Why use Whole Brain Programming

Why do I use the whole brain for programming rather than the traditional left brain skills such as logical thinking and syntax? Because it makes for better programs and happier clients. For example a right brain tool such as mindmapping lets me diagram out website requirements in a visual format. I can't explain why but I come up with more new ideas and connections in a 2-D mindmap than I do in a 1-D bulletted list. Perhaps it is seeing “distant” items on the mindmap and being able to consider them as being linked. Or perhaps it is the easy way it is to move branches of a mindmap around the diagram. Whatever the reason it leads to better software design and better group meetings too.

Similarly I find the use of wireframes and exact HTML prototypes allows for a quantum level improvement of client to programmer communication over the traditional heavy document specs. No matter how detailed a spec document is written it seems that it is impossible for clients to visualize how the software will be in real use until after it is written. Of course that is too late in the project and leads to proejct failure (either an budget overrun or project cancelation or even worse shelfware software that end users don't use). But the hands on clickablity of a wireframe or a prototype lets all project stakeholders give feedback earlier in our software development process. As they used to say in old day New York politics “Feedback early, Feedback often”!

If you are interested in other whole brain programming techniques I will be speaking about it at CFUNITED/Express Chicago in a few weeks.