Ask HN: How do you translate your thoughts and logic to a drawing?

5 pointsknockonthedoor1 comment

One of the things that I have trouble with is translating an idea or program logic to a drawing on a paper or white board. I could verbally explain it but when I try to draw it I dont know where to start. Do you use flow chart/UML? and most importantly im interested to know how do you break the idea/logic to pieces and draw it.

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Well, it's not so complicated and you will get used to it with time.

1st. You make an easy drawing of the biggest picture that has:

all users/agents involved in your idea and the "business". Nothing techie, just imagine a bike shop, it will be something like:

User --buys in------> Shop ----gets bikes from---- Warehouse

2nd. Then you can continue asking questions like: what do I have in the shop? Should be something like:

workers - bikes - store - money - bike's stuff - back office

Then you can go refining your drawing: which kind of workers, how are their relations between them and with other elements...

From the biggest picture to the detail.

Depending who I'm talking with I use UML, flowcharts or whatever is necessary to explain the ideas.

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