The Design Is Not The Problem.

When working with a complicated system, investigate if the complexity is due to the difficulty of the problem or if it’s artificial.

People vary in their skills, abilities, and experience. When you have to work with what they have produced, or when you inherit their solutions, begin by understanding the person who designed it, if possible.

• Are they curious?
• Are they clear in their verbal and written communication?
• What type of reasoning do they engage in?
• Do they finish what they start?
• Do they plan for too long, or too little, before doing something?
• Do they reflect on their successes and failures?
• How do they interact with other people?

The emphasis on certain adjectives is to convey that these are moral subjective judgements. You should ask the same questions to yourself often.

Understanding the person behind an artifact tells you about its design.