Mike Ton

Learning to filter and chart tables, csv files, xml/JSON docs has been one of the more interesting problems I encountered working on Halo 4.  It's pure data shepherding.  And when I was doing manually it would take nearly half a day; so I wrote scripts to automate that :

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ak0Zu3w86Ux5dEtYZkpuV1Y5dWpfRG1KTTNKSEZ1RXc&usp=drive_web#gid=4

Data once it's filtered for relevancy and visualized as information becomes highly valuable in understanding trends and detecting spikes. Properties that are highly desirable for tracking and reporting memory usage.

"A problem well stated is a problem half solved."

                                        -Charles F. Kettering

One of the day to day challenges of tool/workflow development is resolving the needs and wants of diverse disciplines.  That gap can be particularly wide on complex and ambitious projects.  Many times the requests from one department will appear to conflict with what another may be asking for. 

A practical and direct way to address this is with Photoshop wireframes.  Words can be imprecise; pictures and numbers however tend to be concrete.  Photoshop->conversationw/Design->Photoshop->conversationw/Engineers, in my experience has worked as an effective means to iterate.

This process is a great aid in moving the needle forward on plans sidetracked by abstration and ambiguity.  And at times these visualizations will also serve as an ad hoc contract for the tools to implement or workflow to be setup.