Haley Allen
                                                            <haley>
                                                            Feb. 22, 2006

    In "The Mythical Man Month", Brooks describes the problem of consistency 
among implementers and architects.  When an architect makes a decision regarding
the design of a system or subsystem, how can he be sure that a specific design 
change will be followed through at the implemention level?  In the final project
for CS32 (my first experience with group projects), this issue of "Passing the 
Word" quickly became top priority in order for us to finish on time.  One of the
solutions Brooks explains is to have weekly "Conferences and Courts".  In these,
problems are posed by both architects and implementers and creative solutions 
are discussed until a consensus is formed or the chief architect makes a 
decision.  Similarly, in our group, we would have meetings every other day in 
which we could discuss any problems we were individually facing in hopes of 
greater insight from each other.  As suggested in the text, we found this to be
a highly effective way to address problems of design and implemention as well as
a way to  brainstorm for solutions.  In addition, it became an very efficient 
way to make any changes to the design known to everyone.  That is, instead of 
having to email each group member explaining the reasons after a change had to 
be made, everyone was present and on the same page, and were immediately able to
go make any modifications to their code that were necessary because of that 
change.