Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Adjectives describe our work and the results of our work. Hence, our worked is judged by the adjective. More to the point, our work is described by the person who selects the adjective.

ad·jec·tive

from dictionary.com.

Adjectives modify nouns. Consider a test of a system. We perform the test (“test” is the noun), we complete the test, and we describe the test with an adjective. We could say:

successful test

failed test

agonizing test

glorious test

fun test

See how just a little adjective in front of “test” can make such a difference.

How was the test? Which one of these adjectives is correct? That usually depends on one factor:

the person selecting the adjective

Beauty is often in the eye of the beholder, and so is the adjective. The person who has the opportunity or authority to select the adjective often determines the outcome.

But we are testing a system; this is objective, right? I think it should be objective, but I have rarely seen it occur that way. Subjectivity – the selecting of the adjective – has been the norm in my life.

But let’s define the criteria before the test so that it will be objective. Guess what, the pre-test criteria is a bunch of adjectives. Someone will select those adjectives.

Try this exercise:

1. Listen for adjectives
2. Notice who selects those adjectives
3. Do this exercise over several weeks
4. Note the patterns

Who selects the adjectives where you work? Why do they select the adjectives instead of someone else?