Some time ago, I had an idea to better understand where bad code eats up manpower in terms of support. I figured, given an architecture in adequate detail, it might be useful to print it on a sheet of paper and put that on a pin board. Then, using for example colored pins, we could get an impression of where problems lie. For example, one might want to remember performance bottle necks, occurrences of bugs or black holes in the code, regions that no one understands nor wants to touch.
I've been too busy studying lately to actually put this forward, but still think its a good idea. Easy to use, trivial to evaluate. The only drawback is that it really doesn't look all that nice. (There is worse, but still ...) And here comes 3d printing and saves the day.
Take a look at the following FMC diagram, depicting an architecture of a (still) fictitious browsergame.
Now imagine this as a 3d model, as architects either show them on screen or build them in miniature. The blocks (agents) would rise, the nested ones even further above, the bubbles (storages) would actually be round. Well, the channels might just pose a problem, but anyways! Using materials like polystyrene or plaster, we would be provided with a model of our system that we could make use of as discussed before. With pins, we will be able to mark hot spots and so on. Only this time, it will look cool.
Unfortunately, the 2d solution would work just as fine. So, we're back at square one, having found ourselves a neat solution (to a problem, actually) - but is it actually useful?
If I find out, I'll do another post.
