Anders Ramsay andersr

##Some ways to iteratively reduce your code distance:

pair with developers
learn to write pseudo code
integrate live style guides into your practice
try designing and implementing a very small, very simple app (better yet, pair w someone doing it.)

##The client's description of the problem

>A major challenge for us is adding new employees to our HR system, which is connected payroll, benefits, email, and many other internal system. Currently, this is a manaul process, involving the security staff, IT, and HR personnel. It’s very time-consuming and it leads to delays in new employees having access to internal tools. The main goal of the tool is to provide new employees with an Employee ID. After that, we need to use that ID to give them access based on their department, role, and level of seniority. For example, a VP of Engineering will get all kinds of admin-level access to a range of internal systems, while, say, a product manager, would likely only get access to email, the intranet, and a few other services. In order to provide the ID, we have to confirm their identity. This can be done using either the last four of their SSN, valid driver’s license number, or a valid passport number. We use an external service to confirm that this number match

##Code Distance Activity

Grab a stickie.
Write on your stickie what you see as your code distance.
Place your stickie where you see yourself in relationship to actual code/working software.
Let's hear some of your stories...

##What's Your Code Distance?

How removed you are (or not) from the production code in a project you currently are working on, OR...
Your general level of coding experience (eg "I know some HTML/CSS", "I use jquery for prototyping", "I work closely w devs but have no code experience.")
Other "distances" are also important, eg: Content Distance User Distance, Market Distance, Community Distance, but today we're focusing on code distance.

##Goals

Uncover some costs for UX designers of not understanding how developers work, think, etc.
Provide some insights, tools, practices that might better enable UX designers to collaborate more effectively with developers.

##Links

##Pseudo Code Basics: Everyone will have their own approach. This is mine...

Break a large problem (epic) down into smaller and smaller pieces.
Define major entities you're working with and attributes you currently know about.
Don’t try to figure out all the details up-front.
Pick one thing to explore in greater detail and break that down to atomic-level detail.
What is the default state?
What is a triggering event/input for the thing we're currently exploring?
Use small blocks of Boolean logic (IF ELSE AND OR) to express the atomic level design.

#Explain to an Alien How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

An alien is positioned in front of a table.
On the table is a plate, a knife, a jar of jelly, a jar of peanut butter, and a loaf of bread.
The alien can read and recognize English and English grammar, but may not understand what specific words mean.

##Your assignment

Pair up
Together, create a list of instructions for making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

	before_save :generate_title_slug

	protected

	def generate_title_slug
	title_slug = self.title.downcase.strip.truncate(50)

	#replace spaces with dashes
	title_slug.gsub! " ", "-"

	# disable submit unless all fields with .require_field class have values
	$(document).ready ->

	total_required_fields = 0

	$( ".required_field" ).each ->

	total_required_fields += 1

	if $(this).val().trim().length == 0

	describe "Cut two slices of bread and place on the plate" do

	it "grasps the Knife in a cutting grasp" do {
	#code that attempts to complete this task
	#if it passes, it returns something to hte effect of "test passed"
	#if it fails, it returns a message like "grasps the Knife in a cutting grasp" failed, for the following reasons, eg no 'No Knife was found'
	}

	# Grasp the bread-loaf and place it on the table, such that it is directly below the knife.
	# Position the bread-loaf such that it is perpendicular to the cutting edge of the knife and move the bread-loaf laterally until only a half inch is below the knife.