Stuff that every programmer should know: Data Visualization

Re:Stuff that every programmer should know: Data Visualization by NamTaf on Wednesday July 30, 2014 @03:12AM (#8106779)

You know that friction between programmers and management in getting managers to understand what you're wanting to do? That's a visualisation problem. The ability to sell your ideas usually boils down to how you present your case to management.

One of the things I've picked up more recently is to take a presentation or whatnot and mentally block all but the top 10-20%. If I can't get the bird's eye summary of what each slide needs to say there, then my manager won't understand the story. They're {busy|lazy} and don't care to read the entire slide - that's all chaff for the underlings to digest so they know the finer details.

So for a programmer, one of the biggest uses of good visualisation skills is the selling of ideas. A good plot goes a long way in convincing someone of something.

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Re:Stuff that every programmer should know: Data Visualization by vehementi on Wednesday July 30, 2014 @11:50AM (#8108908)

I've succumbed to this way of thinking too (permit the manager to underperform) but I feel it's a lowering of standards and the manager is not doing her job. I wish there was push back against this, like there is push back against developers not writing unit tests or fixing bugs, rather than acceptance with a sigh.

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