A Time-Saving Programming Tactic that Doesn?t Work

Let's say that you have a software project that's under severe time pressure. Let's say that this deadline is so tight that you already know it will involve many late nights of black coffee and frenetic programming. What can you do to make this process go faster?

I honestly don't know, since the correct answer will depend on one's individual circumstances. However, I can tell you how many programmers do respond under such circumstances. They decide to save time by skipping over the software planning and design phase, and immediately start coding away.

To an inexperienced or otherwise undisciplined programmer, this seems to make sense. After all, the finished product is what truly matters, right? The customer doesn't care about flowcharts, class diagrams or software architectures. All they want is something that works.

It seems to make sense, but it's a foolhardy approach. That way lies madness. We've all heard that an ounce of planning is worth a pound of cure, but in the world of software development, this adage is often forgotten.

If a real estate developer needs to get a house built quickly, does he save time by skipping over the architectural design phase? Does he decide to dispense with blueprints, and just start laying down concrete? Of course not. He knows that the results would be chaotic, and that work will progress more slowly without careful forethought and a concrete plan.

Yet that's the approach that many people take when it comes to software. They decide to just start coding away, thinking that this makes the software development process more efficient. On fairly simple projects, this might work. On anything of moderate complexity though, such an approach is doomed to fail. Sure, you may save time at first. However, without a concrete software plan and a carefully considered design, problems are bound to catch up with you before long. Many of these problems won't become clear until the testing phase comes around, and by then, it may be too late.

Sadly, such reckless thinking is often encouraged in the corporate world. Due to time constraints, a misguided manager may instruct his team to skip over the design work and just start hacking away. This makes the team seem focused and productive, but this strategy can wreak havoc on the project timeline. What's more, the resultant code is often a tangled, poorly documented, chaotic mess. If this software must be maintained for years to come, then you have a recipe for disaster.

Mind you, I'm not saying that an elaborate design is always necessary. If time is short, then one might not have the luxury of an intricate software plan with exhaustive design documentation. However, one should at least have a general software architecture laid out-one which is detailed enough to make the software development process smoother and easier. Programmers rarely err on the side of over-planning, but they frequently fall into the trap of insufficient design detail. Don't make this mistake, if you really want to save time.

About The Author

V. Berba Velasco Jr. is proud to work as a senior electrical and software engineer at Cellular Technology Ltd (http://www.immunospot.com, http://www.elispot-analyzers.de, http://www.elispot.cn) a biotechnology company that prides itself on its standards of excellence.

In The News:

pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


5 Tips To Get More Out Of Your Work Day

It's easy to waste time on things that seem urgent... Read More

The Rule of Three

It's amazing how many sayings there are in our culture... Read More

Schedule Time for Interruption

One of the most challenging situations people face when planning... Read More

Benefits of Speed Reading

In this digital age, the importance of being able to... Read More

Pacing Yourself Through Change

OK...let's assume that you're truly motivated to change. Great. But... Read More

Time Management - How To Get More Done In A Day?

Everyday, in life, we are bombarded with 101 tasks that... Read More

Effective Time Management - Delegating Techniques

Do you manage your time or does your time manage... Read More

Handling Procrastination

"TIME CANNOT BE 'MANAGED.' THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TIME MANAGEMENT... Read More

How Are You Viewing Your Time?

In working with and coaching people across the country, one... Read More

3 Ways To Do More With Less Time

We live in a world where more is expected of... Read More

Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination, the habit of putting tasks off to the last... Read More

Low Tech Time Management

A simple kitchen gadget is transforming my life. I don't... Read More

How A Simple Four-Letter List Can Make or Break Your Business

One of the biggest problems most people have when it... Read More

10 Tips on the Right Time of Day for Your Personal Best

Does choosing which time we do an activity really make... Read More

Time Management: Eliminate Time Killers to Gain More Hours Every Day

There are two types of time killers in everyone's life.... Read More

Doing Things We Dread

As I sit here in front of the computer... Read More

Increasing Your ROI

All requests are not equal; all customers or clients are... Read More

What is ?Life Balance? and How Can You Attain It?

We all face decisions that involve doing things that affect... Read More

A Fatal Mistake that Can Cost You Your Business ? And More

Whether you're a new business owner or if you have... Read More

Busy, Busy, Busy

?busy, busy, busy, busy, busy?busy, busy, bus? OK, slap me... Read More

Organization Tips That Add More Hours To Your Day

One of the most common complaints that small business owners... Read More

Boost Your Productivity with Sixty Minutes A Day

How you spend the first sixty minutes of your day... Read More

Todays Overload: Tommorrow

Whatever providence has in store for us tomorrow is not... Read More

Time Management? NO!

Many people want to be coached to manage their time... Read More

7 Reasons to Take Breaks at Work

My job in Chicago began with three months of probation.I... Read More

Productivity at Home

Increased productivity, the ability to get more value for our... Read More

Expand Your Time

In our time-crazed society, lots of time is what most... Read More

Controlling Family Chaos - Time Management for the Family

Balancing a family's varying schedules can be near impossible. Soccer,... Read More

Whats Keeping You At The Office (9 Tips To Get Home Quicker)

"Work smarter, not harder" is a cliché that has darted... Read More

Time Management Mastery

From Potential to PerformanceOne of the great things about life... Read More

Hows YOUR Productivity?

Microsoft wanted to know how individuals around the world were... Read More

Webmaster or Web Slave? Time Saving Tips for Cyberpreneurs

Time is money in your online business, just as in... Read More

Reading -- 10 Ways to Find The Time

Why Read?It's been said that there are three kinds of... Read More