Self Servicing & Self Delivery: Synonyms for 'Dogfooding'

Social Experience Design 🎭 Social Coding FSDL
#1

I tooted on “Self Delivery” as alternative to Dogfooding that many feel has negative connotation…

Not liking other alternatives, such as “Icecreaming” (too vague), “Drink your own champaign” (too posh), and “Eat the food you cook” (too long).

A definition may be:

Self Delivery is a continual improvement method whereby the creator of a solution is also a client that uses it, gaining insight in how the solution conforms to stated needs, that are fed back into the design proces.

What I like in Self Delivery is that in software:

  • You have to “deliver”. Very often a solution does not match the needs of its stakeholders.

  • Delivery implies a process that is followed. A solution evolves in a software development lifecycle (SLDC), and the delivery are the “end products” of a supply chain.

  • So there’s not only emphasis on the process, the functionality, but also all the quality criteria that a successful delivery involves.

  • It fits in the same FSDL category as “Continuous Delivery” / “Continuous Improvement”.

“Self Delivery” fits better than “Dogfooding” in a non-developer context. Fits the SLDC / OSLC, which involves everyone that is directly or even indirectly participating in solution delivery.

The definition given above is short, easily explained. “We practice Self Delivery, meaning we rely on the software we build ourselves” is easy enough to understand by anyone. One may add the analogy:

“It is like eating what you cook. Us techies also call it Dogfooding sometimes. But Self Delivery is about more than just taste. It is about high quality, timely provided end results.”

Or something along these lines :slight_smile:

#2

On fedi @NylaWoethief@writing.exchange pointed to the Trivial Technology Manifesto, which states in its guidelines:

  1. Only add the features you personally use. Instead of adding all the features, simply leave open points into which one may add features themselves. If you do not use a feature, you do not know how one might want to use it, so instead empower them to add it themselves, for their own fork.

Which can be said to be “practicing self delivery”.

#3

What’s wrong with “dogfooding”? It’s a great metaphor because people typically don’t eat dog food, so if you’re selling dog food, quality control is a big question. It is easy to find a dog that will eat anything, but if I see you eat it, that is the easiest way for you to show me you take this stuff seriously. A new term would need to also imply that emotional experience of overcoming disgust in the context of quality assurance.

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#4

Dogfooding is more sensitive in conveying understanding in certain cultures and religions because of the position of dogs in society. And does not convey the mental picture that it should. On multiple occasion I got criticism about using the term. And “drinking own champagne” I find cringe, like patting yourself on the shoulder for your own weird brew.

Self-delivery has wordplay to it. Software development is a “delivery service” of solution packages. Self-delivery is DYI to own address for consumption.

But everyone should use what they find a comfortable term.

Before I forget: Welcome to social coding movement! :people_hugging:

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#5

Okay I see your objections but I don’t have any answers.
And thanks :blush:

#6

Self Delivery versus Self Servicing

Progressive insight: Self-servicing is the better umbrella term, while self-delivery can be part of that.
(Note: Changing the topic title accordingly)