Language Games • Eli Holderness • GOTO 2024

Communication is inherently complex due to translation layers between concepts in our heads and the signifiers we use to express them - we can never be certain others interpret things exactly as we intend

Context gives language meaning - shared understanding and context between communicating parties is crucial for effective communication

Domain-driven design helps bridge the gap between stakeholder concepts and computer implementation by building a shared language and understanding

Good communication requires following cooperative principles:

• Be informative but not excessive (quantity)
• Be truthful and accurate (truth)
• Stay relevant (relevance)
• Be clear and perspicuous (clarity)

When building software, multiple communication channels exist:

• Between stakeholders and developers
• Between developers and computers
• Between developers themselves

Code is a language game with rules - when we write software, we’re creating new “house rules” on top of base programming language rules

Translation layers cause expensive mistakes when stakeholder concepts don’t align with computer implementation - important to identify and resolve these misalignments early

Clean, well-documented code matters because it serves as a communication channel between developers

Effective communication requires empathy and understanding of your audience’s context and perspective

Better communication can be achieved through:

• Reusing existing context where possible
• Being explicit about assumptions
• Building shared language incrementally
• Focusing on clarity over cleverness
• Understanding translation layers involved