Isn't that neat!!!

Application developers (programmers) are susceptible to a disease called "Isn't that neat!". It results in features that don't really do much for the user, or that work in funny ways that make them hard to use. The developer's satisfaction comes from having done a good job on the new feature, without thinking too much about the poor user. This disease is sneaky, and it strikes with out warning. By the time the developer realizes he has caught it, a lot of time and/or work has gone down the drain, and users may be unhappy. The bruises that appear are usually on the ego.

I know all this because I have been there. I have been working on Rods Railroad Directory for a long time, and I have gone through several major changes, sometimes making it better, and sometimes making it (much) worse. Over this period of time, I have learned a lot about how to make the data entry easier while making the search much more effective.

An discussion can be found on my Yahoo! group, indexguy, where I suggest a way to compare indices. The more consistent the results of a search, the better.

The antidote for this disease is to step back as far as you can from the project. Then, look at the neats with a very critical eye. Look at them through your users' eyes. Talk to your users and value their opinions. Will the neats be of any real use, or will they just stroke your ego? Will they help your users do what they have to, or want to, do? Keep a tight rein on your enthusiasm for new features.

Rod Goodwin
indexguy