Can there be art without engineering? Can there be engineering without art? These were some of the questions Dave Thomas asked in his keynote last night at RailsConf Europe.
Comparing software developers to artists, Dave likened the tools of the developer to those of the artist. Our canvas, a blank screen, our brushes, languages and frameworks. He discussed how we too have writers block, overcome with rapid prototyping, something Rails excels at with scaffolding. By getting something into or editor, we break down the blocks and start to see how we might approach a new project. Dave then went on to discuss how we can learn from the master artist Michelangelo.
When he was commissioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, I am sure that Michelangelo, at first, looked at the task as a rather large one. There were two possible approaches: take the ceiling as a whole, or break the task into smaller portions. He chose the latter. Taking a modular approach, Michelangelo depicted a portion of the Genesis story on each panel. Taken individually, the panels stand alone; taken as a whole, the viewer gets the entire story. This is the same way in which modular software design works. Each piece performs a single, specialized function (a module), and is then tied into the program as a whole. Programming in this way also allows a more iterative approach, which simply means that you develop the application piece by piece.
Know when to stop. Sometimes, we have to step away from the keyboard. Did your mother ever tell you to go outside and get some sun? Mine did, and only now do I see how wise this simple phrase is. By stepping away from a challenge for a few moments, we are able to refocus our efforts and come back with fresh eyes and a clear mind.
Dave went on to say something that I have been hearing at a lot of developer conferences – satisfy the customer. As each customer is different, it is up to us to delve deeper into what will satisfy them. We must look underneath the layers of requirements and the “I want” phrases that cloud our conversations. This is what separates those who paint portraits and those who take pictures. They look for what is underneath. By doing this, we can discover what our customers need truly are, and work to satisfy those. This results in a win-win situation.
Dave Thomas concluded by telling us that there is art in engineering, and engineering in art. One cannot truly exist without the other. He then left us with words of inspiration:
Be an artist
Create something great
Create something beautiful
Sign it, be proud of what you have created
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