Re: Programmers -> Engineers; Engineers -> Programmers

[steved@pacifier.com@199.2.117.163 (Steve Doiel)]

James Krell writes:
>Let's say an organization is developing software for a radar system...
>Is it better to take engineers/scientists who understand the system
>and teach them how to program?  Or is it better to take programmers
>and teach them about the radar system?
>
>Another example.. what if an organization is developing a command
>and control system? Is it better to take individuals who know the
>tactical and technical  aspects of the command and control system 
>and teach them how to program or is it better to take programmers 
>and teach them about the command and control system?
>
Opinion:

I hope the use of plural for programmers and engineers is intentional.  The
best answer is of course to get a mix of individuals on a team.  Let those
who are strong in software map out the software design.  Those that are
knowledgable about the problem offer guidance and work with the
programmers.

Experience:
Personally I am a programmer type, so there's my bias.  I can say from
experience that I have had to bat cleanup a number of times on programs
that were started by engineers trained in other disciplines.

By the same token, I have also had to bat cleanup for programs written by
people trained for the software profession.  So where does that leave you?

I have found that it depends very much on the individual.  But as I said in
my opening "opinion", the best is to get a mix, but I think you should lean
toward the software expert for doing software.

Steve Doiel