This morning on the Subway, I read Brian Marick's paper, Methodology Work Is Ontology Work in which he says:
I'm particularly interested in unreflective actions, actions people take because they are the obvious thing to do in a situation, given the way the world is.
I think this is a fantastic observation. Brian goes on to build a whole methodology "toolkit", covering a lot of ground from how we learn best practices to what is the best number of core values in a methodology (4), but I think this one quote makes the whole paper.
I cannot count the number of times that I tried to engineer a situation so that the only choice is the correct choice. This one concept may be applied to user interface design, architectural design, and code construction. It reminds me of manufacturing's poka-yoke, a device intended to prevent mistakes.
I wonder what changes I can make in my personal and professional life, so that I choose the correct action without reflection?
