Godfrey, I've heard the term used more and more in software. I guess it's part of the general trend in the US (*) culture towards using "important" sounding words rather than simple words that are seen as well, simple (and coherent.)
This is the same trend that brought us travesties such as ultra- premium and mega optical stabilization. Cheers, Gautam * - Perhaps a few other countries too. On 3/28/06, Godfrey DiGiorgi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Although I agree with your concept, I never once in my 20+ years of > being around software development efforts heard the word workflow in > connection with programming. There the term used was "logic". > > Workflow describes a higher level process sequence than the logic of > a computer program, in my opinion. I started hearing the word in > recent years in connection with user interface design and the study > of human factors engineering, not programming. I think the following > sentence characterizes the difference: > > "Computer programs follow logic, the causal sequence of their > instructions, while humans exploit workflow, the conceptual steps of > the endeavor to achieve a goal." > > Logic operates at the "start, do this, do this, test: if this then do > that, end" level. > > Workflow operates at the "transfer RAW files from camera storage to > computer storage, convert files to DNG format, open files with Bridge > and assign metadata template" or "remove film from camera and place > in processing tank, complete development process, dry film and view > on light table" level. > > Godfrey > > On Mar 28, 2006, at 1:53 PM, graywolf wrote: > > > Workflow is a term from programming. To write a program you have to > > figure out the steps and their order involved in completing a > > process. That is what workflow is. In fact any process that > > involves more than a single step has a workflow. You can not even > > make a cup of coffee without following a workflow. For instance you > > have a real problem if you try to drink the cup of coffee before > > putting it in the cup. > > > > However the term is mostly used by computer folk (and those > > terrible people, efficency experts) thus I can understand your not > > wanting to deal with it, Frank. > >
