The customer -- usually someone from IT -- has met with the users, and determined what their problem is and what is required to solve it. This is the standard procedure, but it rarely works out well. Here are some scenarios and some coping strategies. After some hand-wringing about scope and budget …

First, let's pick the conclusion out of the middle: "However, the computation for the first and last business day of the month is trivial. So, just codify this."

Since we still lack any usable context, we're struggling with the definition of basic terms. Is this the calendar month, or the …

"But Apple, stubbornly hanging on to its need to control the user experience, creates meshed hardware and software systems that deprive businesses of the flexibility to find the best balance of hardware, operating system and applications for the job at hand."

Good point, but only half the story.

Apple needs …

Here's the example:

"I need to calculate first 'business day' of the month. Last 'business day', too."

Note that the problem which this solves is unstated. Why does anyone need to "calculate" this?

Here's a single tidbit of technical context, not useful really, but all I know: it's a polyglot …

See /dev/null 's post "And the Braindead Award goes to... " for an interesting tale of things that turn up in spite of 100% test coverage.

Here's the recap:

1. They have 100% test coverage.
2. Yet, they uncovered an error in an abstract superclass.

How is this possible? How was it …

When we're Holding the Hammer, everything's a nail. There are a number of supporting arguments for this. I won't beat down the All Those Features™ decision-making pattern again. That, and some part of Tomorrow's Dollars Don't Exist™ decision-making pattern are in "Is it Over-Solving or Exploiting Technology? "

From Improving-NAO : "I …

One of the best ways to avoid problem solving is to treat the problem as fluff. Often, our users begin the conversation with this assumption, and we play along. Other times, we make this choice because we're just too lazy (or negligent) to make an effort.

Here's how it plays …

Here's a snip from a comment:

"... over-solving the problem is writing a bunch of custom code (the file readers and writers) when there is already a perfectly good mechanism available for all of the persistence, reliability, repeatability and scalability issues. To me, if my application has already been designed to …

It appears that I may have been doing the right thing in putting together Building Skills in Object-Oriented Design . Expertise is grown through "effortful study" of the material. Experts search through their long-term memory for applicable patterns, based on their study.

The idea of many exercises, each exposing a piece …

Why does IT have such a high turnover?

• Technology appeal?
• Money?
• Boredom?

No. None of those. We can look at Maslow, but it's too high-level.

• Self-Actualization?
• Self-Esteem?
• Belonging?
• Safety and Security?
• Physical Needs?

Most IT jobs pay pretty well, above the median income. Look at MCP Magazine or InformationWeek , for …