Thanks for your thoughts. Three thoughts in return:

1) Re: the dysfunctional workplace: I don’t think the authors speak directly to this subject, but they do talk about re-engineering–the process oriented cure-all of the 1990s. I think that they touch on the need for peer communication in that chapter, if only to discuss how re-engineering (and all process oriented solutions) ignore that.

2) I imagine that engineers who build cars have to deal with much the same issues as developers who build business applications; both types of techies are so involved in the product that they can’t see the forest for the trees. Translation will always be difficult (and your skills always needed!), I’m afraid. I think it’s a thought process thing.

3) I can’t believe you’re struggling through “The Sparrow.” I can’t put that book down to save my life–every time I pick it up I end up re-reading it. But to the point, there’s no Cliff Notes version of this book that I know of, but some of the chapters are available online, here: http://www.slofi.com/toc.htm. If you want an idea of the major themes behind the book, read chapter one.

1) does the book say anything about working in an office environment where huddling doesn’t occur? this happened at comcast, and to some extent it happens where i am now. after my experiences at XOR, it’s very hard for me to adapt. coworkers are no more than their job descriptions, and “human moments” are few and far between, even among team members.

2) as i work with the developers to integrate their applications into the new web site, i often find myself explaining why their perfectly rational technical solution won’t work when our intended audience has to use it. sometimes it can be just as hard translating a non-technical user-interface need into something a developer can understand as it is to translate “programese” into English. glad to see somebody pointing this out.

3) i want to believe your book review and add this to my book list, but i’m still struggling through “The Sparrow.” i place some of the blame on Dan Brown – he caused me to develop attention deficit reading disorder. do you think there’s a cliff notes version of “The Social Life of Information”?