plenty ways of communication: verbally, written, with
drawings, symbols, gestures; even a single look could say a lot.
Regardless the method, the message should always be <strong>objective</strong>,
<strong>clear</strong>, <strong>legible</strong> and <strong>meaningful</strong>. It is also important to use
the appropriate language the context demands.</p>
<p>Luckily there are a variety of tools to help. As a project manager,
defining an <a href="http://martinfowler.com/bliki/UbiquitousLanguage.html"><em>Ubiquitous
Language</em></a> can
make the conversation more objective and clear. The use of
<a href="http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/task-boards"><em>Storyboards</em></a>
and <em><a href="http://www.impactmapping.org/">Impact Mapping</a></em> gives a clear view
of the planning and current state of the project, and the relationship
and interaction of its roles. The use of <em><a href="http://www.acceptancetesting.info/">Specification by
example</a></em> helps turning abstract
requirements into realistic examples, defining a common ground for the
expectations of all parties.</p>
<p>When coding, we are communicating as well. Hence we should equally care
how good we are delivering our messages. As software developers, we
should strive to create simple—but also flexible and
adaptable—design to help convey our ideas. <a href="http://xprogramming.com/what-is-extreme-programming/#test"><em>Test-driven
development</em></a>
plays a vital role in this field. Code—<em>tests are code too!</em>—should
be <a href="https://leanpub.com/4rulesofsimpledesign">intention revealing and
DRY</a> with <a href="http://blog.thecodewhisperer.com/2013/12/07/putting-an-age-old-battle-to-rest/">improved
naming</a>.
Ultimately, as an avowed advocate of those, I could not miss mentioning
the use of <a href="http://www.poodr.com/"><em>Object-Oriented Design and
Programming</em></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavior-driven_development"><em>Behaviour-driven
Development</em></a>
and <a href="http://designpatternsinruby.com/">Design Patterns</a> to improve
software design, and therefore, its communication.</p>
<p>Humans are social animals. We gather together, we interact and
communicate . And we ought to do it effectively. Better Communication is
the key to successful projects, products and software. It deserves your
fully attention. Make no mistake about it.</p>
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