Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology by Derek C. Schuurman

Author:Derek C. Schuurman [Schuurman, Derek C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Published: 2013-05-16T05:00:00+00:00

Lingual and Communication Norms

The lingual norm involves issues of information, understanding and open communication.[36] Computer technology relies heavily on lingual information and communication systems. Open communication implies that there is a clear channel of information and dialogue among the parties involved. Open and clear information about product specifications and performance, as well as terms of use, can help customers make informed choices. This norm involves showing care for our neighbor and telling the truth when communicating.

Open and clear communication is critical for design teams. In his book The Mythical Man-Month, Frederick Brooks speaks about his experiences managing large technology projects at IBM, and a major theme is the importance of communication among teams. He suggests that teams meet often and in different ways, including informally, in structured meetings and by shared documentation in a workbook.[37] Even with multiple channels of communication, failures still occur. In a subsequent book, The Design of Design, Brooks observes that we cannot communicate perfectly because human beings are fallen.[38]

The linguistic norm also applies to user manuals, user interfaces and online help resources. The primary purpose of user manuals is to provide clear instructions, and the goal of a well-designed user interface is to help users understand clearly how a program operates. Error reports in software systems should do more than a “core dump” by providing helpful and understandable messages and warnings.[39]

Communication norms are also relevant to programming languages, file formats and protocols.[40] For instance, standardized file formats can help people to communicate and exchange ideas more easily.[41] Considerations need to be made in programming languages so that programmers can use powerful yet unambiguous statements when coding. Early programming languages required programmers to write code using primitive low-level machine instructions. Many modern programming languages provide high-level instructions that enable programmers to write instructions more naturally.[42] Finally, to improve computer-to-computer communications, network protocols need to be concise and fault-tolerant so that computers can reliably exchange information. In large public networks like the World Wide Web, the protocols need to be open and well documented so different machines of different architectures from different vendors can enable people to electronically communicate with each other.

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