I've seen just about everything in the way of naming conventions too. That alone is worth a posting (or maybe even a good sized article!). While using a good naming convention is helpful it's not enough because what really matters is the meaning behind the name. We all know it's rare for there to be great (if any) documentation giving you the inside scope on every file. There's always a few key files that go undocumented in any case.
In my business I see a lot of work environments. Most companies try to impose some form of order or logic, but in the end, it is a single individual that typically decides what name to put on a file. That person's thought process when making up that name becomes a key factor, months or years later, when some other person is trying to decide the fate of that file.
So, the next time you go to name a file that will be around for more than a few weeks, do us all a favor, PLEASE. Give it some real thought. Give it a name that reflects the true nature of the business process involved, or what it contains or does. Plan ahead too. Avoid names that include reference to things that could change over time (like vendors, applications, people, etc.) unless the file is rendered obsolete if those change. Your future colleagues will thank you for spending a few extra minutes on this simple task and you'll be doing it the "right" way.
Write comment (1 Comment)
