Course:
TDD for Embedded C
Date entered:
2020-02-18 14:41:39 UTC
Course rating:
Very Good
Most useful learnings:
Approaching the development of a complex task with very small steps
Concepts v exercises:
Good balance
Presentation v discussion:
Good balance
Course improvements:
I think the course is put together well and serves the topic as expected. I think there could be further added value by pressing the concept of TDD beyond the particulars of the exercise domain and into the general problem solving space.
An example may be to consider how really any work that sets out to accomplish a task (design intention) is in fact Test Driven... as there must be a vision of the end product that operates as a setpoint whereby the error signal is continuously monitored to shape the intermediate products to the final form. The designer is constantly "testing" the current stage of the product against the goal, though these tests are not formalized in a computer language, they do exist in practice.
TDD in embedded offers the context to articulate the tests as "shaping" elements, like a potter working clay and each revolution of the workpiece pressing against the "test" of the hands which are effecting the final vision incrementally.
Exercise rating:
Very Good
Exercise improvements:
Better overview of the files in the CyberDojo exercises. For each of the 3 exercises, there was a good bit of time "getting oriented" and establishing where to do the work of adding code.
I also found a difficult tendency to "code ahead" of the exercise, and while a great measure of this comes from the paradigmatic inertia I was bringing in, it could help to have a bit more heads up of the scope of the expected code, possibly showing an example of what would be too much code for a given stage.
Instructor comments:
Personable and enjoyable to spend time with, and successful communicating the information
Better prepared:
Bring it on!
Start tomorrow:
I'm already gaining benefits from being justified to start with smaller steps and not build so many monoliths.
Challenges to applying:
Bringing the "test" formalization to a higher realization in environments that dont have test frameworks.
Other comments:
We had some internet trouble, but it was helpful to keep track with the PDF slides and the instructions within the exercises.
Legacy code workshop:
No
Recommend to others:
Yes
Quote permission:
Yes