Fool Proof…or should It Be?

by Dwayne Phillips

Makers of systems might consider an old, old list when considering the -ilities or non-functional requirements.

“This system is fool proof!” said one person. The other person replied, “I know some pretty big fools.”—paraphrase from something written somewhere at sometime.

Considering the “fool proof” system brought to my mind a few questions like, “Is it greed proof, lazy proof, etc.?” Which led to the concept of the Seven Deadly Sins, which in one form or another are: lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, sloth, envy, pride.

Can we build systems that withstand any or all of these seven? But the people who use our systems are professional fill-in-the-blanks, dedicated to fill-in-this-blank-as-well. Hmmm, I’ve heard that before. I’ve also heard head shaking and eye rolling when those who said those things were filled with shock and dismay.

These things fall under non-functional requirements. The best-known of which is “easy to use.” “Our systems are easy to use,” claim the builders of systems. If it isn’t easy to use, the wrong person is trying to use it.

Perhaps the fool or angry person isn’t the right person to use the system I built. I can always claim such regardless of anyone believing me. Building systems for persons isn’t easy. We all have so many faults and bad days and such. Let’s try to be a little more forgiving.