Final answer:
The option 'Start programming before creating a proposal' is not a general guideline for developers; it is recommended to first plan and seek stakeholder feedback. Other options align with structured, phased, and standard-based approaches that lead to successful software development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks which of the following is not a general guideline for developers. Among the options provided, the one that is not considered to be a best practice or guideline for developers is:
Starting programming before creating a proposal is typically not advised because it may lead to a lack of direction and oversight, causing potential issues later in the development process. In contrast, the other options provided are aligned with recognized guidelines for successful software development:
- Group programming activities into phases: This is related to the software development lifecycle, where dividing the work into defined phases (such as requirements gathering, design, implementation, testing, and maintenance) helps in managing complexity and ensuring the quality of the final product.
- Involve users for whom the program is being developed: User involvement is crucial for defining accurate requirements and ensuring that the final product will meet user needs. This is part of the Buy-In process, where feedback is sought from all stakeholders.
- Define the standards, or sets of rules and procedures, for creating the product: Establishing coding standards or guidelines is important to maintain consistency and code quality throughout the project.
Furthermore, developers often follow a structured approach that involves mind searches, design sessions, idea dumps, and brainstorming to generate ideas. The process of developing a detailed design can consume the majority of the time allocated to a project and has a significant impact on its success. It involves defining the problem, identifying requirements and constraints, generating ideas, evaluating solutions, prototyping, testing, and refining the design. These steps are central to ensuring that the product not only meets the initial design concept's intentions but also the practical demands of users and stakeholders.