CommonVocabulary

UserPreferences

What is it?

• Guide all development with a simple shared story of how the whole system works.
• AKA Metaphor
• AKA System Of Names
• Architecture?
• Analogy (eg "this program is like an assembly line...")
• something that goes hand-in-hand with design

If this is a "best practice", then why don't people do it?

• not well explained or understood

How is it any different if done "eXtreme"?

• you would understand it and use it
• naming would be done more deeply / thoroughly
• more things would be named (such as anonymous classes)
• default names suggested by your IDE would be used less often
• would use and name more intermediate variables / methods

What other practices support this practice?

• SimpleDesign maybe?
• Having an OnSiteCustomer should encourage you to have a common vocabulary
• Refactoring should give you the willingness to rename things

What other practices are supported by this one?

• helps with ThePlanningGame
• helps communicate with the OnSiteCustomer
• helps do and shows up in SimpleDesign
• if done well, "future design changes tend to follow a convergent path"
• makes refactoring easier?
• helps programmers communicate when practicing PairProgramming, CollectiveOwnership and CodingStandards, especially with naming and design

How do I get started?

• Perhaps have your team study architectural and design patterns books or attend design patterns study groups to learn some lingo. See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/atlanta-dpsg/.

Next: SimpleDesign

-- AndrewFuqua - 31 Mar 2002