The Inmates are Running the Asylum, Chapters 6-7

Reference Information
The Inmates Are Running the Asylum
Cooper, Alan
Sams Publishing, 2004


Summary
Chapter six, which shares the same title as the book, really introduces the main point of the entire work. The author states that the current poor usability of software systems is a direct result of the engineers being the interface designers instead of using interaction testing. Even the best specifications cannot make up for a lack of interaction testing. The system designer will always favor whatever is easier to implement, even at the expense of usability. The author says that you can "expect what you inspect", meaning that if the design team ignores the user interaction, the resulting software will be frustrating to use for the average user. Programmers are the typical interaction designers, and they build the interface that is suitable for them and others like them (power users). The difficulty that programmers have in designing both the software and the interaction is that these two aspects require to completely different viewpoints: that of the hardware and that of the user (human). The programmer is trained to focus on the mathematical and engineering side of software development, which is represented by hardware-level thinking. However, with the decline of computing costs, it is now more expensive to program for maximal efficiency while ignoring usability. The author actually recommends writing the program in as simple way possible so as to focus on usability and trusting to powerful modern computers to be able to handle its inefficiencies. The interface and back-end should not be thought of as two distinct parts of the project. He claims that the failure of engineering methods in solving these problems is proof that engineering methods cannot solve these problems.


Chapter seven, entitled Homo Logicus, emphasizes the differences in mentality between programmers and the average software user. Programmers trade simplicity for control and success for understanding. The author offers a simple "test", which he calls the Jetway Test: upon entering an airplane, a person has a choice of entering the cockpit or going into the cabin. The author claims that programmers would prefer to enter the cockpit (symbolizing control) and normal people would choose to sit in coach. Programmers like to have control over things that interest them, the more complex and deterministic the system, the better. The cost of this control is increased effort and complexity. Most people, however, seek simplicity and will trade control to achieve it. Programmers seek understanding, while most people look for success. The programmer designs the interface of the product to mimic its internal workings, which is perfectly reasonable from his point-of-view. Programmers also despise edge cases. The author claims that programmers become the jocks of the adult world because of their increased intelligence and arrogance.


Opinion
These two chapters lacked much useful material. The most interesting part was the difference in psychology between programmers and normal people. Obviously, many of these stereotypes apply to myself and many of my friends.

Programmers: different than normal people