Precise language
You ask the boss what to do: should you test more, fix bugs, or release the software? They say you need to think outside the box.
Wait, what?
The government agency who ordered your custom software complains it doesn’t work on their tablet. The boss says this should all be clear in the contract, so you check the specification, where it says very clearly “Users shall use the input device to enter values, search, and update. All elements shall be Create, Read, Update, Delete complete.”
The input device? Is that a keyboard? Mouse? Tablet? We don’t know.
Most spoken languages, but especially English, are ambiguous. You can play a game, play guitar – you can play a role in a play. You can even play the fool. Each of those uses is different. Usually, we can figure out what the meaning is, but often, words are open to different interpretations. If you want a great example, consider the requirement that the software “handles...
