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I don't have any book recommendations, but I have done this kind of development many times in my 25+ year career. My degree is in chemistry, and I have worked on scientific software in the past.
I start by collecting a list of "stuff the software needs to do". It is a high level list of what the scientist wants the software to do, such as "document some stuff", "read data from instruments", "perform calculations", "output reports". Explore each of these areas with the scientist to get more detail. Try to get an idea for the type of data you will need to handle in each "stuff the software needs to do" (network data, document data, key/value pair data, or maybe just regular old rdbms data). Now that you have a better idea about what needs to be done and what kind of data you will be handling, try to imagine the types of software best suited for each of the things (web ui/ mobile app/ databases/ services).
You should start imagining how the different pieces will interact with each other, and deciding on an architecture for ui/data/services. There may be many different pieces, and each of them may use different tools (db, ui, services). Try to split out reusable parts into services so you can use them from web, desktop, or mobile clients; you can always run the services locally if you end up with a desktop-only system.
Now as you start, keep things as simple as possible; do not introduce ANY unneeded complexity (especially imagined future complexity). If you include complexity early, design changes will be MUCH more difficult as you continue, but if you keep it simple as you go, it will be easy to modify as you discover new necessary features. Simplicity goes for the data as well; do not introduce some large db framework early, but wait until as late as possible. For example, with .Net, linq2sql is simple and flexible for fast progress. You may need to change to Entity Framework later, but it is much easier to update data structures in linq2sql than in Entity Framework (which has some issues with the update process). This will keep progress moving forward without drag from tool issues as changes will be happening very quickly in the early stages.
As you continue, you will be able to refine your ideas about the amount of work involved, the time it will take to complete, and start setting milestones for continued development.
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Thanks for the ideas, Scott. It's that starting paragraph that I am wrestling with right now (compiling the "what it needs to do" list). I suppose I was hoping for some step-by-step guidelines to help me navigate that jungle. But I guess it probably just boils down to good ol' brainstorming.
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Not a book, but Joel Spolsky wrote a lot about the development of FogBugz and the ideas behind it. His weblog should be somewhere on Google and has some blogs on design and marketing decisions.
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Yeehaw, Raddevus! That indeed looks like a great resource -- Chapter Six in particular ("The Inception Phase") looks like it contains exactly what I was hoping for!
Thank you very much!
(Now how do I "accept" your answer? )
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kdmote wrote: The Inception Phase") looks like it contains exactly what I was hoping for!
I thought that was phase you'd be interested in. Glad to help. Enjoy. It really is a very readable book.
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kdmote wrote: Now how do I "accept" your answer Hover to the upper left and you will see a green/red arrows, alright triangles, click the green one. The red one has been disabled due to abuse. This up ticks his reputation which is the only way to reward a good response.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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Wouldn't the duckies prefer to see where they're going rather than where they've been?
I am not a number. I am a ... no, wait!
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:duck:
:duckies:
:quack:
Worth a shot
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Comedian, singer and writer Victoria Wood has died after "a short but brave" battle with cancer aged 62.
Very sad news, I always enjoyed her style - outwardly very posh delivery of pure unadulterated smut[^].
veni bibi saltavi
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Please look down 2 threads...
There are two types of people in this world: those that pronounce GIF with a soft G, and those who do not deserve to speak words, ever.
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In my defence, look over there A FISH ->
[Vilmos runs and hides]
veni bibi saltavi
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You found it[^]!
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
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I have a fear of speed humps, but I'm slowly getting over it.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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You should think that they could put up a warning sign, but instead they always put up the Nude Beach Ahead[^] sign!
Warning: Link totally SFW!
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant Anonymous
- The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine Winston Churchill, 1944
- I'd just like a chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Me, all the time
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You misspelled word "beach" - s/ea/it/
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Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant Anonymous
- The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine Winston Churchill, 1944
- I'd just like a chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Me, all the time
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I have got speed humped for posting question
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You'll get over it slowly...
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant Anonymous
- The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine Winston Churchill, 1944
- I'd just like a chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Me, all the time
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The latest reincarnation of ORT, I suspect...
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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Could be...
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant Anonymous
- The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine Winston Churchill, 1944
- I'd just like a chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Me, all the time
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What hump?
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
"When you have eliminated the JavaScript, whatever remains must be an empty page." -- Mike Hankey
If a coffee bean is between the Earth and the Sun, is it a Java Eclipse? -- Sascha Lefèvre
/xml>
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