At SPA Software in Practice in London, I joined Tim Bourguignon yesterday for “How Would YOU Call This Workshop?” (abstract, slides).

  • Open -> Time consuming
    • waffle on
  • Close to enable
    • to confirm
    • limits spectrum
    • leading
  • Open to explore
  • Closed-open to lead
  • Open as inclusion mechanism
  • Open -> new ideas
Question Formulation Technique
  • Other contexts as well
  • inquirer controls at the beginning
  • Open-closed || Closed-open
  • check with closed, why then…
  • Beware of closed questions (Bias)
  • Beware to check a common vocabulary
Architecture Investigation Exercise

Today, he joined me for “Strangle Your Legacy Code” (abstract, slides), where we added features to an old SMTP server without modifying its code.

Strangle Your Legacy Code

SPA was small, participatory, conversational, practical. And the Unbelievable Knuth game show (photo) with John Nolan, Rachel Davies, Duncan McGregor, and Nat Pryce was made from equal parts expertise and whimsy. I’ve had a lovely time. And my coding tour is finally at hand! Tomorrow’s the first (miniature) stop: a one-day visit to the UK’s Government Digital Service.