[Sigia-l] What do you call that place between the database and the live site?

[Adrian Howard]

On 14 May 2007, at 19:01, Lisa Goldberg wrote:

> Jay,
>
> I have a few thoughts regarding the "sandbox" thread. I am an IA  
> who has a
> fair amount of experience working with custom content management  
> systems. I
> also worked briefly in a RUP environment, so I think I understand  
> where
> you're coming from. However, IMO the "sandbox" environment does not  
> add much
> to the UCD process until you are near the end of the design cycle  
> and can
> usability-test your designs for validation.

If you're working in a more iterative way with the development team,  
and are continually refining working prototypes as part of the design  
process its value rises rapidly.

> Furthermore, if usability testing uncovers serious problems,  
> changes might
> be required to the requirements as well as the design. Is it  
> worthwhile to
> set up that sandbox until you have validated the design and  
> requirements in
> the first place?

In my opinion the time for developer sandboxes is as soon as  
development starts happening. They should be standard good practice.

And it shouldn't be a huge effort - this shouldn't be rocket science  
these days. Change control is hardly a new discipline.

> Someone mentioned the problem of content not fitting the templates. A
> sandbox tool would be helpful in that situation. But even better  
> would be a
> fully developed UCD process so that you don't run into those snags  
> with a
> content-driven site. Templates should not be developed until content
> requirements are in place.
[snip]

Ah. You must live in that nice land where requirements don't change.  
I wish I could visit :-)

Cheers,

Adrian