

On the Front Lines, In the Trenches - cfontes
http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2790-on-the-front-lines-in-the-trenches

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misterbwong
This is the single best requirements gathering tool I have in my arsenal. It's
unfortunate that most programmers shy away from getting in the trenches and
seeing how products are actually used. I see this problem almost daily and it
results in faulty products that either languish or are used with gritted
teeth.

Very few people can _effectively_ make things other people want without
experiencing it. On the flip side, I've also found that very few are able to
accurately describe their problems when they are out taken out of their normal
contexts (i.e. pulled into a "requirements gathering" meeting). Getting in the
trenches solves both of these.

