Golden Rules
Swierstra
-- DoaitseSwierstra - 17 Oct 2003
DRAFT
Store once
Explanation: A lot of information is stored at several different places. Before implementing a new system it should be checked whether the information is already stored somewhere. Each system explains how it contributes to the university-wide ER model.No write-only data bases
Explanation: Many people have to provide information, that is subsequently inaccessible and thus of no use to them. This promotes data duplication, and also makes it impossible to check whether the information stored in correct. This is a source of inconsistencies. Examples are:- marks given to students are invisible to lecturers
- financial project information is inaccesible to project leaders
- information provided to the personnel department is inaccesible to managers
No hidden information
Explanation: Everyone should has access to all information the university has stored about him/her. This includes:- data for "ambtsjubilea"
- results of R&O meetings
- travel information
- past career
- publications
- project participation
- courses taught
- ...
All system are accesssible through a web-browser and generate standard HTML
Explanation: obvious. In the past too often special purpose programs have been written for entering data. The use of non-standard HTML and non-standard Javascript should be abandoned. Systems shoud be checked against several different web browsers.Open discussion
Explanation: For each system there exists a discussion board where users/maintainers/managers/developers can:- ask questions about its use
- make suggestions about improvements or next steps to be taken
- discuss propreties/features
- jointly build documentation