On teaching the art of compromising in the development of external specifications
Izumi Kimura · ACM SIGDOC Asterisk Journal of Computer Documentation · 1978
Programming in the broader sense includes the development of an external specification. However, no systematic method has been known for training programmers in this side of programming.This paper presents a sample problem which, it is hoped, will be useful for improving the state of the art. The problem concerns the formatting of a letter. It is designed to require compromises between the implementor's and the user's convenience.The paper outlines a possible solution. It includes a coding example that uses a state diagram as a vehicle for pseudo-coding. It also describes a table driven technique and experiences with using the problem in a classroom and other environments.